Nine faculty and staff members of Appalachian State University’s Reich College of Education (RCOE), along with the Special Education Department of Labor Grant Faculty, were recently honored with the 2026 RCOE awards.
- Dr. Lianne Jones: Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award
- Dr. Betsy Rosenbalm ’01 ’05 ’08 ’14 ’22: Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award
- Dr. Sandra Albert: Outstanding Part-time Faculty Award
- Rhonda Russell: Outstanding Advocacy for Student Success Award
- Dr. Herb Brown: Outstanding Leadership Award
- Dr. Teressa Sumrall ’05 ’07: Outstanding Mentoring Award
- Dr. Alecia Jackson: Outstanding Scholarship/Creative Achievement Award
- Dr. Jill Weidknecht Van Horne: Outstanding Service Award
- Alexis Manus: Outstanding Staff Award
- Special Education Department of Labor Grant Faculty: Community of Practice Award
Faculty, staff, and students were invited to submit nominations for the ten categories.
Nominated individuals or groups were then asked to submit supporting portfolios, which the RCOE Awards Committee reviewed. Recipients were announced at the RCOE Faculty/Staff Closing Meeting on Thursday, April 30.
Rebekah Saylors, co-chair of the awards committee and director of communications for the college, expressed appreciation to all who submitted nominations and portfolios.
“Our faculty and staff continue to shape the future of education through innovative, collaborative work both inside and outside the classroom,” Saylors said. “It’s an honor to recognize and celebrate their outstanding achievements.”
She also congratulated all nominees for their meaningful contributions to the college. “Your dedication and impact are deeply valued,” she said. Reflecting that sentiment, one committee member shared, “I am humbled to work alongside so many talented folks!”
Saylors also thanked committee members for their time and service on the committee: Those committee members are as follows:
- Ronda Eldreth, co-chair and staff representative
- Michell Hoag, staff representative
- Jenny McCourry, non-tenure track faculty representative
- Department of Child Development, Literacy, and Special Education faculty — Dr. Robin Groce, Dr. Angie Harris, and Dr. Pam Shue
- Department of Counseling, Family Therapy, and Higher Education faculty — Dr. Jill Weidknecht Van Horne, Dr. Laurie Ramirez, and Dr. Cacey Wells
- Department of Leadership and Educational Studies faculty — Dr. Frannie Greene and Dr. Alecia Jackson
- Department of Media, Career Studies, and Leadership Development faculty — Dr. Nakesha Dawson and Dr. Krista Wojdak
2026 RCOE Awards Recipients
Dr. Lianne Jones
2026 Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award
Prior to becoming an assistant professor in the Department of Learning, Teaching, and Curriculum, Dr. Lianne Jones taught elementary and middle grades mathematics for 11 years in both public and private school settings in the Houston area.
Her research interests include purposeful questioning, mentorship and instructional coaching, and educational partnerships.
She earned her Ph.D. in curriculum and teaching with an emphasis on mathematics education from Baylor University.
“Receiving this award is deeply meaningful to me because it reflects what I am most passionate about: supporting future teachers,” said Jones. “It's thrilling to watch them become more confident mathematicians and educators and take that with them into their classrooms.”
Dr. Betsy Rosenbalm ’01 ’05 ’08 ’14 ’22
2026 Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award
Dr. Betsy Rosenbalm serves as the co-director of the North Carolina Principal Fellows program and a clinical assistant professor in the Master's in School Administration program, housed in the Department of Media, Career Studies, and Leadership Development.
A National Board Certified educator with experience as a teacher, instructional coach, school administrator, district leader, and director in higher education, she brings extensive expertise in supporting beginning teachers, advancing inclusive practices, forging leadership pathways, and strengthening school–university partnerships across North Carolina.
Rosenbalm holds multiple degrees from Appalachian State University: a B.S. in elementary education (2001), an M.A. in reading education (2005), a graduate certificate in school administration (2008), and additional certifications in exceptional children’s support (2014, 2022). She earned her Ed.D. in curriculum and instruction from Gardner-Webb University in 2012.
“I am truly humbled that my wonderful students would nominate me for such a special award,” said Rosenbalm. “It is an absolute honor to teach such promising future leaders at the university that prepared me to be a teacher and a leader.”
Rosenbalm also expressed appreciation for her colleagues in the college: “They have taught and led me in ways that have made me better, stronger, and more responsive over the last eight years at App State.”
Dr. Sandra Albert
2026 Outstanding Part-time Faculty Award
Dr. Sandra Albert is an adjunct instructor in the Department of Child Development, Literacy, and Special Education, where she specializes in transforming theory into practice by sharing real-world stories that span from the classroom to the courtroom.
With over 30 years of experience across New York, Virginia, and North Carolina, her career has been a journey of advocacy, from the front lines of the NYC foster care system to her current full-time role as Chief Student Services Officer, weaving those experiences together to bridge the gap between legislative policy and the heart of the daily classroom.
“Receiving this award is a profound honor, but the true gift has been the lessons my students have taught me in return,” said Albert. “While the field of special education has transformed over the past three decades, the core of our work, advocacy and human connection, remains unchanged.”
“Today, I am dedicated to helping teacher candidates balance the rigors of modern policy with a deep understanding of student needs and the importance of the 'whole child,'” she continued. “We are all learners in this evolving landscape, and I am honored to share this path with such dedicated colleagues and students.”
Rhonda Russell
2026 Outstanding Advocacy for Student Success Award
Rhonda Russell is a senior lecturer in the Department of Child Development, Literacy, and Special Education, where she has taught since 2010. A former early childhood and elementary teacher, she prepares future educators through constructivist, play-based practice and community-engaged partnerships that extend learning beyond the classroom.
With over 30 years of experience in education, her work is grounded in relationships, reflection, and real-world practice. She is committed to supporting students as they grow into confident, capable professionals and advocates for children and families, while also contributing to initiatives that strengthen the early childhood workforce.
“I am honored to be recognized for work that is deeply meaningful to me,” said Russell. “Supporting and advocating for students as they grow into confident, thoughtful educators is at the heart of my work, and I’m grateful to be part of that ongoing journey.”
Dr. Herb Brown
2026 Outstanding Leadership Award
Dr. Herb Brown serves as both the chair of the Department of Media, Career Studies, and Leadership Development and the Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Operations of the college.
In these leadership capacities, he provides strategic direction for a diverse portfolio of academic programs, supports faculty development, and advances initiatives that strengthen student success and program innovation.
Since joining App State in August 2007, Brown has contributed more than 18 years of service to the college as both a faculty member and academic leader. Over that time, he has held multiple program director roles, as well as taught across several programs, including Career and Technical Education, Organizational Leadership and Learning, and Media, Technology and Learning Design. His sustained engagement across programs reflects a deep commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration, program development, and the continued growth and success of students and faculty alike.
Brown’s work is grounded in a servant leadership philosophy, emphasizing collaboration, advocacy, and the cultivation of strong, sustainable programs. He has played a key role in program development, online and workforce-focused education initiatives, and college-level strategic planning efforts. His leadership reflects a commitment to empowering faculty and staff while fostering meaningful, student-centered outcomes across the college.
“Receiving the RCOE Leadership Award is both humbling and deeply meaningful to me, not as a recognition of individual accomplishment, but as a reflection of the incredible faculty and staff I have the privilege to serve alongside each day,” said Brown. “I have always believed that leadership is rooted in service — advocating for others, supporting their success, and helping create conditions where people and programs can thrive.”
“Any impact I have had is a direct result of the commitment, talent, and dedication of those I am fortunate to lead,” he added.
Dr. Teressa Sumrall ’05 ’07
2026 Outstanding Mentoring Award
Dr. Teressa Sumrall is an associate professor in the Department of Child Development, Literacy, and Special Education and serves as the program director of the Child Development-Child Family Science Program.
She earned her B.S. and M.A. in child development from App State and her Ph.D. in human development and family studies from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro.
Sumrall has over 20 years of experience in early childhood education, including work in Head Start programs, Reggio-inspired programs, and higher education in both Australia and North Carolina. Her teaching and research interests include early learning and development standards, early childhood curriculum, and in-service and pre-service teacher preparation.
She serves as the Associate Faculty Fellow for the Mentoring Guild in the college and co-director of App State’s Child Care Academies.
“Receiving the Outstanding Mentoring Award from the Reich College of Education is both deeply meaningful and humbling,” said Sumrall. “Mentoring has always been one of the most rewarding parts of my work, not because of anything I accomplish, but because of the opportunity to walk alongside students and colleagues as they grow, question, and discover their own paths.”
“I am continually inspired by the individuals I have the privilege to mentor,” she continued. “Their passion, resilience, and commitment to making a difference in the lives of children and families remind me why this work matters.”
“This recognition reflects not only my efforts, but also the relationships we build together and the shared learning that happens in those spaces,” she said.
Dr. Alecia Jackson
2026 Outstanding Scholarship/Creative Achievement Award
Dr. Alecia Jackson is a professor in the Department of Leadership and Educational Studies and program coordinator of the Applied Educational Research Graduate Certificate. She is also affiliated faculty in the Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies program.
Jackson's research interests bring feminist, poststructural, and posthuman theories of power/knowledge, discourse, materiality, and subjectivity to bear on a range of overlapping topics: deconstructions of voice and method; conceptual analyses of resistance, freedom, and agency in girls’ and women’s lives; and post-qualitative inquiry. Her work seeks to animate philosophical frameworks in the production of new approaches to research, and her current projects are focused on the ontological turn, speculative inquiry, and thought.
She has publications in The International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, Qualitative Inquiry, The International Review of Qualitative Research, Qualitative Research, Gender and Education, and numerous book chapters, and has presented her methodological scholarship at U.S. university campuses as well as internationally (Australia, Norway, and the UK). With Lisa Mazzei, she is a co-author of Thinking with Theory in Qualitative Research (2012; 2022), and co-editor of Postfoundational Approaches to Research (2023) and Voice in Qualitative Inquiry (2009) — all published by Routledge Press.
“Receiving this award for my accomplishments in research and publishing is both humbling and deeply meaningful,” said Jackson. “It affirms the intellectual risks, long hours, and sustained commitments that define my academic work.”
“More importantly, it reflects the scholarly communities, students, and colleagues who shape and inspire my purpose as a feminist methodologist who has led the field to produce new forms of interdisciplinary qualitative inquiry,” she continued. “I see this recognition as motivation to continue developing approaches to research that challenge assumptions of traditional knowledge production.”
“I am grateful to be part of an academic community that values rigorous, engaged scholarship and supports work that seeks to make a meaningful difference in the lives of future scholars,” she added.
Dr. Jill Weidknecht Van Horne
2026 Outstanding Service Award
Dr. Jill Weidknecht Van Horne is an associate professor and program director of the professional school counseling program in the Department of Counseling, Family Therapy, and Higher Education.
With over 25 years of experience in school and clinical mental health counseling, she primarily works with children and adolescents. Her interests include sensory and experiential approaches and fostering collaboration between school and clinical counseling locally and internationally.
She served on the European Branch of the American Counseling Association Board of Governors, including two terms as president, and remains active in international conferences and learning institutes.
“Service, to me, is about connection and strengthening the professional counseling community — building relationships, showing up with intention, mentoring, and contributing to the greater good locally and globally,” said Van Horne. “Receiving this award affirms the values that guide my work. I am grateful to be part of a university that supports what I do locally and internationally.”
Alexis Manus
2026 Outstanding Staff Award
Alexis Manus serves as the administrative support specialist for the Department of Counseling, Family Therapy, and Higher Education.
She graduated from Queens University of Charlotte with a B.A. in psychology in 2021. She worked as an Operations and Development Associate for a political non-profit in Charlotte, North Carolina, before moving to Boone and joining the App State staff in 2022. Prior to her current role in the college, she worked in App State's Annual Giving and Admissions offices.
“Receiving this award means a lot to me because it reflects growth and success in responsibilities and skills I never imagined myself utilizing in my career - I graduated from college wanting to be a counselor, and I now find immense joy in balanced budget spreadsheets, itemized receipts, and completed contracts,” said Manus. “Through this role, I’ve discovered a niche in operations and administrative support work that I genuinely enjoy and feel fulfilled in.”
“It’s especially impactful to know that the behind-the-scenes work is seen and valued,” she continued. “I’m also grateful to be part of a supportive department and faculty team that makes the work both impactful and rewarding.”
Special Education Department of Labor Grant Faculty
2026 Community of Practice Award
In 2024, App State was awarded more than $1.4 million in grant funding through the U.S. Department of Labor to provide tuition assistance, stipends, and professional development to support and grow the region’s special education workforce.
The grant-funded program is co-led by Dr. Debra Prykanowski and Dr. Kelly Clark, associate professor and assistant professor, respectively, in the Department of Child Development, Literacy, and Special Education. Their faculty collaborators on the project are department colleagues Dr. Aftynne Cheek, assistant chair and associate professor; Dr. Angie Harris, assistant professor; Dr. Dan Poling, associate professor; and Dr. Christopher Van Loan, professor; along with Dr. David Peyton, associate professor at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
“The Community of Practice Award is meaningful to our Special Education faculty because it reflects our shared commitment to improving working conditions for special educators in our region,” said Prykanowski. “This grant has expanded our ability to support those who serve students with disabilities, and doing this work together as a group has reinforced the shared passion that drives us.”
“I’m honored to be part of a faculty whose talent and commitment make this work possible,” she added.
Faculty collaborators echoed the importance of collective effort and collaboration.
“Work is more meaningful when you have a great team to work with,” said Cheek. “I'm blessed to have amazing colleagues who share the same vision, which is improving education for students with disabilities.”
“Receiving this award is meaningful as it reflects the work I’ve been able to do alongside my special education colleagues to drive systems-level improvements for special education through our grant during a particularly challenging time for securing federal grants in public education,” said Poling.
“What makes this meaningful to me is seeing real collaboration across roles and systems, all centered on improving outcomes for students who need us most,” added Van Loan.
Group of approximately fifteen adults standing indoors in a campus hallway, several holding clear glass awards during a recognition event.
