Awards and Accolades
Laura Todd Johnson, Senior Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel
Laura Todd Johnson receives Distinguished Service Award
Laura Todd Johnson, senior vice president for legal affairs and general counsel, has received a Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of College and University Attorneys. The award recognizes individuals who have provided extraordinary service to NACUA and institutions of higher learning through legal or other professional contributions.
Johnson joined the university as general counsel in 2012, providing advice and support to university leadership and members of the Arizona Board of Regents. She is a past chair of the NACUA board of directors and the Arizona State Bar Employment and Labor Law Section.
NACUA provides legal resources, continuing education programming and networking opportunities to university counsel around the country. The organization has more than 1,650 institutional campus members and 5,000 attorney representatives practicing in the field of higher education law.
Johnson will be honored at the NACUA annual conference later this month in Seattle.
Brito receives Museum Impact Award
Denisse Brito, learning and engagement manager at the Center for Creative Photography, has received a 2025-26 Museum Impact Award from the American Alliance of Museums.
Denisse Brito, Learning and Engagement Manager, Center for Creative Photography
The award recognizes individuals, programs and institutions that are making a difference through workplace culture and community engagement.
In its announcement, the organization highlighted Brito's collaboration with Southern Arizona communities to create accessible and relatable content, as well as her efforts to incorporate multiple languages into the center's offerings. The alliance also recognized her mentorship work, which helps students build practical skills for careers in the museum field.
The American Alliance of Museums is a global nonprofit that supports museums through advocacy and by providing resources and networking opportunities to museum professionals.
The award was presented in May at the 2025 AAM annual meeting in Los Angeles. Read more about Brito's honor in a story on the Arizona Arts website.
Sheri Carson-Beauto honored by her alma mater
Sheri Carson-Beauto, Assistant Clinical Professor, College of Nursing
Sheri Carson-Beauto, assistant clinical professor in the College of Nursing, received the 2025 Professional Achievement Award from the Marquette University College of Nursing. The award, established in 1969, recognizes distinguished accomplishments throughout the recipient's career.
Carson-Beauto earned her bachelor's degree and completed her pediatric nurse practitioner program at Marquette.
She was honored for her work screening children for physical abuse and advocating for improved early recognition and intervention. Her contributions as a faculty member and interim specialty coordinator in the University of Arizona's pediatric nurse practitioner program also factored into her selection.
The award was presented in April at Marquette University. Read more about Carson-Beauto's honor in a story on the University of Arizona Health Sciences website.
Mary Stiner elected to the National Academy of Sciences
Mary Stiner, Regents Professor of Anthropology
Mary Stiner, Regents Professor of anthropology, has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences, part of the larger National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. The academy is a private nonprofit established by Congress to provide independent scientific guidance to the U.S. government.
Stiner joined the university in 1994. Her work focuses largely on the Mediterranean and Anatolian Peninsula at archeological sites ranging from 10,000 to 500,000 years old. Her current research explores the transition from hunter-gatherer cultures to the formation of early village life.
Election to the National Academy of Sciences recognizes distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. The academy has more than 2,600 active members and over 550 international members.
Read more about Stiner's work in a story on the university's news website.
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- Name of the person, team or unit receiving the honor with full university titles.
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- When the honor was announced and when it will be presented (or was presented).
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Questions? Contact Lo Que Pasa at uaatwork@arizona.edu.