ATSU honors Kirksville campus faculty and staff with annual awards ceremony
Posted: March 19, 2026
A.T. Still University celebrated its Kirksville, Missouri, campus faculty and staff recently with the annual Faculty and Staff Recognition & Award Ceremony.
Donna Brown, MBA, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, Assistant Chief Human Resources & Deputy Title IX Coordinator, Human Resources, ATSU, was presented with The Distinguished Service Award.
The unveiling of the award is always a surprise to the employee being honored, but this time required even more secrecy than other years as Brown is master of ceremonies for the event.
When it came time for the reveal, a special video message played to make the announcement as Brown’s family members were escorted into Mehegan Classroom. The video contained congratulatory words from members of the Human Resources team.
The Distinguished Service Award was created to recognize an employee who displays exceptional service to ATSU. Nominees must have a minimum of 10 years cumulative service to the University and display extraordinary dedication, service above self, a strong work ethic, and a positive outlook.
Other faculty and staff awards included:
A.T. Still Staff Award for Excellence in Teaching: Jordan Palmer, DO, ’17, Assistant Professor, Family Medicine, ATSU-KCOM
ATSU-MOSDOH Elsie Gaber Compassion & Integrity Award: Ammar Musawi, BDS, MDS, MPH, Assistant Dean, Simulation Clinic & Preclinical Education, ATSU-MOSDOH
ATSU-CGHS Outstanding Employee Award: Presley Melvin-Dean, MPH, MS, Academic Advisor, Administration, ATSU-CGHS
ATSU-CGHS Dean’s Award: Eric Matthews, PhD, DHSc, MS, Chair, Health Sciences, ATSU-CGHS
ATSU-CGHS Professor of the Year: Kathleen Mathieson, PhD, CIP, Program Director, Health Sciences, ATSU-CGHS
ATSU-CGHS Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award: Eboni Anderson, PhD, DHEd, MSW, MEd, MA, Adjunct Faculty, Public Health, ATSU-CGHS
ATSU-CGHS Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award: Emily Bonazelli, DHA, MS, Adjunct Faculty, Health Administration, ATSU-CGHS
ATSU-CGHS Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award: Carol Chevalier,DHSc, MPH, MS, CSSGB, CPC, Adjunct Faculty, Health Sciences, ATSU-CGHS
ATSU-CGHS Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award: Helen Ewing, DHS, MN, RN, Adjunct Faculty, Nursing, ATSU-CGHS
ATSU 1st Quarter Employee Excellence Award recipient: Olivia Ellison, MEd, Coordinator of Enrollment Data, Administration, ATSU-CGHS
ATSU 2nd Quarter Employee Excellence Award recipient: Sara McVay, MBA, Assistant Director for Payroll, Human Resources, ATSU
ATSU 3rd Quarter Employee Excellence Award recipient: Amy DeLeon, General Accountant, Finance, ATSU
ATSU 4th Quarter Employee Excellence Award recipient: Christopher Ferguson, Analyst of Administrative Computing, ITS Development, ATSU
Employees recognized for reaching milestone years of service were as follows:
5 years: Justin Craig, MEd, Security Officer, Campus Safety, ATSU; Hashim Elmshiti, PhD, MS, Assistant Professor, MOSDOH Education, ATSU-MOSDOH; Valena Fiscus, DO, MPH,
FACOI, ’13, Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine, ATSU-KCOM; Zach Long, Lead Service Worker, Environmental Services, ATSU; Cassandra Luscan, AAS, Anatomy Lab Manager, Anatomy, ATSU-KCOM; Ryan Miller, MA, Instructional Coordinator. Medical Education, ATSU-KCOM; Robert Mills, Security Officer, Campus Safety, ATSU; Saroj Misra, DO, FAAFP, FACOFP dist., ’98, Associate Dean, Clinical Affairs, ATSU-KCOM; Charla Rohm, Accounting Assistant, Finance, ATSU; Louise Smith, MA, Instructional Designer, Administration, ATSU-CGHS; Lisa Weichelt, Service Worker, Environmental Services, ATSU; Diana Woods, Patient Services Coordinator, Kirksville Family Medicine, ATSU-KCOM.
10 years: Norma Baez, Service Worker, Environmental Services, ATSU; Wesley Belling, Service Worker, Environmental Services, ATSU; Byunghee “Henry” Han, PhD, Professor, Pharmacology, ATSU-KCOM; Valerie Horn, Clinic Coordinator, Gutensohn Business Office, ATSU-KCOM; Gwyn Kelley Franklin, MBA, Data Manager, Still Research Institute, ATSU; Prasanth Kharade, MCA, Academic Computing Programmer, ITS Development, ATSU; Sarah Maddox, MAE, Proposal Development Specialist, Sponsored Programs, ATSU; Tim Ostrowski, PhD, Associate Professor, Physiology, ATSU-KCOM; Kathy Schroeder, Standardized Patient Educator, Medical Education, ATSU-KCOM; Jennifer Sharp, Assistant Director, Student Accounts, Finance, ATSU; Zane Starks, MS, Manager, Research Innovation and Programming, Still Research Institute, ATSU; Andrew Thompson, Controller, Financial Reporting, Finance, ATSU; Sheri Walters, PT, DPT, PhD, SCS, ATC/L, CSCS, Assistant Professor, Kinesiology, ATSU-CGHS; Christopher Wilken, Network Security Engineer, ITS Information Security, ATSU; Terry Wise, DMin, PhD, JD, Associate Dean, Administration, ATSU-CGHS.
15 years: Joshua Bernstein, PhD, CHES, Associate Professor, Doctor of Health Education, ATSU-CGHS; Keith Elmslie, PhD, Department Chair, Professor, Pharmacology, ATSU-KCOM; Larry Frost, Security Officer, Campus Safety, ATSU; Katie Hubbard, MBA, Writer/Editor, Communication & Marketing, ATSU; Holley McCoy, Service Worker, Environmental Services, ATSU; Sue McDaniel, MS, Instructional Designer, Administration, ATSU-CGHS; Jody Peterson, Executive Assistant, Office of the Chief Operating Officer & General Counsel, ATSU; Aesha Turner, DHEd, MS, MCHES, Business Operations Manager, Administration, ATSU-CGHS.
20 years: Mary Carter, CPP, Director of Payroll, Human Resources, ATSU; Deborah Goggin, MA, ELS, Scientific Writer, Research Support, ATSU; Deanna Hunsaker, DHEd, MBA, Interim Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Student Affairs, ATSU; Lynda Konecny, DHEd, DHSc, MCHES, Associate Professor, Doctor of Health Education, ATSU-CGHS; Chasiti Peavler, Medical Assistant, OMM Clinic, ATSU-KCOM.
25 years: Gail Doss, Creative Services Coordinator, Communication & Marketing, ATSU; Tonya Grimm, MS, Assistant Chief Financial Officer, Finance, ATSU; Timothy Johnson, Assistant Chief, ITS Operations, ATSU; Kelcey Smith, Education Coordinator, Family Medicine, Preventive Medicine & Community Health, ATSU-KCOM.
30 years: Robert Frazier, Security Supervisor, Campus Safety, ATSU; Merle Glaspie, Grounds Service Worker, Maintenance, ATSU; Linda Sutton, Academic Computing Analyst, ITS Development, ATSU.