Alumni
Alumni Achievement Awards
Above, left to right: awardee Keyana Thompson-Shaw, awardee Francie Kraker Goodridge, awardee Aaron Seabron, Dean Lori Ploutz-Snyder, awardee Jon Paley
2025 Kinesiology Alumni Achievement Award Recipients
Keyana Thompson-Shaw (SM '15), Early Career Achievement
After receiving dual degrees in sport management and art & design from the University of Michigan, Keyana Thompson-Shaw attended Portland-based Pensole Footwear Design Academy and then joined Esquivel, which specializes in handmade leather shoes and accessories. She broke into the performance footwear world as a color designer for Jordan Brand, Nike Training, and Nike Running.
Since then, she’s mentored interns and new hires through Nike’s Serena Williams Design Crew program; partnered with prominent athletes like two-time Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge; and worked on strategies around consumer insight and product trends. Recently, Thompson-Shaw started a new endeavor in Los Angeles working on Adidas’ color and material creative direction for the next Olympics.
Aaron Seabron (SM '06), Career Achievement
For Adidas, Aaron Seabron oversees product marketing, strategy, merchandising, design, and brand communications for several sports as well as product creation in training, sportswear, running, and lifestyle within North America. Additionally, he is responsible for the cross-category go-to-market operations for NCAA, team, and licensed products.
Before joining the company in 2016, Seabron worked at General Mills in various brand marketing roles and held positions in nonprofit and investment banking at Management Leadership for Tomorrow and Lehman Brothers. In addition to his degree in sport management and communications from U-M, Seabron earned an MBA from the Samuel Curtis Johnson School of Management at Cornell University in 2012. Seabron serves on the University of Michigan Sport Management Advisory Board and lives in Portland.
Francie Kraker Goodridge (PE minor '74), Lifetime Achievement
Ann Arbor native Francie Kraker Goodridge was the first Michigan-born woman to win a place on the U.S. Olympic track team, participating in the 800-meter event at the Mexico City Olympics in 1968 and the 1,500 meters at the Munich Olympics in 1972.
She later coached women's track at the University of Michigan (where her 1983 team won the first ever women’s track and field Big Ten Championship), Wake Forest University, and the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee; at the latter, she was among the first Division I university female administrators appointed after the passage of Title IX. She has been inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor, the University of Michigan Women's Track and Field Hall of Fame, and the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame.
Jon Paley (SM '95), Dean's Medal
Jon Paley is the owner and founder of The Vault, a full-service creative and production company based in New York City that’s produced award-winning commercials, athlete-driven campaigns, and branded storytelling connecting culture, sport, and style content for clients such as BMW, ESPN, Disney, Playfly, Paramount+, and more.
Paley started his career at prestigious agencies, including Ogilvy and Cliff Freeman, and completed the Saatchi & Saatchi Management Training Program. Before launching The Vault, he was a partner at Curious Holdings, where he honed his approach to helping brands communicate their authentic voice.
A note from our dean, Lori Ploutz-Snyder:
This year, Jon is receiving the Dean’s Medal, an award we reserve for those with truly outstanding contributions to the U-M Kinesiology community.
Jon currently serves as chair of the advisory committee for our ongoing fundraising campaign, Every Move Matters, and co-leads our Sport Management Advisory Board. He has mentored Kines students, hired them as interns, spoken in classes, and judged case study competitions. On top of all the time and talent he’s given us, he also gives philanthropically; one of his most recent efforts involved creating a scholarship for athletic training students.
At his core, he is a helper, offering assistance before you even know you need it. And because of all the different roles he’s held, it’s easy for him to be a true utility player. Although he’s a sport management alum, he advocates for and represents the whole school. He is, ultimately, one of the school’s best friends, and we’ll be forever grateful that he’s chosen to build that relationship with us. Thank you, Jon!
Overall Criteria for Awards
The Kinesiology Alumni Achievement Awards are given each year to alumni and friends who have made a significant impact in their careers, service, and philanthropy.
- Nominees must be alumni in good standing, as defined by the School of Kinesiology and the Alumni Society Board
- Nominees must have earned a Kinesiology degree
- The nomination must be based on activity, or support of activity, in the kinesiology field
- The nomination must be supported by another School of Kinesiology alum
- Current KAS Board members may be nominated
- Recipients must accept the award in person (unless deceased)
- If a recipient cannot attend the ceremony, their award will be deferred until the following year
- Current School of Kinesiology faculty members are not eligible, but emeritus faculty may be nominated
- Current School of Kinesiology staff are not eligible
Nomination Process
- Nominations can be submitted by completing the KAS Alumni Award Nomination Form
- A list of criteria for each award can be found in the Kinesiology Awards Criteria & Nominating Process document (PDF)
- Nominees can self-nominate, be nominated by a fellow alum, colleague, professor, or friend/family member
- Nominees are asked to submit supporting materials (resume/CV, nominee personal statement, 2 professional recommendations) that are reviewed by the Nominating Committee, then submitted to the entire Alumni Board for consideration
- The Nominating Committee notifies the award winners and invites them to the awards ceremony, which is the Friday of Homecoming weekend
- Award winners receive two tickets to the Homecoming football game on Saturday
Past Kinesiology Alumni Achievement Award Recipients
2020-Present
2024
Max Klepper, Early Career Achievement
Kelsey Nolan Shafer, Early Career Achievement
Dawn P. Coe, Career Achievement
Jon Jansen, Career Achievement
A.J. Duffy III, Lifetime Achievement
2023
Katharine Bohlmann, Early Career Achievement
Jason Krochak, Early Career Achievement
Alicia Jeffreys, Career Achievement
Steve McCarthy, Career Achievement
Mike Amine, Lifetime Achievement
Tom Goss, Lifetime Achievement
2022
Zac Hiller, Early Career Achievement
Steve Weinreich, Career Achievement
Carol Ray, Lifetime Achievement
Richard Ray, Lifetime Achievement
2021
Joshua Bartelstein, Early Career Achievement
Brandon Rhodes, Early Career Achievement
Andrew Karson, Career Achievement
Patty Freedson, Lifetime Achievement
Victor Katch, Dean's Medal
2020
Hayes Grooms IV, Early Career Achievement
Jessica Berman, Career Achievement
David Schueler, Career Achievement
Sheryl Szady, Lifetime Achievement
2010-2019
2019
Leah Ketcheson, Early Career Achievement
Daniel Schachne, Early Career Achievement
Jim Nagy, Career Achievement
J.J. Putz, Career Achievement
Barry Franklin, Lifetime Achievement
Jordan Field, Distinguished Service
2018
Dan Gaiman, Early Career Achievement
Erin Prober-Charlupski, Early Career Achievement
Danny Koblin, Career Achievement
Brian Movalson, Career Achievement
Noel Cimmino, Distinguished Service
2017
Nick Shaw, Early Career Achievement
Mike Israetel, Early Career Achievement
José Kottoor, Career Achievement
Melva Thompson-Robinson, Career Achievement
Donna Fry, Lifetime Achievement
2016
Liz Godek, Early Career Achievement
Donté Scott, Early Career Achievement
Robb Dunn, Career Achievement
Andrew Pudduck, Career Achievement
Nancy "Eric" Erickson, Lifetime Achievement
Pete Kempf, Distinguished Service
Shelly Kovacs, Distinguished Service
George Wade, Dean's Medal
2015
David Oxfeld, Early Career Achievement
Michael Stack, Early Career Achievement
A.J. Duffy III, Career Achievement
John Rotche, Career Achievement
Don Eaton, Distinguished Service
Clare Canham-Eaton, Distinguished Service
2014
Eryn McVerry, Early Career Achievement
Shavannia Williams, Early Career Achievement
Thomas Wilcher, Career Achievement
Jon Urbanchek, Lifetime Achievement
Sheryl Szady, Distinguished Service
Jeannine Galetti, Dean's Medal
2013
Aaron Shea, Early Career Achievement
Roger Zatkoff, Dean's Medal
2012
Robert Haddad, Early Career Achievement
Joan Bickner, Dean's Medal
2011
Geoff Prentice, Early Career Achievement
Albert Green, Career Achievement
Art Weltman, Career Achievement
2010
Shawn Regan, Early Career Achievement
Jonathan Paley, Early Career Achievement
Robert John Moffatt, Career Achievement
William McArdle, Lifetime Achievement
Herb Deromedi, Lifetime Achievement
2000-2009
2009
Jessica Berman, Early Career Achievement
R. Richard Ray, Career Achievement
Shirley Howard Cooper, Lifetime Achievement
2008
Justin Schulman, Early Career Achievement
Carolyn Clymer Voorhees, Career Achievement
John Faulkner, Lifetime Achievement
2007
Chris Parker, Early Career Achievement
George Brooks, Career Achievement
Joan Farrell, Lifetime Achievement
2006
Todd Gershwin, Early Career Achievement
Charlie Kuntzleman, Career Achievement
Joe Vaughn, Lifetime Achievement
2005
Dick Honig, Career Achievement
Rod Grambeau, Lifetime Achievement
2004
Scott Jeffer, Early Career Achievement
Marvin Gans, Career Achievement
Steve Galetti, Lifetime Achievement
Phyllis Ocker, Lifetime Achievement
Phyllis Weikart, Lifetime Achievement
2003
Mark Hildebrandt, Early Career Achievement
Steve Sarns, Early Career Achievement
Reggie McKenzie, Career Achievement
Joyce Lindeman, Lifetime Achievement
2002
Pam Davis, Early Career Achievement
Ken Burnley, Career Achievement
William Hardy, Career Achievement
2001
Roger Harvey, Early Career Achievement
Carrie Meek, Career Achievement
David Lohrmann, Career Achievement
Pat Materka, Lifetime Achievement
2000
Guy Reiff
Yevonne Smith
1992-1999
1999
Barbara Roark Passmore
Susan Kandarian
Ruth Harris
Newt Loken
Kenneth Simmons
1998
Don Dufek
Patty Freedson
Andy Kozar
Anthony Mitchell
1997
George Wade
Mary Borst
Carrie Meek
Kathy Clark
Tom Wilcher
1996
Mary Lou Hook Allen
Cece Dumbrigue
Al Renfrew
Jon Urbanchek
Debbie Coyle
1995
Micki King
Dick Kimball
Irv Wisniewski
1994
Barbara Forker
Tom Goss
Christine Wells
Kelli Bert
1993
Marie Hartwig
Elmo Morales
Roger Zatkoff
Tim Fagan
1992
Dave Nelson
Don Canham
Griz Zimmerman