The School of Health and Human Sciences recognizes outstanding alumni annually with schoolwide awards and departmental Pacesetter awards. In 2023, eight individuals were recognized in a ceremony on Oct. 19 at the Weatherspoon Art Museum at UNC Greensboro.
The recipients included Kimmie Singh (Nutrition); Dr. David Kyle (Kinesiology); Dr. Karen Mustian (Kinesiology); Nick Aceves (Community and Therapeutic Recreation); Samantha Caldwell (Genetic Counseling); Dr. Lavon Williams (Kinesiology); Irene Asare (Nutrition); and Lizzie Biddle (Peace and Conflict Studies).
Kimmie Singh (’18 M.S., Department of Nutrition)
Kimmie Singh received the Emerging Leader Award. This award recognizes exceptional achievements and significant contributions to a person’s profession or community/society or the university. The person exemplifies outstanding professional and personal development, and is given to an alumnus within 10 years after their graduation.
Ms. Singh owns Body Honor Nutrition in New York City, providing nutrition counseling services to individuals of all sizes with eating disorders. She’s built a reputation for fighting weight bias and discrimination, focusing on fat positivity, anti-oppression, and compassion.
Ms. Singh is a sought-after speaker with numerous podcast appearances and professional presentations, speaking on weight stigma and advocating for weight-inclusive nutrition care.
She also serves as a consultant for the UNCG Department of Nutrition Dietetic Internship Program, helping students prepare for real-world clinical nutrition practices.
Dr. David Kyle (’19 Ed.D., Department of Kinesiology)
Dr. David Kyle received the Public Service Award. This award is for a person who has made an extraordinary contribution to the mission or advancement of HHS as a member of the faculty, staff, administration, an alum, or friend of the School.
Dr. Kyle is a clinical associate professor, director of the Ability Sport Network and coordinator of health and physical activities courses at the University of Alabama, Huntsville. He works tirelessly to ensure diversity, inclusion, and respect for all is expected, encouraged and celebrated.
He started the Ability Sport Network in 2015 with grant funding and has since conducted many adapted physical education and Paralympic sport workshops throughout Alabama for professionals and people with disabilities.
The organization has flourished under his leadership, serving as an example of how to promote and provide quality adapted sports opportunities. He is a volunteer consultant for the city of Huntsville Parks and Recreation.
Dr. Karen Mustian (’03 Ph.D., Department of Kinesiology, formerly Exercise Science; ’03 Graduate Certificates, Gerontology, Women’s and Gender Studies)
Dr. Karen Mustian received the Distinguished Alumni Award. This award is the highest honor given to an alumnus by the School. It is for a person who has attained national and/or international stature through their achievements in one or more areas of teaching, scholarship, service, administration, leadership, creative endeavors, human relationships, and inspiration.
Dr. Mustian graduated with a Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology and Exercise Psychology. She is recognized internationally as a founding member of the field of exercise oncology, and is an international leader in the fields of cancer control and survivorship; behavioral oncology; exercise oncology; geriatric oncology; and gender, sexuality, and women’s health.
Dr. Mustian is the Dean’s Professor of Surgery, Cancer Control, Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Rochester’s School of Medicine and Dentistry and Co-Leader of the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Program at the Wilmot Cancer Institute.
She has received more than $80 million in research funding, authored more than 150 publications, and received more than 40 awards for her contributions to the field. She has led several landmark clinical trials as a pioneer in exercise oncology, including the first nationwide randomized controlled clinical trial to establish the role of yoga in the treatment of cancer-related and treatment-related side effects.
Pacesetter Awards
These awards honor outstanding alumni in the School of HHS who have attained local, state, or regional recognition through their achievements in scholarship, leadership, or service during their career or through civic involvement. Each department and program may select a Pacesetter awardee to honor each year.
Nick Aceves (’12 M.S., Department of Community and Therapeutic Recreation)
Nick Aceves is the Director of Parks & Recreation for the city of Salisbury. He’s worked for Reidsville, Durham, and the YMCA of Winston-Salem.
In his current position with the city of Salisbury, Mr. Aceves renovated City Lake Park, the City Park Recreation Center, the Salisbury Greenway Extension and Bell Tower Green.
He secured nearly $2.7 million in parks and recreation-related grants for the cities of Reidsville and Salisbury.
Samantha (Sam) Caldwell (’15 M.S., Genetic Counseling Program)
Samantha (Sam) Caldwell is a clinical laboratory liaison at Sequonom Laboratories, where she provides clinical expertise on prenatal genetic screening. Ms. Caldwell has collaborated on multiple genetic counseling research studies, and was previously awarded the Laboratorian of the Year by Sequonom Laboratories.
She also aided in development of the Sequonom patient genetic counseling services.
In addition, she developed an annual noninvasive prenatal testing educational program for UNCG Genetic Counseling graduate students and served on the UNCG Genetic Counseling Admissions Committee for numerous years.
Dr. Lavon Williams (’96 Ph.D., Department of Kinesiology)
Dr. Lavon Williams earned her doctorate in Exercise and Sport Science, now Kinesiology, with a concentration in Sport and Exercise Psychology. After nearly 20 years on Guilford College’s faculty, she was named as the Lincoln Financial Professor in the Department of Sport Studies prior to her retirement from full-time teaching.
Dr. Williams has been involved in research and scholarly endeavors throughout her career, with more than 35 publications. She was named a Fellow of the Research Consortium of AAHPERD (now SHAPE America) and previously served on the board of the National Association of Girls and Women in Sport as vice-president of research.
At Guilford College, she helped create a model for the College’s current general education curriculum. At UNCG, Dr. Williams served on several Ph.D. and M.S. committees as an adjunct professor, as well as co-authoring two editions of the text, “Psychological Dynamics of Sport and Exercise,” with Kinesiology faculty.
Irene Asare (’11 M.S., ’12 Dietetic Internship, Department of Nutrition)
Irene Asare works as a clinical dietitian and dietetic internship coordinator at the VA Health Care Center in Kernersville, specializing in nutritional counseling and food science. She’s working toward her doctorate in Clinical Nutrition from the University of North Florida.
Ms. Asare received the 2022 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Commission on Dietetic Registration Doctoral Scholarship and is recognized as a gerontological subject matter expert by her colleagues. In addition, Ms. Asare serves as a nutrition consultant for Whitaker Small Farms, which supports beginning farmers with resources and skill development.
In this role, she provides hands-on training in food preservation, processing waste reduction, and product development from misfit fruits and vegetables.
Ms. Asare has also assisted the Department of Nutrition with reviewing and interviewing applications for its dietetic internship program.
Lizzie Biddle (’18 M.A., Department of Peace and Conflict Studies)
Lizzie Biddle is a trainer with the Racial Equity Institute, as well as a volunteer with several local and national anti-racism and community building organizations. With the Racial Equity Institute, Biddle creates equity within organizations.
She is also the trainer and consultant with Finding Freedom, an initiative that leads trainings to examine the intersection of white and womanhood through a racial equity lens.
Ms. Biddle previously worked at the Center for New North Carolinians as a program manager, supervisor, and director of the Community Centers. She also serves on the steering committee of the Guilford Anti-Racism Alliance (GARA), focusing on Guilford County Board of Education racial equity initiatives and Black leadership.
Additionally, Ms. Biddle serves on several committees of the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), a Quaker-led national lobby organization that advocates for peace, justice, equity, and good government.