UOPX Alumni Luminary Awards
Celebrating distinguished °®¶¹´«Ã½ alumni
UOPX Alumni Luminary awards
Celebrating distinguished °®¶¹´«Ã½ alumni
The UOPX Alumni Luminaries program honors 76 exceptional alumni each year for their achievements in industry leadership, entrepreneurship and community leadership.
Hear from Provost Dr. John Woods about the UOPX Alumni Luminaries initiative.
The UOPX Alumni Luminaries program honors 76 exceptional alumni each year for their achievements in industry leadership, entrepreneurship and community leadership.
What makes a UOPX Alumni Luminary?Ìý
Founded in 1976, °®¶¹´«Ã½ recognizes 76 Alumni Luminaries each year who represent the brightest examples of how a °®¶¹´«Ã½ education can ignite lasting impact. These distinguished °®¶¹´«Ã½ alumni illuminate the path for others as innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders in their fields.
2026 UOPX Alumni Luminaries
Introducing the 2026 class of °®¶¹´«Ã½ Alumni Luminaries.
PreviousÌýLuminaries
Get to know the very first class of distinguished UOPX alumni honored for their outstanding achievements in community leadership, industry and entrepreneurship.
BEHIND THE SCENES
Choosing the UOPX Alumni LuminariesÌý
Learn more about the nomination process, selection panel and how honorees are chosen each year.
Lori R | MSN/FNP
Reyes MÌý| BAM
Lisa L | DNP
Nomination processÌý
°®¶¹´«Ã½ invites all alumni, as well as their leaders, friends, mentors and peers, to nominate individuals for this distinguished alumni award. Anyone may nominate an individual who exemplifies the spirit of UOPX alumni excellence.
Selection processÌý
Each year, a dedicated panel selects 76 UOPX alumni whose leadership and impact stand out among the broader alumni community. Honorees will be featured on this site, awarded digital credentials and celebrated at special events.
Meet the 2026 UOPX Alumni Luminaries selection panel
Drawing on their extensive experience in higher education and career development, the 2026 panel selected this year's 76 honorees from a pool of hundreds of remarkable candidates.
John Woods, PhD
Chief Academic Officer & Provost
Dr. John Woods leads academic strategy, innovation and quality across °®¶¹´«Ã½â€™s programs, overseeing a team of academic leaders and 2,500+ practitioner faculty. With over 15 years of experience as a CAO and a background in teaching, he holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Bowling Green State University and degrees from Carleton University.
Andrea Smiley, MS, APR
VP, Public Relations
Andrea Smiley oversees strategic communications and public relations for °®¶¹´«Ã½, including media relations, stakeholder communications, issues management, crisis communications, executive communications, content marketing and corporate social responsibility.
Jay Titus
VP & GM of Workforce Solutions Group
Jay Titus leads strategy and operations for workforce development and upskilling solutions nationwide. A recognized thought leader in employer-sponsored education benefits, Jay’s insights have been featured in outlets including Forbes, CFO.com, Human Resource Executive, INC, HRMorning, and FOX Business.
Briana Houlihan, MBA
Dean, College of General Studies
As the dean for the College of General studies, Briana Houlihan oversees all academic operations impacting students, including curriculum, programs, faculty, student support and resources, and academic policies.ÌýShe focuses on developing courses that strike the right balance between imparting skills with career relevance and preparing students for long-term academic success.ÌýShe has previously served as the assistant dean of operations, campus and academic director, and director of students services at °®¶¹´«Ã½.
Kathryn Uhles, MIS, MSP
Dean, College of Business and IT
Currently overseeing the business and IT programs at °®¶¹´«Ã½, Kathryn Uhle’s has held roles across student services, operations, curriculum, and academics. As Associate Dean, she’s developed 13 new IT degree and certificate programs and expanded partnerships with CompTIA and EC Council. Her leadership has consistently earned the University EC Council’s Circle of Excellence award during her tenure.
John Ramirez, MBA, USA CSM (ret)
Dean of Operations, College of Doctoral Studies
John Ramirez served in the United States Army for 27 years and has been with °®¶¹´«Ã½ since November 2004. He has held numerous positions that include senior operations manager and vice president of external military relations. In addition to being active in multiple organizations supporting veterans and other causes, Ramirez has been inducted into the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame and was recognized as one of 50 Arizona business leaders to watch in 2024.
FAQÌý
The Luminaries refer to an exclusive group of 76 alumni recognized for significant success in their industry, in entrepreneurship or through community leadership. In acknowledgement of their status as Luminaries, they receive:
Digital credentials they can share on networking and social media platforms,
Recognition on the °®¶¹´«Ã½ website, and
An invitation to an annual celebration hosted by the University.
Ìý
°®¶¹´«Ã½ was founded in 1976. By selecting 76 Luminaries every year, we honor our legacy of serving adult students.
Note: Not all 76 Luminaries are listed here.
Anyone can nominate an alum for the Luminaries by visiting the landing page.Ìý Nominations are open annually from September through mid-December. Admittance to the UOPX Alumni Luminaries is determined by a rotating committee of university leadership.
Luminaries must:
Have graduated from the °®¶¹´«Ã½
Have impacted their industry or organization’s productivity in a measurable way, OR
Have launched, grown and led their own successful business or franchise for more than a year, OR
Have demonstrated a meaningful commitment to improving their community through service, awareness or financial contributions.Ìý
Nominees will not be contacted unless they are selected as Luminaries. If you are not selected this year, you can be nominated next year.
You may be nominated and selected in future years, although it is not guaranteed.
All Luminaries will receive a digital badge they can share on social media (e.g., LinkedIn and other platforms) to highlight their achievement and recognition. Inductees who attend the celebratory weekend may be photographed, and those images may be used in select marketing materials.
To ensure impartiality, the selection committee consists of university leaders. Alumni are recognized but not part of the selection committee.
Ìý
Nothing. Luminaries will be notified of the honor and invited to attend a celebratory weekend event.Ìý
They will also receive digital credentials they may choose to share on social platforms. They are under no obligation to share, attend or otherwise participate.Ìý