The College of Education and Health Professions has named its 2025 Alumni Award winners and will honor them during an evening celebration on March 7.

The awardees are Julia D. Phelps, Maureen A. Hartford, Heather Coats, Jeremy N. Butler and Brendan I. Cook.

"Each of these five alumni exemplify excellence in education and health," said Dean Kate Mamiseishvili. "Their dedication to transforming lives and leading with care serves as a great example to others. We are excited to have the opportunity to celebrate them and their accomplishments."

DISTINGUISHED PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD

Julia D. Phelps is a teacher at heart. After graduating, she worked in Springdale and Fayetteville, teaching English, speech and debate. While completing her doctorate at Indiana University, she supervised student teachers. Her career includes teaching at the college level and being a middle school assistant principal and principal. Phelps was an assistant superintendent before moving to the Massachusetts Department of Education, where she served as associate commissioner for curriculum and instruction until her retirement in 2014.  

She joined the Amesbury Rotary Club in 1997 and served as club president from 2001 to 2002 and District 7930 governor from 2007 to 2008. Phelps was the club's international director from 2014 to 2016 and a trustee of the Rotary Foundation from 2017 to 2020. She also served on the Stewardship and Executive committees and is currently vice chair for the Council on Legislation.

She has served on several boards and leadership positions, including president of the Maine Association of Middle Level Education, Board of Directors for the Amesbury Educational Foundation Inc. (AEFI) and the Board of Directors for Link House Inc.  

Phelps has been recognized for her leadership qualities as the recipient of the Rotary Foundation's Citation for Meritorious Service and Distinguished Service Award. In 2010, she was inducted into AEFI's Hall of Honor as a Friend of Education. Phelps received the Special Partnership Award from Amesbury Learning and Literacy Partnership and an ATHENA Recognition from the Haverhill Chamber of Commerce. 

Phelps and her husband, Steve McKenzie, live in Greenland, New Hampshire. They have two children and five grandsons.

DISTINGUISHED CAREER IN EDUCATION AWARD

Maureen A. Hartford earned her B.A. and M.A.C.T. from the University of North Carolina and an Ed.D. from the U of A. Her dissertation topic was Profiles of Women CEOs, which she completed under the guidance of professor emeritus James O. Hammons. Hartford also attended the Harvard Seminar for New Presidents and the Harvard Presidential Seminar on Leading Institutional Advancement. 

Although she began her career on the faculty, she quickly moved into college administration. Most of Hartford's career was in student affairs, with appointments as director of counseling services at the University of Maine Presque Isle, dean of students at Case Western Reserve University, vice provost for student affairs at Washington State University and vice president of student affairs at the University of Michigan. She ended her career as president of Meredith College. Post-retirement, Hartford was a partner at a firm that assisted college boards in searches for college presidents.

Hartford has been recognized by the governor of North Carolina with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine and by the UNC School of Education with the school's Alumni Achievement Award.

She has spent most of her career working to improve women's education and careers. She has been involved in her community as an elementary school tutor and a volunteer in pet therapy at UNC hospitals. She has been a member of several boards, including the National Leadership Board, and was appointed to the Marine Corps University Board by the Secretary of the Navy.

Hartford and her husband, Jay, live in Cary, North Carolina. They have two children and six grandchildren. 

DISTINGUISHED CAREER IN HEALTH AWARD

Heather Coats is a board-certified palliative care nurse practitioner, director of research for the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association, a tenured associate professor at the University of Colorado Anschutz's College of Nursing and director of palliative care inquiry for the interprofessional Master of Science in Palliative Care at CU Anschutz's School of Medicine.

She earned her Ph.D. in Nursing from the University of Arizona in 2016, a master's degree in nursing and adult nurse practitioner from the University of Colorado in 2006 and her B.S.N. from the U of A in 1996.

Coats is a well-known palliative care nurse leader whose program of research investigates the use of person-centered narrative interventions to improve communication between patients, family caregivers and clinicians. She has been funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Cambia Health Foundation.   

In recognition of her impact on the palliative and hospice field, she was recognized with the 2021 Hospice and Palliative Care Nurses Association Vanguard Award. She is also a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, Palliative Care Nursing and the Western Academy of Nurses. Coats represents the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association on the National Academy of Science and Engineering and Medicine's Roundtable for Quality Care for People with Serious Illness, and she has been invited to India and Japan to share her knowledge and expertise in palliative care and end-of-life nursing.   

EMERGING LEADER IN EDUCATION AWARD

Jeremy N. Butler is a special education teacher at Hellstern Middle School in Springdale. Overcoming a challenging upbringing marked by trauma and academic struggles, Butler found support in the Springdale Public Schools Alternative Education program. He subsequently served in the U.S. Army as a sniper for over eight years, deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan. Following an injury sustained from an IED, he received a medical discharge. 

Driven by a desire to mentor students facing similar challenges, Butler earned his degree in special education from the U of A. He remains connected to the Alternative Education program, sharing his experiences and inspiring students to persevere. A sought-after speaker, he has addressed over 30 schools. In recognition of his remarkable journey, Butler was awarded the inaugural Jeremy Butler True GRIT Award in 2024. His story exemplifies the power of perseverance and the importance of supportive environments in overcoming adversity. 

EMERGING LEADER IN HEALTH AWARD

Brendan I. Cook is an occupational therapist based in Northwest Arkansas. A native of Springdale, he graduated from the U of A with a Bachelor of Science in kinesiology in 2018. He then pursued his Doctor of Occupational Therapy, graduating from the Washington University School of Medicine in 2022. As a student, Cook served in many leadership positions but was also devoted to his community. He worked in a student-run clinic that provided OT services to individuals experiencing homelessness. During this opportunity, he worked with many individuals who needed all aspects of help: physical, emotional, mental and even spiritual. 

Currently, Cook is a full-time occupational therapist at Mercy Rehab Hospital and an adjunct professor in the U of A's OT program. As a practitioner at Mercy Rehab, one of Cook's favorite experiences is combining technology and healthcare by introducing virtual reality into therapy sessions. Within academia, he has co-authored textbooks, contributed case studies and published research on ethics in higher education diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. His article "Exploring Ethics as a Foundation For Higher Education Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives" challenges institutions to use Paul Ricouer's ethical framework to create inclusive academic environments. 

Outside of his professional work, Cook enjoys playing video games, watching sports and spending time with family. He considers his greatest accomplishment to be the opportunity to help people where they are and support them in achieving their goals. 

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About the College of Education and Health Professions: The College of Education and Health Professions' six departments prepare students for a wide range of careers in education and health, including teaching, nursing, counseling, educational leadership and policy, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, public health, exercise science, and many more. The college has approximately 360 faculty and staff members, serves more than 6,000 students and supports over 20 research and service units. Guided by the WE CARE strategic plan, the college strives to advance impactful research that improves people's lives, increase transformative learning opportunities for its students, engage in meaningful partnerships across Arkansas and beyond, and embrace a culture of caring that empowers people to thrive in all aspects of life.