Excitement and pride filled the air as the University of Louisville School of Medicine recently celebrated the extraordinary contributions of its faculty and staff during two evenings of recognition. The 9^th celebration of staff excellence took place on December 3, with the 6^th celebration of faculty excellence the following evening on December 4.

These back-to-back events highlighted the individuals who continue to distinguish the School of Medicine through their unwavering dedication to education, research, patient care, and community engagement.

Staff Awards

The 2024 Dean’s Staff Excellence Awards honored staff members whose work exemplifies the mission of the School of Medicine. These awards recognize the vital contributions of staff in fostering a supportive, inclusive, and innovate environment for students, patients, and researchers alike.

“As we reflect on the past year, it’s clear the work of our staff, both visible and behind the scenes, is essential to our success as an institution,” said Jeffrey Bumpous, dean of the School of Medicine. “We are immensely proud of the staff we recognized this year, who demonstrate excellence daily in service to our mission.”

Cardinal Spirit Award – Ignacio Bravo Rojas
Commitment to an Inclusive Community Award – Sharon Gordon
Community Impact Award – Jan Ke-McCue
Team Impact Award – Academic Technology Office and Brown Cancer Center Clinical Trials Team
Dean’s Lifetime Achievement Award – Maurice Eichenberger
Heart of the School – Ruby Keith
New Professionals Award – Dr. Maya Lynum-Walker
Performance Excellence Award in an Administrative Office – Hao Zhang
Performance Excellence Award in a Basic Sciences Department – Colleen Quinter
Performance Excellence Award in a Clinical Sciences Department – Elizabeth Welsh

Faculty Awards

On the following evening, the 6^th celebration of Faculty Excellence honored faculty members whose remarkable achievements advance the mission of the School of Medicine.  Faculty were recognized for their dedication to their areas of service, teaching, research, and inclusive excellence initiatives. In addition to the 13 award winners, the event also honored 60 individuals who were promoted and/or newly tenured, four new endowed chairs, and 40 award nominees.

“There is no question that our faculty are some of the most committed and talented medical professionals in the nation,” said Dr. Michelle Stevenson, vice dean for Faculty Affairs. “Our outstanding faculty demonstrate excellence and leadership as we teach, serve others, and conduct groundbreaking research, right here at the University of Louisville School of Medicine. We are deeply committed to honoring their achievements and supporting and celebrating their successes.”

Career Achievement in Research – Jon B. Klein, M.D., Ph.D.
Career Achievement in Distinguished Service – Vicki Montgomery, M.D.
Career Achievement in Education – Jennifer Brueckner-Collins, Ph.D.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Champion – La Creis R. Kidd, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award sponsored by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation – Brittany Badal, M.D.
Outstanding Multicultural Education – Daniela Terson de Paleville, Ph.D.
Outstanding Educator – Christopher Barton, M.D.
Outstanding Education by Gratis Faculty – Adam C. Neff, M.D.
Outstanding Research in Basic & Applied Sciences – Jiapeng Huang, M.D., Ph.D.
Distinguished Service to Community, The Commonwealth & Region – Alexander Bautista, M.D.
Distinguished Service in the National/International Community – Jackson Williams, M.D.
Distinguished Service to the Profession – Charles Scoggins, M.D., M.B.A.
Distinguished Service to the University of Louisville – Forest Arnold, D.O.

The School of Medicine is proud to celebrate these remarkable faculty and staff who continually elevate the institution’s reputation. Congratulations to all of the 2024 award recipients! We look forward to even more accomplishments in the year ahead.