Distinguished UArizona Alumni to be Honored During Homecoming

Tucson's first Latina mayor, NASA's first female principal investigator, and leaders in public health and the arts are among the distinguished University of Arizona alumni to be honored with Alumni of the Year awards during this year's Homecoming.

The UArizona Alumni and Development Program, in partnership with UArizona colleges, recognizes accomplished alumni and friends for their achievements and contributions to the university. This year's award recipients include Tucson Mayor Regina Romero, Pima County Public Health Director Theresa Cullen, film editor Lindsay Utz and planetary scientist Elizabeth Turtle.

The awards ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. on Nov. 4 in the Grand Ballroom of the Student Union Memorial Center.

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: Pamela J. Turbeville, Class of 1972
Turbeville is a senior executive with a noteworthy career leading Fortune 500 companies in the telecommunications, chemical and manufacturing industries. She is the co-founder and CEO of i-calQ, a biotech industry startup that is committed to affordable and accurate medical care technology with point-of-care diagnostics integrated with smartphone-based analytics disease support.

College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture: Heather Henricks Lenkin, Class of 1976 and 1979
Lenkin is an internationally recognized landscape designer with a passion for built environments who works tirelessly to protect cultural and historic resources in her volunteer efforts. She provides multidisciplinary perspective and invaluable leadership experience to several international and national organizations, including UArizona.

Eller College of Management: Humberto S. Lopez, Class of 1969
Lopez is an established business leader in commercial real estate and chairman of the board at HSL properties, a company he founded in 1975. A generous philanthropist and founder of the Center for Opportunity, Lopez's philanthropic endeavors support areas related to education, health and welfare.

College of Engineering: Tom Peterson, Class of 1974
Peterson is an engineering leader with national standing in the field of policy and higher education. Peterson has served in several leadership roles including dean of the UArizona College of Engineering and provost and executive vice chancellor of the University of California, Merced.

College of Fine Arts: Lindsay Utz, Class of 2003
Utz is an award-winning freelance documentary film editor who tells important stories through film, and is a founding member of the School of Theatre, Film and Television Industry Council, which helps to shape the next generation of graduates and strategic opportunities for the program.

W.A. Franke Honors College: Colien Hefferan, Class of 1971
Hefferan is an academic researcher and administrator with a passion for research, education and conservation who is dedicated to supporting responsible and sustainable food production practices that support the physical and economic health of the public. As director of the U.S. National Arboretum, she has been dedicated to nurturing global partnerships to mobilize and share knowledge and expertise in these areas.

College of Humanities: Jessica Michelle Polsky, Class of 1998
Polsky is a successful actress, model and dancer, and a cultural ambassador who works to bridge and strengthen industry ties between Italy and the U.S. As a mentor and coach to performers of all ages, she regularly gives back to the College of Humanities by mentoring students and advising faculty on the skills taught and how they apply to a global workforce.

James E. Rogers College of Law: Dev Stahlkopf, Class of 1999
Stahlkopf is executive vice president and chief legal officer at Cisco. She's passionate about diversity and innovation in the legal profession with demonstrated leadership across cutting-edge issues of law and management, including corporate responsibility and diversity initiatives specifically related to paid time off for contractors.

College of Medicine – Tucson: Dr. Theresa Cullen, Class of 1983
Cullen, an internationally recognized thought leader in biomedical informatics, serves as Pima County public health director and vice president of Pima County's Back to Business task force. Cullen has led national-scale transformative efforts to improve health and health care with a focus on Native Americans, veterans and other underserved populations.

College of Nursing: Agnes C. Poore, Class of 1972
Poore, co-founder of Casa De La Luz Hospice, is a clinical manager, administrator, mentor and leader with a profound influence on health care and health care-related business in Tucson. Poore has worked to provide clinical opportunities for students and graduates through internships, employment and scholarships. 

James C. Wyant College of Optical Sciences: Jack Jewell, Class of 1981 and 1984
Jewell is an accomplished UArizona graduate with 74 patents and over 150 publications. He created the world's first practical vertical-cavity surface emitting laser, the most commonly used laser today. He gives back to the James C. Wyant College of Optical Sciences through scholarships, an endowed research award and the Jack Jewell endowed chair program.

College of Pharmacy: John "Andy" Ware, Class of 1967
Ware, who died this year, was a well-respected and trusted community pharmacist who enhanced the field for over three decades. He became a businessman who owned and operated a commercial greenhouse nationwide. Ware attributed all his success to the education he received at the College of Pharmacy.

Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health: Marina Hadjioannou Waters, Class of 2003 and 2004
Waters is a community leader who advocates for health equity with an emphasis on language rights, and is a driving force in creating access for multicultural, multilingual, multiethnic and underprivileged communities in Indiana.

College of Science: Elizabeth P. Turtle, Class of 1998
Turtle is a globally recognized planetary scientist with leadership roles in the planetary science community. The first female principal investigator for NASA, she is currently leading the Dragonfly mission, scheduled to launch an aerial vehicle to Saturn's moon Titan in 2027.

College of Social and Behavioral Sciences: Regina Romero, Class of 2001
Romero is the first woman and first Latina mayor of Tucson, and the only Latina mayor among the 50 largest U.S. cities. While responding to the immediate challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, she has launched new projects and initiatives that aim to position the city for a strong recovery.

EXTRA INFO

The Homecoming website provides full event details and offers the opportunity to sign up for updates and reminders.

COVID-19 Protocol

All guests will be required to follow campus health and safety protocols in place at the time of events as well as adhere to any existing state and local guidelines. In addition, events may be canceled or changed on short notice due to public health circumstances. For updates and information, please visit covid19.arizona.edu/updates.