2026: Retirees

Wake Forest University honors Polly W. Black, Ph.D., MBA, for her dedicated service across 16 years as a member of the Communication Department. Professor Black launched and led the Entrepreneurship Program, growing the minor from 50 to nearly 300 students. She started an incubator program to help students launch their ventures, which led to the foundations for Springboard and Startup Lab. In 2017, she returned to full-time teaching in Communication and launched the Marketing Communication minor. Backed by a Ph.D., an MBA from the University of Virginia and two decades in senior marketing roles, Professor Black didn’t just teach it; she lived it. Her legacy is in the students and colleagues she has pushed, mentored and believed in.

Wake Forest University honors Timothy Davis, J.D., for his contributions across his 28 years as a member of the Law School faculty and for his dedicated service to Wake Forest University. Professor Davis is one of the country’s best-known sports law scholars; an impactful classroom teacher and mentor whose intellectual rigor inspires his students to reach their full potential; valued by all members of the Wake Law community for his quiet wisdom and integrity; dedicated to service to the institution and the legal community, particularly his leadership with the National Conference of Bar Examiners; and for being a thoughtful and kind colleague whose dedication to teaching and research exemplifies the teacher-scholar model.

Wake Forest University honors Pat H. Dickson, Ph.D., for 19 years of award-winning teaching to both undergraduate and graduate students. Professor Dickson is recognized for dedicated senior leadership, serving as founding program director for the Business and Enterprise Management Degree Program, then as associate dean for the Undergraduate Business Program, followed by area chair for Management; service to the academy including president-elect, president and past-president of the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE), executive board member of the International Council for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ICSB) and executive board member of the Academy of Management Entrepreneurship Division; for countless, important scholarly contributions; and for unwavering loyalty to his colleagues and this university.

Wake Forest University honors Susan E. Fahrbach, Ph.D., for her contributions across her 22 years as a member of the Biology Department and dedicated service to Wake Forest University. Professor Fahrbach, a world leader in the field of Insect Neuroethology, taught advanced and introductory courses in her discipline with dedication and passion, thereby inspiring several generations of scientists. She is further honored for her dedicated service to the institution, particularly for her leadership in the role of Chair of the Biology Department and for being a loyal colleague whose dedication to teaching and research exemplifies the teacher-scholar model.

Wake Forest University honors Steven J. Folmar, Ph.D., for his 34 years of service as a dedicated scholar and mentor. Professor Folmar has personified the spirit of applied anthropology throughout his distinguished career at Wake Forest. Renowned for his advocacy for Dalit communities in Nepal and for his founding of the Folmar Foundation, Professor Folmar has bridged global justice with local service. In the classroom, he transformed students into collaborators, leading transformative fieldwork and sharing his NSF-funded research with generosity. A selfless colleague, he stepped in without hesitation when needed most. For his witty intellect, unwavering commitment to social equity and generational impact on anthropologists, we celebrate his career and his transition to emeritus status.

Wake Forest University honors Joy Gambill for her contributions across 20 years as a member of the Z. Smith Reynolds Library faculty and for her dedicated service to Wake Forest University. Professor Gambill taught more Library courses than any other faculty member, teaching information literacy and critical thinking to over 200 sections and over 3,200 students in her 20 years at ZSR. Wake Forest celebrates her for her dedicated service to the institution, particularly as a lower-division advisor for more than 15 years, and for being a loyal colleague whose dedication to teaching and to her students served as an example to all.

Wake Forest University honors Mark A. Hall, J.D., for his contributions across his 22 years as a member of the Law School faculty and for his dedicated service to Wake Forest University. Professor Hall is a national leader in the field of healthcare law and the founding director of the Health Law and Policy Program at the Law School; the associate reporter for medical liability for the Restatement (Third) of Torts; an advocate for expanding access to healthcare and a pioneer of interdisciplinary collaboration; a thoughtful mentor to students and junior scholars; and a valued colleague whose dedication to teaching and research exemplifies the teacher-scholar model.

Wake Forest University honors Michael D. Hazen, Ph.D., for his enduring contributions across 51 years as a member of the Department of Communication and for his dedicated service to Wake Forest University. Professor Hazen began his career at Wake Forest as a graduate student, and he returned to the University in 1974 as an assistant professor after earning his doctorate from the University of Kansas. He is considered the founding Chair of the modern Department of Communication. He guided a nascent department from a small cohort of faculty to the 26-member organization that benefits students today. Over the course of his career, he embodied the teacher-scholar ideal that has come to distinguish Wake Forest.

Wake Forest University honors Joanne Inkman, Ph.D., for her generous contributions across 32 years as a member of the Music Department, where she inspired and developed expressive student pianists and musicians of all levels; for her exquisite piano collaboration with the Wake Forest choirs in countless concerts on campus and on tours throughout the United States and Europe; for her beautiful solo and chamber music recitals for the extended Winston-Salem community; for her dedication to her colleagues and in her service to the institution, especially in her role as co-director of the annual Giles-Harris Competitions; and for her sustained excellence as a teacher-musician at Wake Forest University.

Wake Forest University honors Timothy R. Janke, J.D., LL.M., MBA, for 18 years of award-winning, dedicated teaching of business law and ethics to undergraduates, Master of Science in Accountancy (MSA) and Master of Business Administration (MBA) students; for serving as associate dean for the MBA Program and a long-standing, thoughtful member and faculty advisor to the School’s Graduate Honor Council; for his 30 years of business experience with companies ranging from startups to Fortune 50 firms, including 15 years in senior management; for his work on private equity initiatives in North Carolina and as co-founder of the Inception Micro Angel Family of Funds; and for his calming presence and selfless mentorship to students, alumni and colleagues.

Wake Forest University honors Abdessadek Lachgar, Ph.D., for his contributions across his 35 years as a member of the Chemistry Department and for his dedicated service to Wake Forest University. Professor Lachgar, a leader in the field of materials chemistry, taught courses ranging from general chemistry to advanced materials courses with dedication and passion while inspiring scientists to be socially responsible. He is further celebrated for his dedicated service to the Andrew Sabin Family Center for Environment and Sustainability and for being a loyal colleague whose dedication to teaching and research exemplifies the teacher-scholar model.

Wake Forest University honors Leah P. McCoy, Ed.D., for her contributions over her 36 years as a member of the Education Department and for her dedicated service to Wake Forest University. A leader in the field of mathematics education, the long-time director of graduate education, and the director of assessment and accreditation in the Department of Education, she taught undergraduate and graduate courses in elementary and secondary mathematics education, supervised students’ clinical experiences, and oversaw graduate research, thereby inspiring generations of future educators. She is further celebrated for her dedicated service to the institution and her department and for her devotion to supporting the education of students and teachers in K-12 schools here and around the world.

Wake Forest University honors Jonathan P. Pinder, Ph.D., for 35 years of committed teaching to support undergraduate and graduate students’ learning as shown through multiple teaching awards; for authorship of numerous textbooks, book chapters, caselettes, referred journal articles and proceedings; a true passion for learning and knowledge; for his continued service to the academy through membership to the Decision Sciences Institute and the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences; for his consulting to local and national businesses; and for his care for the School of Business, Wake Forest University and the Winston-Salem community.

Wake Forest University honors Tim Pyatt for his 10 years as Dean of the Z. Smith Reynolds Library and his dedicated service to Wake Forest University. A Fellow of the Society of American Archivists, Dean Pyatt expanded the library’s instructional curriculum, established open-access publishing services and forged campus partnerships. His leadership ensured library services remained available to the campus community throughout the pandemic and led to the creation of ZSR student-employee scholarships. He also contributed to university-wide efforts, including the Slavery, Race, and Memory Project. As president of the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL) during the pandemic, he kept the membership engaged, earning ASERL’s most prestigious award.

Wake Forest University honors Dick Schneider, J.D., for his contributions across his 34 years as a member of the Law School faculty and for his dedicated service to Wake Forest University. Professor Schneider, who connected Wake Forest Law to other continents in more ways than one, built the Law School’s international program and nurtured generations of foreign students; forged relationships with the environmental community; and helped our students place the law in the context of broader currents of ideas and literature. He is also an erudite scholar whose dedication to fostering the inclusion of foreign students was transformative for the Law School, and he is known to his colleagues as a true Renaissance man whose career exemplifies the teacher-scholar model.

Wake Forest University honors Margaret Taylor, J.D., for her contributions across her 35 years as a member of the Law School faculty and for her dedicated service to Wake Forest University. Professor Taylor is a trailblazer in immigration law; a tireless advocate for raising our community’s consciousness about migrants as full human beings; a powerful voice for women at the Law School; a generous mentor to students and junior colleagues; valued by the Wake Law community for her kindness, humanity and consensus-building leadership; and for being a thoughtful colleague whose work exemplifies the teacher-scholar model.

Wake Forest University honors Olga L. Valbuena, Ph.D., for her contributions across her 30 years as a member of the English Department and for her dedicated service to Wake Forest University; for her imaginative and innovative teaching of Shakespeare and early modern literature, which inspired generations of students to listen for lyric, rhythm and beat in often unfamiliar texts; for her dedicated service to her students and colleagues, especially as longtime director of the English Honors Program; and for her commitment to rigorous and expansive thinking in the classroom and in her published work as the very best kind of teacher-scholar.

Wake Forest University honors Howard Blumstein, M.D., for 27 years of service to the University and its School of Medicine in the Department of Emergency Medicine; for his significant contributions to all missions of academic medicine to include outstanding patient care as an attending emergency physician; for impacting generations of students, residents and fellows as an educator and clinical leader; for expertise as a physician leader and advocate within hospital risk management; and for his influential leadership in emergency medicine, clinical operations and healthcare education with an outstanding record of awards, achievements and academic recognition.

Wake Forest University honors Herbert L. Bonkovsky, M.D., for 10 years of service to the University and its School of Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Gastroenterology and Hepatology; for his significant contributions to outstanding patient care in the field of metabolic liver disease; for impacting generations of students, residents and fellows as a gifted educator; for his track record of groundbreaking research, including his internationally recognized discovery of intravenous hematin therapy for acute porphyrias; for offering expertise as a successful researcher, resulting in numerous publications and presentations locally, nationally and internationally; and for his influential leadership as evidenced by an outstanding record of recognitions, awards and a long list of achievements.

Wake Forest University honors Timothy N. Harwood, M.D., for 14 years of outstanding service to the University and its School of Medicine in the Department of Anesthesiology; for significant contributions to all missions of academic anesthesiology, including outstanding patient care in perioperative medicine and quality improvement, positively influencing both anesthesia practice and surgical outcomes; for impacting students, residents and fellows as a gifted educator; for offering expertise as a successful scholar and for influential leadership, as evidenced by an outstanding record of recognition, awards and a long list of achievements.

Wake Forest University honors Gregory L. Kucera, Ph.D., for 35 years of service to the University and its School of Medicine in the Departments of Cancer Medicine and Cancer Biology; for his significant contributions to all missions of academic medicine; for impacting generations of students, residents and fellows as a gifted educator; for expertise as a successful researcher, resulting in patents, numerous publications and presentations locally, nationally and internationally; for his exceptional collaborations; and for his influential leadership as evidenced by an outstanding record of recognitions, awards and a long list of achievements.

Wake Forest University honors Brenda Latham-Sadler, M.D., for 35 years of distinguished service to the University and its School of Medicine in the Department of Family and Community Medicine; for her deep and enduring commitment to all missions of academic medicine, including the compassionate and equitable care of all patients; for her lifelong dedication to encouraging, mentoring and supporting underrepresented students, residents and faculty; for her service as assistant dean, associate dean and senior associate dean for justice, equity, diversity and inclusion; for helping to transform the medical school into a more welcoming and inclusive place for all; for her steadfast commitment to the Winston-Salem community; and for her extraordinary record of recognitions, awards and lasting achievements.

Wake Forest University honors Samuel S. Lentz, M.D., for 37 years of service to the University and its School of Medicine in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sections of Gynecologic Oncology and Urogynecology and Reproductive Pelvic Surgery; for his significant contributions to all missions of academic medicine, including outstanding patient care in the field of gynecologic cancer care, and urologic and pelvic floor disorders; for impacting generations of students, residents and fellows as a gifted educator; for offering expertise as a successful researcher, resulting in numerous publications and presentations locally, nationally and internationally; and for his outstanding record of recognitions, awards and a long list of achievements.

Wake Forest University honors Barbara J. Nicklas, Ph.D., for 24 years of service to the University and its School of Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine; for her significant contributions to the academic mission of the University as one of the most successful gerontology researchers in its history, impacting older adults in this nation and around the world through her science and teaching, resulting in numerous publications and presentations locally, nationally and internationally; for her influential leadership as evidenced by an outstanding record of recognitions, awards and a long list of achievements; and, most importantly, for her example as a colleague, mentor and friend.

Wake Forest University honors Jill Ohar, M.D., for 23 years of service to the University and its School of Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Immunologic Disease; for her significant contributions to all missions of academic medicine including outstanding patient care in the field of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine; for impacting generations of students, residents and fellows as a gifted educator; for offering expertise as a successful researcher in the field of COPD, resulting in numerous publications and presentations locally, nationally and internationally; and for her influential leadership as a national and international trailblazer in the field.

Wake Forest University honors Nancy S. Rosenthal, M.D., for eight years of dedicated service to the University and its School of Medicine as an academic faculty physician in the Department of Pathology; for her impactful leadership in the areas of faculty development, resident education and the coagulation laboratory; for her enduring commitment to excellence in diagnostic pathology and patient care; for her dedication to medical education and mentorship of students, residents and colleagues; and for her steadfast service to the institution marked by professionalism, integrity and collegial leadership.

Wake Forest University honors Neveen Said, M.D., Ph.D., for her contributions and service to the University and its School of Medicine in the Department of Cancer Biology for over 10 years; for her contributions to teaching and mentoring for learners from all levels, impacting numerous young scientists; for her contributions and scholarship in cancer research; for her willingness to contribute to the department and school whenever called upon; and for her kind and generous nature, always willing to lean in and help.

Wake Forest University honors Angela Sharkey, M.D., FAAP, for her service to the University and its School of Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics; for advancing all missions of clinical care, education, advocacy and research; for specific advances in the education mission as professor of pediatrics, senior associate dean for undergraduate medical education and special advisor to the dean, including key leadership in the Center for Education, the Charlotte regional campus, faculty/staff development and continuous quality improvement that helped secure an eight-year LCME reaccreditation; for clinical excellence in pediatrics and pediatric cardiology; and for scholarship, mentorship, and national leadership and recognition over decades of service, including selection for the 2023 Alexander S. Nadas Lectureship.

Wake Forest University honors Beverly M. Snively, Ph.D., for her 26 years of distinguished service as an academic biostatistician at Wake Forest University School of Medicine within the Department of Biostatistics and Data Science; for her substantial scholarly contributions as a collaborative scientist, including participation in over 150 peer-reviewed publications and dozens of extramurally funded grants advancing clinical and translational research across disciplines; for her broad and sustained impact as an educator and mentor to medical students, graduate students, trainees, junior faculty and staff; for her exemplary institutional service through long-standing and influential roles on key governance and advisory bodies, including the Institutional Review Board, Faculty Senate, and Women in Medicine and Science; and for her enduring commitment to the academic mission, collegiality and advancement of the field of biostatistics.