2025 Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership and Service Awards

Alice Yang
Robert L. Morlan – Robert Bishop Outstanding Circle Advisor Award                

Alice Yang, circle coordinator for the University of Houston Circle, has been named the 2025 recipient of the Robert L. Morlan – Robert Bishop Outstanding Circle Advisor Award. This award, named for two past national presidents of O∆K, recognizes an outstanding faculty advisor or circle coordinator who has served for at least three years.

Alice, a 2017 initiate of the University of Houston Circle, serves as the Program Director for the UH Honors College. Since becoming circle coordinator, she has revitalized the chapter through innovative recruitment strategies, creative programming, and a strong focus on student engagement and leadership development.

Under her guidance, the UH Circle has flourished, expanding membership and offering meaningful opportunities for leadership and service—even during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, when Alice spearheaded the university’s first virtual induction ceremony and created new ways for students to stay connected. She also completed her M.S. in Human Resource Development while continuing to mentor and inspire students through her roles in recruitment, scholarships, and leadership programs within the Honors College.

Students describe Alice as a dedicated, approachable, and visionary advisor who empowers them to lead with purpose.

Ann Compton
Pillar of Leadership – Communications

Ann Compton has been named the 2025 Pillar of Leadership – Communications recipient. Created in 2014, the Pillar of Leadership Awards honor lifetime members and other civic leaders who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in one of the five pillars of campus life, all of which are essential components of the O∆K Idea.

Compton, a 2006 honoris causa initiate of the University of Maryland College Park Circle, is a retired news reporter and longtime White House correspondent for ABC News Radio. Throughout her distinguished 41-year career with ABC News, she traveled with presidents, vice presidents, and first ladies during seven presidential campaigns and covered seven administrations, beginning with those of Gerald Ford. In 1974, she became the first woman assigned to cover the White House full-time by a network television news organization.

Her reporting included historic moments such as the Watergate aftermath, presidential debates, national conventions, and the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, during which she was aboard Air Force One with President George W. Bush. Compton’s work earned numerous honors, including induction into the Journalism Hall of Fame, the National Radio Hall of Fame, and the Library of Virginia’s Virginia Women in History.

Kody Kinsley
Pillar of Leadership – Service to Campus and Community

Kody H. Kinsley has been named the 2025 Pillar of Leadership – Service to Campus and Community recipient. Created in 2014, the Pillar of Leadership Awards honor lifetime members and other civic leaders who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in one of the five pillars of campus life, all of which are essential components of the O∆K Idea.

Kinsley, a 2005 initiate of the Brevard College Circle, is the senior policy advisor at the Institute for Policy Solutions at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing as well as a Fellow in the Aspen Institute’s Civil Society Fellowship. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor at both the School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. Among his many accomplishments, he led North Carolina’s successful Medicaid expansion, which covered more than 600,000 residents, negotiated a $4 billion medical debt relief program, and secured $835 million in behavioral health funding. He also guided the state’s response to public health crises, including COVID-19 and Hurricane Helene.

As the first in his family to graduate from college and North Carolina’s first openly gay cabinet secretary, Kinsley is recognized not only for his transformative results but also for his inclusive and compassionate approach to leadership. His career in public service exemplifies the values of Omicron Delta Kappa and serves as an inspiration to future leaders across the nation.

Mike London
Pillar of Leadership – Athletics

Coach Mike London has been named the 2025 Pillar of Leadership – Athletics recipient. Created in 2014, the Pillar of Leadership Awards honor lifetime members and other civic leaders who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in one of the five pillars of campus life, all of which are essential components of the OΔK Idea.

London, a 2009 initiate of the University of Richmond Circle, began his career in public service as a police detective before transitioning to coaching. Throughout his distinguished career, he has led multiple football programs, earning national recognition, including two National Coach of the Year awards, and guided teams to championship success. Currently serving as head football coach at William & Mary, London has consistently emphasized both competitive excellence and character development. Under his leadership, a record 69 players were named to the CAA Football Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll in a single semester, exemplifying his commitment to student-athlete success both on and off the field.

London’s impact is felt far beyond the scoreboard. Known for mentoring young athletes and instilling life lessons that extend well past football, he has built a legacy of service, integrity, and inspiration. His dedication to developing future leaders through athletics makes him a deserving recipient of Omicron Delta Kappa’s Pillar of Leadership in Athletics.

Richard Spontak
Pillar of Leadership – Academics and Research

Dr. Richard J. Spontak has been named the 2025 Pillar of Leadership – Academics and Research recipient. Created in 2014, the Pillar of Leadership Awards honor lifetime members and other civic leaders who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in one of the five pillars of campus life, all of which are essential components of the OΔK Idea.

Active Legacy Member, Dr. Spontak, is a 1982 initiate of the Pennsylvania State University Circle and serves as Distinguished Professor of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering and Professor of Materials Science & Engineering at North Carolina State University. A globally recognized scholar, he has authored over 300 peer-reviewed publications, which have been cited more than 14,000 times, and his research has been featured on the covers of 31 journals. His pioneering work in nanostructured polymers, self-sterilizing antimicrobial materials, and thermoplastic elastomers has advanced both fundamental science and practical applications in industries such as biomedical technology and food packaging.

Throughout his career, Dr. Spontak has received numerous international honors, including the Ernst Ruska Prize, the Lars Onsager Medal, the Colwyn Medal, and the International Association of Advanced Materials Researcher of the Year Award. His collaborative efforts with academic and industrial partners across the United States, Europe, and Japan have strengthened international cooperation and advanced scientific discovery worldwide.

Beyond his research accomplishments, Dr. Spontak is deeply committed to mentorship, professional service, and upholding the highest standards of ethical scholarship. He exemplifies the OΔK values of leadership, scholarship, and service, making him an ideal recipient of the Pillar of Leadership in Academics and Research.

Jeff Storer
Pillar of Leadership – Creative and Performing Arts

Jeff Storer has been named the 2025 Pillar of Leadership – Creative and Performing Arts recipient. Created in 2014, the Pillar of Leadership Awards honor lifetime members and other civic leaders who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in one of the five pillars of campus life, all of which are essential components of the OΔK Idea.

Storer, a 1975 initiate of the Rollins College Circle, has been a transformative force in theater for more than four decades. Storer co-founded the Manbites Dog Theater Company in 1987 and served as its Artistic Director for 31 seasons. Under his leadership, the company became a nationally recognized venue for regional and world premieres, offering vital opportunities to emerging playwrights and performers while enriching the cultural life of Durham and the greater Triangle region. In 2018, Storer and his partner, Ed Hunt, transitioned Manbites Dog into a granting agency that continues to support and sustain the work of local theater artists.

In addition to his professional theater work, Storer has shaped generations of students as a professor of the practice in Duke University’s Department of Theater Studies, where he has taught since 1982. His teaching emphasizes the integration of professional practice with academic study, preparing students to engage theater as both a creative art form and a force for social dialogue. Throughout his career, he has directed over 150 productions, spanning from Shakespeare to contemporary works that tackle issues of justice, identity, and community.

Storer’s legacy is defined not only by his artistic excellence but also by his commitment to mentorship, collaboration, and the transformative power of theater. His work continues to inspire and elevate others, making him a fitting recipient of the Pillar of Leadership in Creative and Performing Arts award.

Adis Vila | Andristine M. Robinson Champion Award for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity

Dr. Adis M. Vila has been named the 2025 recipient of the Andristine M. Robinson Champion Award for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity. The award is named in honor of emerita trustee and former National Vice President Andristine Robinson. It is presented annually to an individual, circle, institution, or program that has demonstrated or fostered a welcoming and inclusive environment that promotes diversity and inclusion within O∆K circles or nationally.

A 2010 initiate of the Rollins College Circle, Dr. Vila has built a distinguished career advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion across education, government, and the business sector. She began her government service as a White House Fellow. She went on to hold senior roles, including Assistant Secretary of Administration for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director of the Office of International Economic Policy at the U.S. Department of Commerce, and agency head of Florida’s Department of Administration.

In 2010, Dr. Vila was appointed as the first Chief Diversity Officer at the United States Air Force Academy, where she worked to create a culture of inclusion and launched the “Ambassadors of Inclusion” program, which earned national recognition with the Profile in Diversity Journal’s Innovation Award. Today, she is the founder and president of Vila & Associates, a Miami-based consulting firm.

Throughout her career, Dr. Vila has consistently demonstrated a commitment to fostering environments where individuals from all backgrounds can succeed and thrive, making her a fitting recipient of this honor.

Priscilla Kucer
O∆K Community Commitment Award for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity

Dr. Priscilla “Dr. P” Kucer has been named the 2025 O∆K Community Commitment Award recipient for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity. The award honors individual members who consistently promote an inclusive campus and/or community, demonstrate an ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusivity, and recognize that diversity is integral to healthy and productive communities.

Dr. Kucer, a 2008 initiate of the Nova Southeastern University Circle, is a distinguished faculty member and the founder of her campus’s Cross-Cultural Mentorship Program, which connects students from underrepresented groups with supportive faculty mentors and has improved retention among first-generation college students. She has transformed her department’s curriculum to amplify diverse perspectives and created the innovative “Community Voices” lecture series, bringing local cultural leaders to campus to foster dialogue and understanding. Additionally, Dr. Kucer spearheaded initiatives to improve accessibility for students with disabilities and developed the “Bridge to College” program, which has expanded college enrollment among historically marginalized communities.

Her nominator wrote, “Dr. Kucer’s tireless advocacy and practical actions have not only improved our campus and local community but also inspired a generation of student leaders to continue championing equity and inclusion. Her work exemplifies the profound impact that committed, thoughtful leadership can have on diversity and community building.”

Tamanda Chitalo
O∆K Emerging Advocate Award for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity

Tamanda Chitalo has been named a recipient of the 2025 O∆K Emerging Advocate Award for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity. The award recognizes the contributions of young members of Omicron Delta Kappa, under the age of 40, who promote the need for a more just, diverse, equitable, and inclusive world.

Tamanda is a 2024 initiate of the Indiana State University Circle, where she is completing her graduate studies in social work. She currently serves as a New Student Programs Graduate Assistant, supervising student workers and collaborating with campus departments to ensure orientation programs are inclusive and representative of the university’s diverse student body. Beyond campus, she was recently accepted into the African American Board Leadership Institute, sponsored by the United Way of Wabash Valley, which prepares emerging leaders for impactful community service.

Her nominator wrote, “Tamanda’s passion for representation and social justice is evident through her campus leadership and community involvement. From serving on the National Association of Social Workers Indiana Chapter Board to volunteering with Meals on Wheels, Special Olympics Indiana, and local schools, she consistently invests her time and energy in building more inclusive and supportive spaces. Her work with Fathers Uplift, where she hosted workshops and produced a podcast to support BIPOC individuals pursuing social work licensure, reflects both her advocacy and her ability to create tangible change.”

Kelly Onu
O∆K Emerging Advocate Award for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity

Kelly Onu has been named a recipient of the 2025 O∆K Emerging Advocate Award for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity. The award recognizes the contributions of young members of Omicron Delta Kappa, under the age of 40, who promote the need for a more just, diverse, equitable, and inclusive world.

Kelly is a 2016 initiate of the Florida International University Circle. A leader in the technology field, she currently serves as a Senior Cybersecurity Engineer at Ernst & Young, where she integrates security best practices into development processes for Fortune 500 companies. Beyond her professional role, Kelly is a dedicated mentor and advocate for women and underrepresented minorities in the cybersecurity field. She has mentored through organizations such as Black Girls in Cyber, the AFA CyberPatriot Competition, and the Georgia Tech Mentor Jackets Program, and she serves on the board of TechShift to promote student involvement in technology and social impact.

Her nominator wrote, “Kelly’s advocacy for inclusivity in cybersecurity is matched by her hands-on mentorship and leadership. From expanding membership in Women in Computer Science at FIU to helping award scholarships that support minority professionals in cybersecurity and data privacy, she is actively creating pathways for the next generation of diverse technology leaders.”