ASHLEY DALBY ’1 2

FORMER STUDENT HONORED FOR OUTSTANDING WORK ON UT TYLER FACULTY.

By Hannah Buchanan

UT TYLER ALUM and faculty member

Ashley Dalby (MS kinesiology, 2012) has been recognized as one of the best educators in the UT System.

A lecturer in health and kinesiology, she earned the 2022 UT System Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award in recognition of extraordinary classroom performance, innovation and commitment to student success through teaching.

Established in 2008, the Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Awards reinforces the Board of Regents’ commitment to ensuring that University of Texas institutions are places of intellectual exploration and discovery, educational excellence and unparalleled opportunity.

“The UT System Board of Regents is honored to recognize top educators annually for their extraordinary dedication to the students they are equipping to be our future leaders,” Board of Regents Chairman Kevin P. Eltife says.

Dalby joined UT Tyler’s School of Health Professions as a lecturer for the Department of Kinesiology in 2019. She also serves as coordinator for the UT Tyler Lifespan Wellness Research Center. An American College of Sports Medicine certified exercise physiologist and cancer exercise trainer, she applies her dedication and expertise in exercise science toward teaching and research as well as student and community engagement.

She was instrumental in establishing a FitSteps for Life® exercise location on the UT Tyler main campus. As UT Tyler’s founding FSFL supervisor, Dalby guides both graduate and undergraduate students in implementing specialized exercise prescriptions for community members with cancer and other chronic illnesses.

As a faculty adviser, she led a team of undergraduate kinesiology students to UT Tyler’s first-ever state victory at the 2022 Texas

ACSM Conference “Student Bowl” competition, in which collegiate teams answer Jeopardy-type questions about exercise science.

Dalby is currently pursuing a UT Tyler Master of Science degree in biology.

Nominees for Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Awards undergo a series of rigorous evaluations by students, peer faculty and external reviewers. The review panels consider a range of activities and criteria in their evaluations of a candidate's teaching performance, including classroom expertise, curricula quality and student learning outcomes.

2002

Monica Simmons (MEd; BSIS teacher preparation, 2000) was named superintendent of schools for Elysian Fields Independent School District. She has worked for the district since 2002 as a teacher and administrator, and became assistant superintendent in 2021.

2004

Brian Ballew (BA history), a senior associate attorney with Beal Law Firm PLLC, is now certified in family law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Ballew also received the State Bar of Texas Star of Achievement Award.

2006

Ralph Cottrell (BS industrial technology) was hired as an instructor in diesel equipment technology at Texas State Technical College’s Marshall campus. Cottrell previously worked in the diesel equipment industry.

2008

Cameron Cooper (BBA marketing) was hired as East Texas commercial banking relationship manager for Regions Bank of Tyler. Cooper spent 14 years in the Dallas-Fort Worth banking industry, serving national and international clients.

Geoffrey Sherman (BS history; MEd educational leadership, 2010) is the new principal of Tyler Legacy High School. He previously served as Hubbard Middle School principal, receiving Tyler Independent School District’s 2022 Principal of the Year in that role.

2009

Brian Nix (BBA finance; MBA, 2012) was named chief lending/chief credit officer of Citizens Bank of Tyler. He was market director of commercial lending with Spirit of Texas Bank before joining Citizens Bank.

2010

Jordan Yutzy (BS civil engineering) was named city manager of Española, New Mexico. He previously served as city manager of Eunice, New Mexico, director of public and community services for Jacksonville, Texas, and traffic engineer for Tyler.

2011

Sarah Yosten Collins (BA journalism) is the communications and marketing manager for Next Step Community So-