Each year the University of North Carolina at Asheville recognizes alumni who have made outstanding contributions to the University, their communities, or fields of endeavor. Because of the exemplary nature of their achievements, recipients represent the very best of the UNC Asheville experience and serve as role models for the entire University community. The awards are presented annually during Homecoming. The ceremony will be held in conjunction with the Bulldog Athletics Hall of Fame. Below are our prestigious 2026 winners:
Roy A. Taylor Distinguished Alumnus or Alumna of the Year Award
Named in honor of the University’s first valedictorian, founder of its first Alumni Association, and distinguished member of the United States Congress, the Roy A. Taylor Distinguished Alumnus or Alumna Award is the highest award given to an alumnus/a and recognizes those graduates of UNC Asheville and its predecessor colleges for extraordinary achievement.
Ko Barrett ‘94
Ko Barrett ‘94 is widely recognized as one of the world’s leading experts on climate policy, especially regarding issues related to climate impacts and strategies to help society adapt to a changing world. She currently serves as WMO Deputy Secretary-General. Prior to her appointment, Ms. Barrett served as the Senior Advisor for Climate at the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). In this role, she provided strategic advice and direction within NOAA to enable the Agency to align, integrate, and extend its capabilities to best provide the climate services needed to address the climate challenge. She represented NOAA’s interests in government-wide efforts to transform the economy and achieve US climate goals to reduce emissions and stabilize global temperature by mid-century.
For over 15 years, Barrett represented the U.S. on delegations charged with negotiating and adopting climate science and policy outcomes. In addition to her work with the IPCC, she served as a lead negotiator for the U.S. on the United Nations treaty on climate change.
Before joining NOAA, she was the director of the Global Climate Change program at the U.S. Agency for International Development, overseeing climate activities in more than 40 countries.
She has won multiple awards for her contributions, including NOAA Administrator’s Awards in 2010 and 2015, the U.S. Department of Commerce Gold Award for Leadership in 2022, the U.S. Department of State Meritorious Honor Award in 2011 and a Nobel Peace Prize shared with members of the IPCC in 2007. In 2021, Barrett was awarded a Distinguished Presidential Rank Award, one of the most prestigious awards in the federal career civil service.
In addition, she continues to support UNCA, recently serving on the Alumni Board of Directors. She was also the 2017 Commencement speaker, receiving an honorary degree.
Thomas D. Reynolds Alumni Award for Service to the University
Son of the University’s founder and graduate of the Class of 1937, Thomas D. Reynolds spent sixty years as one of the University’s strongest promoters and most active volunteers. This award recognizes one alumnus/a (degreed or non-degreed) each year for exemplary service to UNC Asheville.
Sara Sanders ‘11
Sara Sanders is a visionary in the realm of interdisciplinary teaching, and her service to her alma mater embodies how a liberal arts education can have a profound and tangible impact on the world. As Director of the STEAM Studio at UNC Asheville, Sara has built an innovative, collaborative, environment that brings engineering, art, and design together in ways that profoundly enrich learning. Through large-scale fabrication projects, community partnerships, and hands-on skill development, she has given students transformative opportunities to create, collaborate, and solve real-world problems. She has done this while advancing the university’s commitment to integrative, experiential education.
She notably co-founded the SkillSet community education program, which provides a space for young women to learn about the STEAM and literally bring their dreams to life through fabrication. She also has spearheaded numerous community and artistic partnerships, including the North Carolina Arboretum’s Winter Lights animatronics, the NYC Times Square installation of the “Wake” Sculpture by Mel Chin, and a recent project to assist in the hurricane recovery efforts by milling wood produced by the storm. This work strengthens UNC Asheville’s commitment to the community and our liberal arts education.
Her dedication, creativity, and collaborative spirit have elevated UNC Asheville’s reputation in STEAM education while fostering a vibrant culture of curiosity and innovation on campus. Sara embodies exceptional service to the university, and her impact continues to shape students and programs in meaningful, lasting ways. Sara holds a joint mechatronics degree from UNCA and NC State.
Mullen-James Social Justice & Equity Impact Award
Established in 2022, this award is given annually to a member of the UNCA Community in honor of Dr. Dee and Dr. Charles James, and Dr. Dolly Jenkins-Mullen, and Dr. Dwight Mullen. These four professors dedicated their personal and professional careers to social justice, equity, and inclusion within their fields. The award is presented to those alumni, students, or initiatives in which, through their actions, advocacy, and/or collaborative partnerships have demonstrated a true commitment and dedication to systems change work either at the University or broader community level.
Dr. Dan Pierce
Retired UNCA history professor Dan Pierce is a passionate researcher and leader with a talent for uncovering hidden histories that shape the world around us. The association would like to particularly honor him for his exceptional work as founder and chairman of the Railroad and Incarcerated Laborer Memorial Project (RAIL).
This project honors and memorializes the work and sacrifice of approximately 3,000 imprisoned laborers, over 90% African American, who built the railroad up the mountain from Old Fort to Swannanoa between 1876 and 1879. These prisoners were arrested and forced to work under unjust Jim Crow laws put in place as an extension of slavery. At least 139 laborers died and many others were injured or contracted serious illness building the railroad that transformed the history of Asheville and Western North Carolina.
To educate present and future generations, RAIL placed a memorial acknowledging the work and names of these incarcerated men at Old Fort in October 2021, unveiled a memorial boulder recognizing the contributions and sacrifices of these prisoners at Ridgecrest in October 2023, and held a symposium at UNC Asheville in March 2023 that focused on the history of the Western North Carolina Railroad, local African American History, and the use of human remains detection dogs to locate historic burial grounds along the railroad construction sites, giving long overdue honor to those who lost their lives during the project.
Francine M. Delany Alumni Award for Service to the Community
A member of the class of 1966, the University’s first baccalaureate class, and the University’s first African-American graduate, Francine contributed a lifetime of service to Asheville and the surrounding community in support of childhood education. This award recognizes one alumnus/a (degreed or non-degreed) for exemplary service to their community, state, or nation.
Molly de Mattos ‘02 & Heather Brown ’03 (joint award)
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Molly de Mattos and Heather Brown demonstrated exceptional leadership and community service, elevating volunteerism to an extraordinary level. Their contributions to individuals, businesses, distribution centers, work crews, and the broader Western North Carolina community were both far-reaching and immeasurable.
Molly and Heather mobilized volunteers, coordinated supply collection and distribution, and spearheaded fundraising efforts to support as many members of the community as possible. Through their work, countless residents of Western North Carolina received meaningful and timely assistance during an extremely challenging period.
Operating out of a neighbor’s garage—which they aptly named the “Garage Ma Haul”—they organized, sorted, and distributed essential supplies. Using daily supply lists, they ensured that resources were delivered efficiently to the locations and individuals most in need.
Their impact resulted in $59,000 raised and returned directly to the Western North Carolina community, and they delivered thousands of essential items, including two of their most requested supplies: “Snaggies” (ready-to-eat snack bags) and heater.
This work during the hurricane’s aftermath is also overshadowed by their continued efforts to support the community through volunteerism, philanthropy, and advocacy for numerous nonprofits and special community projects.
When asked if there was anything she wished to add regarding their efforts, Molly shared a sentiment that reflects the spirit behind their service: “Life isn’t for a reward. Life is a reward… we get to be here. Why not do it well?”
The Alumni Distinguished Faculty Award
This award is presented annually to one faculty member (active or retired) who has gone above and beyond the call of duty. It recognizes those faculty whose service to students goes beyond the classroom and who have distinguished themselves as extraordinary mentors and advisors.
Dr. Tiece Ruffin
Dr. Tiece M. Ruffin has spent over a decade at UNC Asheville dedicated to supporting students and helping them grow into thoughtful, engaged alumni. Her commitment to her students extends far beyond the classroom, and she has consistently made the effort to stay connected with alumni long after they leave the institution. She has an inherent passion to mentor, support, and uplift generations of graduates as they enter careers and communities.
She is a U.S. Fulbright Scholar, Mother-scholar, and Full Professor of Africana Studies and Education at the University of North Carolina Asheville. She is a veteran teacher-educator and passionate education advocate.
Dr. Ruffin has been active in representing UNC Asheville in the community, including serving as a community representative on the Francine Delany New School for Children board, named after Francine Delaney, class of 1966. Currently, she proudly serves as a Board Director of the Public School Forum of North Carolina. In her community, she is a widely recognized scholar-activist, having received the Rosa Parks Award from the Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Asheville and Buncombe County in 2022 for fostering a culture of inclusion in the Asheville community, a Co- THINKK Community Leader Award in 2021 for being an influential leader doing systems-level change work alongside and in partnership with the community, and also in 2021, and a Tzedek Social Justice Fund Impact award in acknowledgment of her work to make Asheville a place where everyone can thrive.
Pisgah Award for Outstanding Career Achievement
Named in homage to Mount Pisgah, one of the area’s tallest peaks and the campus’ visual center, the Order of Pisgah recognizes one or two alumni (degreed or non-degreed) for outstanding achievement in their fields of endeavor.
Maegan Spencer ‘03
Maegan Spencer ‘03 is an outstanding scientist and engineer who has made major contributions to the advancement of medical technology. She is an Engineering Manager at Apple for the Health Hardware Product Design team. In this role, she leads a team of mechanical engineers in developing hardware toward health-related products. She has a non-traditional career, earning her BS and PhD in Chemistry, before shifting to Mechanical Engineering. Her PhD research was in developing laser mass spectrometry to study trace organics in extraterrestrial materials. In 2008, she joined the start-up Avinger as their 10th employee to help invent OCT image-guided surgical tools to treat arterial disease. After 5 years, she shifted toward consumer product design, working as an ME consultant at Whipsaw in San Jose, CA and mainly contributing toward Nike FuelBand engineering. She has been at Apple for over 8 years, spending 6 years on the Watch PD team and now 2 years leading Health PD.
Maegan earned a B.S. in Chemistry from UNC Asheville and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Stanford. She holds multiple patents across various technologies and fields. Recently she moved up to the Santa Cruz mountains and currently lives in La Honda, CA. Also see https://stories.unca.edu/mentorship-and-exploration