KU recognizes 2025-26 faculty and staff retirees

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas has recognized the more than 100 faculty and academic, support and unclassified professional staff affiliated with the Lawrence and Edwards campuses who retired during the 2025-26 academic year.

At a luncheon during the spring semester, the retirees from the academic year were individually recognized and thanked by Chancellor Douglas A. Girod and Chief Academic Officer, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Arash Mafi.

Anita Abel, associate director in the Office of Research, won the grand prize of two round-trip tickets to anywhere Southwest Airlines flies. The tickets were donated by the airline through KU Travel Services. 

The Office of the Chancellor, Office of the Provost and KU Endowment host the annual retirement reception. Photos of the honorees and the event are available to view.

The following list represents KU employees who, before April, indicated to Human Resources that they would be retiring between June 1, 2025, and July 1, 2026. The list includes the last place of employment for retirees and their total years of service at KU.

2025-2026 retirees

• Anita Abel, associate director, Office of Research, 50.
• David Acker, graphic designer, Kansas Athletics, 47.
• Norman Akers, associate professor, visual art, 16.
• Eric Atwood, psychiatrist, Counseling and Psychological Services, eight years.
• Lanis Atwood, senior administrative associate, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, 20.
• Beth Bailey, Distinguished Professor, history, 10.
• Brenda Barski, accountant, Office of Research, 14.
• Michael Bauer, professor; voice, piano, organ & church music; 38.
• Margaret Bayer, professor, mathematics, 38.
• Claire Bays, IT senior programmer, Information Technology, 38.
• James Beach, associate curator and assistant director for informatics, Biodiversity Institute, 30.
• Julie Bellucci, procurement officer, Procurement Services, 16.
• Ted Bergman, professor, mechanical engineering, 15.
• Joan Bisco, administrative assistant, Air Force ROTC, five.
• Michael Blum, Distinguished Professor, geology, 12.
• Nyla Branscombe, Distinguished Professor, psychology, 38.
• Darrell Brogdon, radio program director, Kansas Public Radio, 44.
• Kimberly Bruns, research project coordinator, School of Journalism & Mass Communications, 33 years
• Nelda Buckley, engineer, KU Transportation Center, three.
• Daniel Busch, senior plumber, Facilities Services, 19.
• C. Jane Buttenhoff, administrative associate, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, 26 years.
• Keith Chauvin, associate dean and associate professor, School of Business, 38.
• Dennis Christilles, assistant professor, theatre & dance, 37.
• Thomas Cravens, professor, Department of Physics & Astronomy, 37 years.
• Deborah Dandridge, associate librarian and field archivist and curator of African American Experience Collections, KU Libraries, 39 years.
• Gerrit de Boer, associate professor, ecology & evolutionary biology, 39.
• Robert DeYoung, Distinguished Professor, School of Business, 19.
• Rick Dobrowsky, professor, pharmacology & toxicology, 31.
• Christopher Drahozal, Distinguished Professor, School of Law, 31 years.
• Gerald Dreiling, custodian, Custodial Services, 22.
• Michael Eckersley, professor, design, 21.
• Susan Egan, professor, molecular biosciences, 32.
• Ada Emmett, university ombuds, Ombuds Office, 24.
• David Farber, Distinguished Professor, history, 11.
• Hume Feldman, professor, Department of Physics & Astronomy, 28 years.
• Vincent Francisco, professor and senior scientist, applied behavioral science, 21.
• Verna Froese, library assistant, Libraries, 42.
• Mary Fry, professor, educational psychology, 19.
• Andrew Fry, professor, health, sport & exercise sciences, 18 years.
• Gilbert Gathunguri Karuga, associate professor, School of Business, 23 years.
• Sara Gillahan, accounting specialist, Finance Shared Service Center, 15.
• Jennifer Hanson, business manager, Study Abroad and Global Engagement, 33.
• Mark Haug, assistant teaching professor, School of Business, 27.
• Mary Hill, professor, geology, 11.
• Michael Hock, director, Center for Research on Learning, 36.
• Gregg Holcomb, associate director, Information Technology, 26.
• Cheryl Holcomb, associate dean, School of Pharmacy, 27 years.
• James (Mike) Hough, senior painter, Facilities Services, 23 years.
• Steven Howard, security officer, KU Police Department, 23 years.
• Janine Hron, research programs director, Achievement & Assessment Institute, five.
• Kimberly Huggett, graduate student services manager, School of Education & Human Sciences, 26 years.
• Rick Ingram, professor, psychology, 22.
• Jayne James, research project manager, Center for Research on Learning, 17.
• Caroline Jewers, professor, French, Francophone, & Italian, 36.
• Nadzeya Kardash, associate researcher, Achievement & Assessment Institute, 13.
• Linda Keeler, psychiatrist, Counseling and Psychological Services, 49.
  Sabrina Keidel, Shared Service Center manager, Finance Shared Service Center, 26.
• Barbara Kerr, Distinguished Professor, educational psychology, 21.
• Michael Killion, research lead programmer, Kansas Geological Survey, 34.
• John Kruzel, general maintenance worker, Transportation Services, 34.
• Elizabeth Langdon, lecturer and academic program associate, visual art, eight.
• William Larzalere, chief litigation attorney, Legal Services for Students, 23 years.
• Richard Levy, Distinguished Professor, School of Law, 41.
• William Lindsey, associate professor, Department of Religious Studies, 23 years.
• Carl Luchies, associate professor, mechanical engineering, 30.
• Lisa Mann, digital media coordinator, special education, 12.
• Lisa Martinez, IT support technician, Information Technology, 11.
• Bradley McClung, IT technician, Information Technology, 38 years.
• Lori Montgomery, administrative associate, Kansas Athletics, 17.
• Nancy Muma, professor and chair, pharmacology & toxicology, 19.
• Joane Nagel, Distinguished Professor, sociology, 49.
• Eugene Normandin Jr., senior HVAC technician, Facilities Services, 14.
• Berl Oakley, Distinguished Professor, molecular biosciences, 18.
• Christine 'Liz' Oakley, senior assistant researcher, molecular biosciences, 17.
• Mark Olson, visual resources curator, history of art, 32.
• Russell Ostermann, associate professor, chemical & petroleum engineering, 34.
• Steve Padget, professor, architecture, 48.
• Kathy Porsch, research development officer, Hall Center for the Humanities, 38.
• Kandi Proudfoot (White), facility manager, Undergraduate Biology Program, 41.
• Ronald Ragan, professor, School of Pharmacy, seven.
• Edward Reboulet, senior assistant researcher, Kansas Geological Survey, 19.
• Christa Reida, research project manager, Achievement & Assessment Institute, 11.
• Shelley Rissien, Hebrew coordinator, Jewish studies, 18.
• Betty Scheetz, grant coordinator, Office of Research, eight.
• Kurt Schultz, editor, Center for Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies, 22 years.
• Anthea Scouffas, engagement director, Lied Center, 21.
• Lisa Shaw, business manager, School of Music, 34.
• Rebecca Shepard, custodial supervisor, Custodial Services, 24.
• Gary Shepard, custodian, Custodial Services, 13.
• David N. Smith, professor, sociology, 36.
• Geraldo Sousa, professor, Department of English, 23 years
• Scott McBride Smith, professor; voice, piano, organ & church music; 16.
• Alvin Sowers Jr., associate director, Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center, 26.
• Brian Staihr, lecturer, School Business, 16.
• Bradley Stauffer, director of external affairs, School of Pharmacy, four.
• John Stephens, professor; voice, piano, organ & church music; 44 years.
• Shala Stevenson, graphic designer, Lied Center, 28.
• Lisa Stewart, library assistant, Libraries, 41.
• James Stiles, professor, electrical engineering & computer science, 31.
• Linda Stone-Ferrier, professor, history of art, 45.
• David Street, associate professor, academic music, 16.
• Carla Swoyer, procurement officer, Procurement, 18.
• Paula Szuwalski, assistant director, Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research, 26.
• Barbara Timmermann, Distinguished Professor and chair, medicinal chemistry, 21.
• Julie Tollefson, communications coordinator, Kansas Geological Survey, 30.
• Jose Trujillo, assistant director of financial aid & scholarships, Edwards Campus, 22.
• Dale Urie, associate teaching professor, Department of History, 25 years.
• Phillip Vaughn Jr., senior landscape worker, Facilities Services, 12.
• Joseph Walden, associate teaching professor, School of Business, 17.
• Julia (Kay) Walden, accountant, Controllers Office, 14.
• Dennis Waymire, plumber, Facilities Services, 17.
• Rebecca Welton, BRIDGE program coordinator, Office for Advancing Success in Science, 20.
• Gina Westergard, professor, visual art, 32.
• Scott Williams, IT support technician, Information Technology, eight.
• Robert Wiseman, custodian, Custodial Services, 9.
• Kimberly Wittman, grant officer, Office of Research, 13.
• Kari Woods, executive director, Swift Education Center, 22.
• John Woods, assistant researcher, Kansas Geological Survey, 19.
• David Woody, laboratory coordinator, civil, environmental & architectural engineering, 14.
• Michael Wright, electrician, Facilities Services, 22.
• Jiang 'Joy' Wu, research analyst, KU Center on Disabilities, four.