2024 'Women of Impact' honorees celebrated

Celebrating forward-thinking leaders from throughout the university, the Office of Research, Innovation and Impact has honored 31 women from 15 units with Women of Impact awards. The honorees are being recognized for their contributions and commitment to the university's values and land-grant mission. 

The office also honored 30 public high school students from throughout Southern Arizona with Young Women of Impact awards.

This year's awardees were recognized during a Nov. 7 ceremony at the Center for Creative Photography.

"The initiative is so much more than just this event," said Lisa Romero, associate vice president for marketing and communications for Research, Innovation and Impact. "We want to promote the outstanding contributions of women across the university and young women throughout Southern Arizona while fostering an inclusive community where women of all ages and backgrounds uplift one another."

This is the third year for the program, which aims to shine a spotlight on accomplished women throughout the university for their achievements, community impact, innovation and commitment to empowering others.

The office is currently accepting nominations for 2025. Awardees in the 2022 cohort and 2023 cohort are listed on the Research, Innovation and Impact website.

This year's honorees are below.

Nadia Alvarez Mexia
Assistant Professor of Practice, W.A. Franke Honors College
Assistant Director, Learning Development and Community Involvement, W.A. Franke Honors College

Gail Burd
Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, Teaching and Learning
University Distinguished Professor, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology

Erika Eggers
Professor, Department of Physiology
Associate Department Head for Research, Department of Physiology

Lisa Elfring
Vice Provost for Assessment, Teaching and Technology
Specialist, Biology Education

Andrea K. Gerlak
Director, Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy
Professor, School of Geography, Development and Environment

Hee Jeong Kim
Assistant Professor, Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering and Mechanics

Sangita Judge
Vice President for Research Operations, Office of Research, Innovation and Impact
Research Assistant Professor, School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness

Simin Karimi
Professor Emerita, Department of Linguistics

Amelia Kraehe
Associate Vice President for Equity in the Arts, College of Fine Arts
Professor, School of Art

Josephine Korchmaros
Director, Southwest Institute for Research on Women
Research Social Scientist and Research Professor, Southwest Institute for Research on Women

Kirsten Limesand
Vice Provost for Graduate Education
Dean, Graduate College
Professor, School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness

Melanie McKay-Cody
Assistant Professor, Department of Disability and Psychoeducational Studies

Maha Nassar
Associate Professor, School of Middle Eastern and North African Studies

Kimberly Ogden
Chair and Professor, Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering
Director, Arizona Institute of Advanced Energy Solutions

Jenn Parlin
Director, The Garden Kitchen
Assistant Agent, Family, Consumer and Health Sciences, Pima County Cooperative Extension

Lori Poloni-Staudinger
Dean, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Professor, School of Government and Public Policy

Cindy Rankin
Associate Professor, Department of Physiology
Executive Director, University of Arizona Health Sciences K-12 Health Literacy Project

Jessica Retis
Director, School of Journalism
Professor, School of Journalism

Channah Rock
Professor and Water Quality Specialist, Department of Environmental Science

Kathleen Rodgers
Associate Director, Center for Innovation in Brain Science
Professor, Department of Pharmacology

Janet Roveda
Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Professor, Biomedical Engineering

Karen Seat
Director, School of International Languages, Literatures and Cultures
Department Head and Associate Professor, Department of Religious Studies and Classics

Rebecca Senf
Chief Curator, Center for Creative Photography

Lisa Shubitz
Research Scientist, Valley Fever Center for Excellence
Associate Research Professor, School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences

Stacey Tecot
Associate Professor, School of Anthropology
Director, Laboratory for the Evolutionary Endocrinology of Primates

Stephanie Troutman Robbins
Department Head and Associate Professor, Department of Gender and Women's Studies
Associate Professor, Department of English

Kasey Urquidez
Vice President, Enrollment Management
Dean, Undergraduate Admissions

Karna Walter
Assistant Dean, Student Engagement, W.A. Franke Honors College
Director, Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships

Beth Weinstein
Acting Associate Dean, Student Affairs, School of Architecture
Associate Professor, School of Architecture

Ada Wilkinson-Lee
Associate Professor, Department of Mexican American Studies
Associate Professor, Norton School of Human Ecology

Hao Helen Zhang
Professor, Department of Mathematics
Professor and Chair, Statistics and Data Science Graduate Interdisciplinary Program