Member Achievements – January 2026

Derek D. Bardell
(Tulane University, 2000)

Derek Bardell has been recognized as a Distinguished Educator by Next Gen Personal Finance (NGPF), a national honor that celebrates teachers who demonstrate exceptional commitment to advancing financial literacy education. This distinction highlights Bardell’s dedication to equipping students with the knowledge and skills they need to make informed financial decisions and build strong futures. Through innovative instruction and a passion for real-world learning, he helps students gain confidence in managing money, understanding economic systems, and planning for long-term success. Bardell’s recognition reflects his meaningful impact in the classroom and his leadership in preparing financially capable, informed citizens.

Michael T. Benson
(Southern Utah University, 2012)

Michael Benson was named WV News Educator of the Year, recognizing his leadership and impact in higher education during his first year as WVU’s 27th president. Since arriving in Morgantown, Benson has prioritized student success, affordability, and institutional renewal, with early gains in enrollment, retention, and graduation rates. A historian by training and a seasoned university president, he brings nearly three decades of experience and a strong belief in higher education’s power to transform lives and communities. This honor highlights Benson’s commitment to strengthening WVU’s future while deepening its service to the state of West Virginia.

Steven I. Brody
(Northern Illinois University, 1981)

Steven Brody has earned two major honors recognizing his impact in both the classroom and on the field. He was named the 2025 Distinguished Adjunct Professor of the Year at Wilbur Wright College, an award that celebrates excellence in teaching and dedication to student success. In addition, Brody was selected as the 2025 Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference Men’s Soccer Coach of the Year for his leadership at Oakton College. These achievements reflect his commitment to mentorship, academic engagement, and athletic leadership, highlighting the meaningful difference he makes in the lives of students as an educator and a coach.

Josh R. Davis
(University of Akron, 2000)

Josh Davis has been appointed senior vice provost and chief of staff at Penn State. Previously vice chancellor and chief of staff at the University of Nebraska, Davis brings more than two decades of leadership experience spanning higher education, global engagement, and public service. In his new role, he will provide strategic leadership across academic and administrative units, supporting institutional priorities through collaboration, innovation, and operational effectiveness. A first-generation college graduate, Davis is recognized for advancing global initiatives and fostering cross-campus alignment, reflecting his strong commitment to expanding opportunity and strengthening the impact of higher education.

Meya E. Hargett
(California State University, Northridge, 1999)

Meya Hargett will present her research at the 2026 American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting, April 8–12, 2026, in Los Angeles, California. Her accepted presentations include a paper, Maroon Geographies: A Black Methodological Framework Rooted in Fugitive Epistemology, and a roundtable session, Neutrality as Curriculum: Unmasking Swiss Mythologies in Global Economic Memory. Both projects reflect Hargett’s ongoing commitment to diasporic scholarship, historical accountability, and decolonial approaches to education. Aligned with the conference theme, “Unforgetting Histories and Imagining Futures,” her work advances conversations on memory, leadership, and educational transformation. This achievement highlights Hargett’s dedication to research that challenges dominant narratives and reimagines more just educational futures.

Aleksandr P. Kuzmenchuk 
(William & Mary, 2022)

Alek Kuzmenchuk, the 2024 Omicron Delta Kappa National Leader of the Year for Athletics, has been named the Congressional & Government Affairs Intern at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). In this role, Kuzmenchuk supports CSIS’s efforts to analyze and engage with key federal policymakers, advance research initiatives, and contribute to strategic dialogue on pressing public policy issues. His position places him at the intersection of legislative affairs and global strategy, offering valuable experience in governmental processes and policy advocacy. This appointment reflects Kuzmenchuk’s dedication to public service, international affairs, and civic engagement, and highlights his commitment to contributing meaningfully to policy research and national discourse.

Stacey L. Malaret
(University of Southern Mississippi, 1996)

Stacey Malaret is celebrating two national recognitions through her work in student leadership and civic engagement. UCF’s LEAD Scholars Academy, which Malaret serves as director of, was selected as the 2026 NASPA Gold Award winner in the category of Civic Learning, Democratic Engagement, Community Service, and Service-Learning. In addition, Malaret received the Outstanding Service to the Student Leadership Programs Knowledge Community Award at the annual NASPA conference. She has served the community in multiple leadership roles, including co-chair, awards chair, literature review chair, and program review co-coordinator, demonstrating her ongoing commitment to student leadership development and professional service.

Jessica E. McClain
(Towson University, 2005)

Jessica McClain has been nominated for the 2025 MYCPE ONE Excellence Awards in three categories: Accounting Leaders, CFOs & Controllers, and Women Leaders. McClain serves as Chief Financial Officer for the American Staffing Association and brings more than a decade of public accounting experience along with a strong commitment to advancing the profession. She is active in national leadership roles, including service on the AICPA Joint Trial Board and the FAR board, and is a 2024–2025 Obama Foundation U.S.A. Leader. This recognition highlights McClain’s impact in financial leadership and her dedication to empowering women in accounting.

Jason A. Pierce
(Young Harris College, 2023)

Jason Pierce has been appointed vice president for academic affairs at Wayne State College, beginning May 1, 2026. He joins Wayne State from Young Harris College in Georgia, where he serves as provost and executive vice president, overseeing academic affairs and a broad portfolio of student and institutional services. Pierce previously held senior academic leadership roles at Tusculum University and Mars Hill University. With a background in English and advanced degrees from the University of Maine, the University of St Andrews, and the University of South Carolina, Pierce brings extensive experience and a strong commitment to academic excellence and student success in higher education.

Sophia G. Rahming
(Florida State University, 2018)

Sophia Rahming recently celebrated the completion of production for Euphemia, the Girl Who Loved Math, a children’s picture book highlighting the life of Euphemia Lofton Haynes, the first Black woman in the United States to earn a PhD in mathematics. The book is the first in the Wildest Dreams series and aims to inspire young readers through stories of perseverance, achievement, and possibility. Euphemia, the Girl Who Loved Math, is available on Amazon, and is a meaningful addition for children, classrooms, libraries, and youth programs. This accomplishment reflects Rahming’s commitment to education, representation, and empowering the next generation through storytelling.

Destiny M. Robinson
(Xavier University of Louisiana, 2024)

Robinson recently published her first Christian book, Testify and Walk, a faith-centered work focused on leadership, testimony, and boldly living out God’s purpose. Inspired by spiritual reflection and a deep sense of calling, the book encourages readers to share their stories, walk in obedience, and embrace the power of faith to transform lives. Through themes of perseverance, service, and God-inspired leadership, Robinson connects the legacy of past faith leaders to the responsibility believers carry today. Testify and Walk is available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and serves as an uplifting resource for individuals and faith communities seeking hope, purpose, and spiritual growth.

Caroline L. Sangal
(University of Akron, 1997)

Caroline Sangal launched the Next Success Podcast, a leadership and personal development show that has quickly gained national recognition. The podcast is currently ranked on Goodpods’ all-time indie charts, including #3 in Indie Chemistry, #13 in Indie Coaching, #28 in Indie Leadership, and #45 in Coaching. Audio episodes are available at NextSuccessPodcast.com, and video episodes can be viewed on the Next Success Method YouTube channel. This achievement reflects Sangal’s commitment to fostering growth, leadership, and insight through meaningful conversations.

D’Kerrington Traylor
(Texas Woman’s University, 2021)

D’Kerrington Traylor has been named an Eligibility Advisor with Texas Health and Human Services. In this role, Traylor will support individuals and families by guiding them through eligibility processes for essential health and human services programs across the state. Her work will help ensure access to critical resources that improve quality of life and community well-being. This appointment reflects Traylor’s commitment to service, advocacy, and connecting people with the support they need. As she begins this new chapter, Traylor brings passion and dedication to advancing equitable access to vital services for Texans across diverse communities.