College of Education and Health Professions Announces 2026 Outstanding Faculty

The College of Education and Health Professions recently named its 2026 outstanding faculty award winners.

The college's Faculty Council reviews applications each year, targeting essential aspects of scholarly life and work. The Honors Council also selects an award recipient.

"The outstanding achievements of this year's award-winning faculty reflect the dedication, creativity and impact of our entire academic community," said Dean Kate Mamiseishvili. "Their work elevates our college and inspires us all."

Faculty awardees will be recognized alongside the college's staff award winners at the end-of-year, all-college meeting on May 1.

This year's winners are:

Faculty Career Award

Ronna Turner, professor of educational statistics and research methods

Turner has had a distinguished career at the U of A, with long-standing excellence in teaching, research and service. Since joining the faculty in 1996, she has progressed to full professor, taken on multiple leadership roles and made significant contributions to her program and the institution. She is recognized as an exceptional educator and mentor, with consistently strong teaching evaluations, numerous awards and extensive involvement in graduate student advising and dissertation work. Turner has also built an impressive research portfolio, including dozens of publications, presentations, technical reports and substantial grant funding totaling nearly $27 million. In addition, she has demonstrated a strong commitment to service through leadership in academic programs, faculty searches, professional organizations and efforts to enhance research capacity across the university. Overall, she is a highly impactful scholar, educator and colleague whose contributions merit the Faculty Career Award.

George Denny S.T.A.R. Award

Vicki Collet, professor of childhood education

The college recognizes Collet's exceptional balance of accomplishments across teaching, mentoring, research and service during 2025. She demonstrated outstanding teaching through highly rated, thoughtfully designed courses and intensive student mentorship, including guiding numerous graduate students through research and publication. Her research record was both rigorous and influential, with multiple high-impact publications and national presentations, while her service reflected sustained leadership at institutional and state levels, including the development of a statewide coaching and mentoring training program. Collectively, Collet's work exemplifies the comprehensive excellence and impact the George Denny S.T.A.R. Award is intended to honor.

Rising S.T.A.R. Award

Julie Hill, assistant professor of counselor education and supervision

Hill was selected as the recipient of the Rising S.T.A.R. Award in recognition of her outstanding performance as a junior faculty member across multiple domains, particularly in teaching, research and mentoring/advising. In a short period of time, she has demonstrated exceptional teaching effectiveness, evidenced by consistently high course evaluations, innovative curriculum development and a strong commitment to creating inclusive and engaging learning environments. Her research productivity is equally impressive, with numerous peer-reviewed publications, national and international presentations and nearly $2 million in external funding secured as a new faculty member. Additionally, Hill has shown a deep dedication to mentoring and advising students through her work on dissertation committees, as well as through grant-funded training programs and individualized student support. Her meaningful contributions and rapid impact across these areas exemplify the excellence and promise that the Rising S.T.A.R. Award is intended to recognize.

Impactful Scholarship Award

Christine Holyfield, associate professor of communication sciences and disorders

Holyfield's scholarly productivity over the past two academic years has been exceptional, representing a sustained and highly impactful research endeavor in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). She authored 20 peer-reviewed publications in 2024 and 2025, including articles in leading journals such as Augmentative and Alternative Communication and American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, as well as in interdisciplinary outlets in human-computer interaction. She also presented her contributions to audiences at 11 national and 10 international conferences. Her work focuses on advancing communication access, literacy and social participation for individuals with complex communication needs, with particular emphasis on the integration of artificial intelligence and context-aware AAC systems. Holyfield secured significant external funding as principal investigator of the federally funded Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) on AAC, a $4.8 million award supporting a multi-institutional collaboration across five universities. Her scholarship is further distinguished by strong interdisciplinary collaboration, meaningful community engagement with AAC users and families and a sustained commitment to mentorship, with numerous student co-authors across her publications. Collectively, Holyfield's work demonstrates measurable impact on research, clinical practice and professional training, establishing her as a leading scholar in AAC and exemplifying the intent of the Impactful Scholarship Award. 

Outstanding Teaching Award

Jessica Danley, clinical education coordinator and clinical instructor of communication sciences and disorders

Danley exemplifies outstanding pedagogy through her innovative, student‑centered approach to graduate clinical education that intentionally bridges theory and real‑world practice. She has re-designed multiple courses to provide immersive and evidence‑based learning experiences for her students that emphasize clinical reasoning, reflective practice and professional judgment. Her courses integrate a variety of activities and assessments that transform students from passive learners into engaged, confident clinicians. Designing the "escape room" instead of a traditional final exam for students to complete competency-based exercises to "escape" is one of many signature examples of Danley's pedagogical innovation, requiring students to work collaboratively to solve complex clinical cases while applying course content. This gamified approach significantly enhances student engagement while fostering teamwork, problem‑solving and applied clinical reasoning. Beyond the classroom, Danley consistently adopts a student‑centered approach, thoughtfully responding to student feedback in ways that exemplify the highest level of teaching excellence and extend far beyond the classroom.

Outstanding Mentoring and Advising Award

Abigail Schmitt, assistant professor of exercise science

During the 2025 academic year, Schmitt exhibited outstanding commitment to mentoring and advising students within the exercise science program and the Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation (HHPR). She served as a mentor to 26 undergraduate students, graduated her first Ph.D. student and served on or chaired multiple graduate student committees. This year, her mentees received seven research-related awards, including multiple honors research grants and regional conference awards. She also mentored many students through publications and conference presentations. Schmitt offers her time and energy to students with remarkable generosity, and her mentees consistently give her praise for the exceptional guidance and support she provides. In addition to providing mentorship to students, she serves as a leader of the department's Pre‑Tenure Faculty Club, a group that supports early‑career faculty and fosters a welcoming environment where newly-hired colleagues can discuss topics ranging from teaching strategies and classroom management to balancing service commitments within and beyond the university. Overall, Schmitt's sustained commitment to mentorship and advising has significantly impacted both students and colleagues within HHPR and the broader college.

Superior Service Awards

Elizabeth Lorah, professor of special education

Lorah was selected for the Superior Service Award due to her exceptional and far-reaching contributions to the university, profession and community. Most notably, she played a key role in revising the Arkansas Medicaid manual for autism services, a policy effort that will expand access to evidence-based care for families across the state and have a lasting impact. At the U of A, Lorah co-directs the Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Lab, where she integrates research, clinical practice and student training to support individuals with complex communication needs. She also leads the Applied Behavior Analysis program, ensuring rigorous preparation of future professionals while mentoring students and coordinating curriculum improvements. She also directs an autism preschool program and has led the AAC Summer Camp for multiple years, demonstrating a strong commitment to children and families. Across institutional leadership, professional organizations and public service, Lorah's work reflects sustained, meaningful impact. Her ability to connect policy, practice and education exemplifies the spirit of the Superior Service Award.

Josh McGee, associate professor of education reform and 21st Century Endowed Chair in Accountability and Transparency

McGee was selected for the Superior Service Award based on the extraordinary amount and quality of his professional service to Arkansas, the university, the college, the Department of Education Reform and national policy organizations in 2025. He served as chair of the Arkansas Education Funding Task Force and as a member of the Arkansas Educator Preparation Program State Review Task Force, the Arkansas School Leadership Task Force and the Arkansas Attendance Task Force. He helped Secretary Jacob Oliva design the teacher merit pay program under the Arkansas LEARNS Act. He advises the U of A's Data Science Program, is a member of the University Research Reproducibility and Replicability Committee and serves on the college's Service to Arkansas Committee and the Department of Education Reform's Admissions, Fellowship and Personnel Committees. Nationally, McGee serves on the boards of MDRC--Building Knowledge to Improve Social Policy, EdFund and the Equable Institute—three prominent nonprofit organizations that conduct rigorous research and influence policy in education evaluation, finance and public pension systems.  

Empowerment Award

Sheida Raley, assistant professor of special education

Raley exemplifies the ideals of the Faculty Empowerment Award through her sustained and impactful work empowering individuals with disabilities through research, teaching, mentoring and service. Her scholarship centers the voices and agency of individuals with disabilities by advancing self-determination, autonomy and inclusive participation in educational and community systems. Through externally funded collaborative research initiatives, Raley builds structures that empower individuals with disabilities to shape their own goals and futures. In her teaching, she fosters inclusive, supportive learning environments that challenge students to become change agents and advocates, consistently earning exceptional student ratings for her engaging, strengths-based instruction. Raley's mentoring extends beyond the classroom as she intentionally supports doctoral scholars and early‑career professionals locally, nationally and internationally, amplifying their voices and professional trajectories. Her service in university governance, professional leadership organizations and statewide transition initiatives further demonstrates a deep commitment to shared leadership and systems change. Collectively, Raley's work demonstrates a sustained commitment to ensuring that individuals with disabilities are empowered to participate fully in education, community and professional spaces.

Outstanding Honors Faculty Award

Each year, the college's honors students nominate faculty members for the Outstanding Honors Faculty Award. A subcommittee of the Honors Council selects the recipient. This year's winner is:

Hope Ballentine, teaching associate professor of nursing

Ballentine's nomination letter from an undergraduate honors student describes the profound impact of working with her throughout the student's Honors thesis and service‑learning project. The letter highlights Ballentine's deep commitment to student success and her ability to create meaningful research and leadership opportunities for her students. Ballentine's patient and encouraging mentorship transforms an intimidating research process into an empowering learning experience. Ballentine is recognized for her engaging teaching style and exceptional ability to make complex content accessible and motivating. Ballentine models compassionate, unbiased nursing practice, demonstrating the qualities our students aspire to embody.