The UCA Change Leadership for Equity and Inclusion PhD program has selected recipients for the program’s inaugural doctoral awards in two categories – Concentration Awards and Doctoral Excellence Award. The PhD concentration awards recognize outstanding doctoral students who demonstrate exemplary leadership qualities and a commitment to equity and inclusion within the respective fields of Community Leadership, K12 Leadership, and Digital Age Curriculum and Instruction through their commitment to scholarship and practice. In addition, the Doctoral Excellence Award is given to one outstanding doctoral student within the UCA Change Leadership for Equity and Inclusion Ph.D. program who exemplifies a commitment to promoting equity and inclusion through innovative leadership, research, and practice. We are thrilled to announce this year’s winners!
LaShannon Spencer
Doctoral Excellence Award
LaShannon R. Spencer, MPA, MHSA, is a national speaker on topics of social determinants, cultural competency, and care delivery for vulnerable populations. As a healthcare executive, she has a wealth of knowledge in labor relations, public policy, advocacy, patient and physician relations, patient and family engagement, and patient safety. LaShannon’s dissertation, titled “Prioritizing Equity As A Core Component of Organizational Culture In Healthcare Organizations: A Study of Black Women Leaders As Transformational Leaders,” stands out as a remarkable piece of scholarship that significantly advances our understanding of healthcare equity.
Carl Frizell
Doctoral Community Leadership Concentration Award
Carl has made significant contributions to the healthcare field through his clinical practice and research endeavors. His work as a Physician Assistant Educator and his experience in medical oncology at Cancer Treatment Centers of America demonstrates his commitment to providing high-quality patient care and mentoring future healthcare professionals. Carl offers innovative insights and approaches to address critical equity and inclusion challenges within the concentration area, Community Leadership. In addition to his published research and contributions in high-profile journals in healthcare, Carl’s research and practical initiatives demonstrate the potential to advance knowledge, theory, and practice in the respective field.
Laura Marshall
Doctoral K12 Leadership Concentration Award
Laura’s long-standing contributions to gifted education, active involvement in professional organizations, and her impactful research and presentations focused on traditionally underrepresented groups in gifted education demonstrate her unwavering dedication to her field and PhD program of study. Laura’s scholarly work as a doctoral student is notable, including her recent co-authored publication, “Interrupted Programming: School Shutdown and Gifted Student Identification and Services,” in the Journal of Advanced Academics. This work, alongside her upcoming co- authored book chapter “Differentiated Instruction and Adaptive Learning Technologies” showcases her commitment to enhancing educational practices for marginalized groups through K12 educational research.
Jill Ellis
Doctoral Digital Age Curriculum and Instruction Concentration Award
Throughout her career, Jill has demonstrated visionary leadership qualities within the context of digital age curriculum and instruction. Her dissertation focuses on literacy coaches and virtual communities of practice and offers innovative insights to address critical equity and inclusion challenges. With her extensive experience in designing and developing robust professional development for adult learners, Jill shows great promise in advancing knowledge and driving positive change in educational settings.