A longstanding tradition, Darden Fellows are nominated annually by faculty in each of the College’s departments. Selected from a pool of 42,000 Darden College alumni, awardees are recognized for significant contributions to their professional fields and for exemplifying service and excellence in their communities.
Beyond personal achievement and community service, Darden Fellows also highlight the impact that 鶹ý’s education alumni continue to make in Hampton Roads and beyond.
The Darden Fellows Alumni Awards Luncheon is typically held during the Spring semester of each academic year.
Note: If you are a Darden Fellow Award recipient, and would like to request a change to your entry on the page, please contact educmarketing@odu.edu
Darden Fellows
Traci Richards
Ph.D. in counseling (2017)
Senior Manager at Chesapeake Regional Hospital
As senior manager for Chesapeake Regional Hospital, Richards’ is responsible for developing and supervising mental health programs for vulnerable patient populations and for designing and overseeing an integrated behavioral health training site for future practitioners. She is also the owner of Iliad Counseling Services LLC, which allows her to further address mental health and substance abuse in the region. She is a valued adjunct instructor and clinical supervisor in 鶹ý’s training programs, serves on the board of directors of the Tidewater Emergency Medical Services Council and is a specialist in trauma and crisis intervention for the Western Tidewater Medical Reserve Corps. She is also a past recipient of Chesapeake Regional Healthcare’s Beacon and Luminary awards.
Kyle Williams
M.S. in educational leadership (2009)
Special Advisor to the AVP for Belonging, Engagement and Community and Dean of Students at Emory University
Williams’ primary professional goal is to support the success of historically marginalized and vulnerable students in higher education. Prior to joining Emory University in 2022, he served as dean of students at Oglethorpe University, where he helped to expand the Campus Life Team and created equitable and inclusive practices for the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities. Before that, he served as assistant director of Student Conduct and Community Standards at Washington University in St. Louis, co-director of the Minority Males Matter Initiative and area coordinator at Texas A&M University-Commerce and Residence Hall Director for the Sophomore Year Experience at The College of New Jersey.
Gregg Motinger
B.S. in physical education (2007)
Assistant Principal at Norview High School
As assistant principal at Norview High School, Motinger has been instrumental in helping the school become fully accredited with the Virginia Department of Education, achieve Cognia Accreditation and be named one of U.S. News & World Report’s best high schools in the country. In this role, he has also worked with “Project Graduation” targeting at-risk seniors, collaborated to maintain excellence in the Leadership Center for Education in Science and Education and integrated a Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports program. When he is not at Norview, Motinger regularly participates as a lecturer for 鶹ý’s Summer Leadership Conference, serving on the planning committee and mentoring 鶹ý student teachers. He remains active in the community as a member of the Norfolk Parks and Recreation Commission, director of the Beach FC Jr. Academy Soccer Club and coaching instructor for U.S. Youth Soccer.
Jennifer Scott Brown
Ph.D. with a concentration in instructional design and technology (2017)
Director of Augusta County Library
Weaving library science with instructional design, Scott Brown advocates for the development of informal learning opportunities, trains staff through coaching and apprenticeship and identifies community needs in her role as director of the Augusta County Library. Her reach extends into the community, where she currently serves as the chair of the Virginia Library Leadership Academy, developing library leadership across the state. She also is the current president-elect for the Virginia Public Library Directors Association, has been an adjunct assistant professor in Library and Information Studies at 鶹ý since 2018 and has served on the program's advisory board since 2019.
Thomas Smigiel
B.S. in education and interdisciplinary studies (4th-8th grade Science & Social Studies) (2000)
City Councilman and Principal of Granby High School
A lifelong resident of Norfolk, Smigiel is the principal of Granby High School and was elected to the Norfolk City Council in 2010. As a school administrator, he has helped teachers increase their pedagogical content knowledge, motivated students to realize their potential, built a strong and inclusive school culture and increased parental and community involvement. Smigiel previously served as assistant principal at both Granby and Lake Taylor high schools, was chosen as a planning specialist to develop a new citywide lottery specialty program at the former Lafayette-Winona Middle School and championed the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program at the Academy for Discovery at Lakewood, which was later recognized by the Virginia Department of Education as an Exemplar School for Continuous Improvement and a Purple Star School Award. Apart from his political designation as councilman, Smigiel has made an impact in his community as the 100th president of the Virginia Municipal League from 2019 to 2020. Currently, Smigiel co-chairs the East Little Creek Road Task Force and the Mayor's Ocean View Task Force.
Lisa Duncan Raines
Ph.D. with concentration in higher education (2012)
Vice president of enrollment and student success at Christopher Newport University
At Christopher Newport, Duncan Raines partners with offices campuswide to build and maintain a strategic framework focusing on retention, graduation and post-graduation outcomes in support of CNU’s missions and goals. Her current responsibilities include oversight of core academic advising, the Center for Academic Success, the Center for Career Planning, the Office of Financial Aid and the Office of the Registrar. She also oversees programs for early alert and “at-risk” students, academic support for students with disabilities, transfer admission and enrollment, tutoring and veterans’ educational benefit programs. Under her leadership, CNU received the Ruffalo Noel Levitz 2016 Gold Retention Excellence Award and was a University Business magazine Summer 2016 Models of Excellence honoree.
Aileen L. Smith
M.S.Ed. in counseling (1993)
Director of the Department of Human Services for the city of Virginia Beach
Smith oversees Social Services, Business Administration, Behavioral Health and Developmental Services in the Virginia Beach Department of Human Services (VBDHS). She leads about 1,500 employees and 60 programs, overseeing a budget of more than $123 million to fund programs for Virginia Beach citizens. Before accepting this position, she was the deputy director for VBDHS’s Behavioral Health Developmental Services. She has worked for 28 years in the field of intellectual disabilities, mental health, substance use and prevention. She graduated from the LEAD leadership program at the University of Virginia and became a Fellow of Georgetown University’s Center for Juvenile Justice Reform in 2016. She served on Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s Center for Behavioral Health and Justice advisory committee as well as the Hampton Roads Heroin Task Force and Gov. Ralph Northam’s mental health policy work group.
Renee Garrett
M.S.Ed. in communication sciences and disorders (2010)
Speech-language pathologist at Sentara Belle Harbour Outpatient Therapy Center
Before joining the outpatient therapy center at Sentara Belle Harbour in 2022, Garrett worked as a medical speech-language pathologist (SLP) in inpatient rehabilitation and outpatient settings, in assisted living and in acute care hospitals, serving adults across the lifespan with dysphagia and a variety of communication and cognitive disorders. She also taught in 鶹ý’s Communication Sciences and Disorders undergraduate program and supervised graduate student clinicians. She has a special interest in post-traumatic brain injury. Garrett holds certification from the Brain Injury Association of America. She has received multiple ACE awards from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association, recognizing SLPs who demonstrate their commitment to lifelong learning.
M.S.Ed. in sport management (2004)
Deputy director of athletics at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Since earning her master’s degree from 鶹ý, Rossi has served in leadership roles at several colleges and universities, serving as the financial manager of athletic budgets ranging from $14 million to $110 million. She began her career in athletics at Boston College, where she worked in the ticket office. Next, she became the athletic business manager at the College of William & Mary and then the assistant athletic director of business at the University of Richmond. From there, she became the director of budget and finance for athletics at the University of Minnesota. She is in her seventh year at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee as deputy director of athletics.
Shantell Strickland-Davis
Ph.D. with concentration in occupational and technical studies (2018)
Associate vice president of organizational learning and leadership development and executive director of the Center for Teaching and Learning at Central Piedmont Community College
Strickland-Davis is chief talent officer of the Charlotte, North Carolina, college and consults with all units in the design and development of faculty, staff and leadership professional learning, programming and resources. She oversees all facets of professional learning and engagement, including equity, diversity and inclusion programs, online teaching, educational development, technology education and support for college leaders and administrators. She is the founding executive director of Central Piedmont’s Center for Teaching and Learning. Her research agenda includes faculty efficacy and confidence and the ways community college faculty are best supported.
Tina Manglicmot
M.S. in secondary education (1998)
Chief academic officer of Newport News Public Schools
Manglicmot leads the design and implementation of curriculum, professional learning, instructional programming, school counseling services, strategic planning, assessment and accountability for an urban school division with approximately 26,500 students and more than 2,200 teachers. She strives to ensure all students have access to opportunities and resources that prepare them for the future. Previously, she was director of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and innovation for the Virginia Department of Education. Over the past 23 years, she also has been a secondary science teacher, educational technology facilitator, building administrator, division mathematics and science coordinator and supervisor of instructional technology and innovation. She has also taught as an adjunct for Virginia Commonwealth University and the College of William & Mary.
Dr. Ann Maydosz
Ph.D. Special Education & Teaching, ‘09; M.S.Ed. Special Education, ‘00; B.S. Interdisciplinary Studies, Teacher Preparation, ‘98
Ann Maydosz returned to college at age 38, earning her bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees from the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies. Dr.Maydosz has worked in higher education for 22 years and is currently the co-director of the Center for Implementation and Evaluation of Education Systems(CIEES) at 鶹ý, which is awarded more than $4 million in grants annually to improve outcomes for K-12 students through innovative, research-based practices. Dr. Maydosz has also served as an adjunct assistant professor of special education for over 17 years, teaching special education law and characteristics to thousands of Virginia teachers. Maydosz continues to conduct research related to special education law and policy, and equity for marginalized groups. Her family believed that education was the answer to the complex and layered problems of bias and inequality and her work allows her to live this truth every day.
Allen “Duffy” Samuels
BS of Human Services and Counseling
Founder of Duffy’s Hope, Inc.
Born and raised in Wilmington, Delaware, Allen "Duffy" Samuels attended Glasgow High School, where he was a basketball all-star. He earned an associates degree in early childhood education from Hagerstown Junior College. With an avid aspiration to continue his education, Samuels transferred to 鶹ý, where he was awarded a Division I basketball scholarship. Basketball was his ticket to travel throughout the U.S.and abroad as a collegiate and professional player. Samuels excelled as a star player and determined student; he earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Services and Counseling. After college, he played professional basketball in Europe for six years. Afterwards, he returned to the United States where he played with the Harlem Globetrotters for one year. With the news of spiraling despair and hopelessness conveyed by the youth in his old community, Samuels knew something needed to be done. He designed Duffy's Hope, Inc. in 1998, to serve youth with mentoring, prevention and intervention programming. His vision for the organization is to help encourage youth to reach their full potential by getting them "off the streets" and on paths to better futures.
Dr. Jennifer Goff
Ph.D., Sport and Recreation Management, ‘16; M.S. Recreation & Tourism Management, ‘10; B.S. Recreation & Tourism Studies, ‘09
Director of REACH and the Big Free Bookstore
Jennifer Goff leads REACH, a cause-driven organization that addresses barriers to literacy that children and families face throughout Coastal Virginia. Under her leadership, REACH has launched The Big Free Bookstore that provides new, high-quality books to families. REACH also presented the GivingBack Award from Coastal Virginia magazine in 2020 and the UPLIFT award from the City of Norfolk. Goff was named for her leadership in 2021 to the Top 40 Under 40 by Inside Business. Prior to REACH, Dr. Goff was active in youth development through her various roles at 鶹ý. She served as the director of CARENow, a service-learning program that promotes character and resiliency in at-risk youth; taught and lead service projects in the PRTS program, and was the assistant director of the Big Blue Summer Camp. Her research and passion have led her to present nationally, regionally, and locally; publish many peer-reviewed journal articles; and become the first female to graduate from her PhD program.
Dr. Janice Underwood
Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction, 2015
As a national expert in diversity and inclusion across multiple sectors, Janice Bell Underwood brought more than 20 years of public service to the historical role of Virginia chief diversity officer to Governor Ralph Northam. This role is the first of its kind in the commonwealth and nation. She has championed to make structural inequity visible in government and education sectors as a state official, a university administrator, teacher educator, researcher, national board-certified special education teacher, and diversity trainer. Dr. Underwood guided the state's COVID-19 Equity Leadership Task Force and the health equity pilot program, where her team partnered with 65 local governments to advance equity reforms and distribute PPEand public health information to underserved communities. Dr. Underwood was named one of 20 "Agents of Change" in 2020 by the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. She earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Hampton University in psychology and behavior/learning disorders, in 1998 and 2002. In 2015, she earned her PhD in Curriculum and Instruction from 鶹ý, where her research focused on culturally relevant pedagogy.
Dr. Nickolaos Karvounis
PhD in Occupational & Technical Studies, 2021
Senior Manager of General Assembly for Mercedes-Benz in Bejing China
Nickolaos (Nikos) Karvounis was hired for the position of the first senior manager of general assembly in 2018 in Beijing, China, at the Mercedes-Benz truck plant. In this position, he manages the final assembly and customer validation operations as well as supports various new plant ramp-up activities. Karvounis joined Daimler Trucks North America in 2011 as a final chassis production supervisor where his achievements led him to be selected to the first group of DTNA Lean Experts. His experience is directly related to his research interests of organizational excellence, transformation, and lean management. Dr. Karvounis earned his PhD in Occupational and Technical Studies from the Darden College in 2021.
Dr. Corey L. McCray
Ph.D. in Education with a concentration in Educational Leadership
President, Paul D. Camp Community College
Corey L. McCray is the president of Paul D. Camp Community College (pdc.edu). He was the associate vice chancellor for the Virginia Community College System until October 2021 and was the executive vice president and VP for workforce at Tidewater Community College prior to his role at the VCCS. Dr. McCray was the 2020-21 Aspen Rising Presidents Fellow named by the College Excellence Program at the Aspen Institute. He has a Ph.D. in Education with a concentration in Educational Leadership from 鶹ý. Dr. McCray has lived and worked in the Suffolk region for more than 25 years. After serving seven years in the U.S. Navy, McCray transitioned to education, serving as a high school teacher and coach in Suffolk. Later, he worked for more than a decade at the Pruden Center for Industry and Technology, a regional career and technical education center located in Suffolk.