Awards & Recognition
2009 Outstanding Alumni Award Recipients
College of Arts and Sciences
Coggin College of Business
College of Education and Human Services
Brooks College of Health
College of HealthCollege of Computing, Engineering And Construction
Thomas G. Carpenter Library
College of Arts and Sciences
Jason B. Burnett
Bachelor of Business Administration, 1985
After graduating from the University of North Florida, Jason Burnett studied law in Exeter, England as a Rotary International Foundation Scholar and received his Juris Doctorate degree from Florida State University in 1988. Jason discovered his proclivity for bankruptcy law during a clerkship with the Honorable George L. Proctor, United States Bankruptcy Judge, Middle District of Florida.
Now a shareholder of Gray Robinson’s Jacksonville office, Jason Burnett’s expertise in bankruptcy and commercial litigation has earned him the respect of both his clients and his fellow attorneys. He is past president of the Jacksonville Bankruptcy Bar Association and was recognized by Florida Trend magazine in 2008 as one of the Top Bankruptcy Attorneys in the State through peer nomination. In June, Jason was appointed chair of The Florida Bar's Business Law Section Bankruptcy/UCC Committee.
While he was a student at the University of North Florida, Jason Burnett served as Student Body President. Jason’s dedication to UNF continues as an alumnus through his involvement with the College of Arts and Sciences. Since joining the College’s Pre-Law Board of Advisors in 2003, Jason has been instrumental in its scholarship program and in helping UNF students prepare for law school. In 2004, Jason was invited to serve on the College’s Dean’s Leadership Council. As its Advancement Leader, he successfully has led Council efforts to raise over $271,000 in annual undergraduate scholarship and faculty fellowship support for the Arts and Sciences.
Through his leadership and advocacy for the College of Arts and Sciences, Jason has helped to create opportunities for UNF students and faculty that would otherwise not have been possible. His dedication to the College as a whole demonstrates his strong commitment to and belief in his alma mater. Tonight we are delighted to honor him as the College of Arts and Sciences’ 2010 Outstanding Alumnus.
Coggin College of Business
Anna L. Brosche
Bachelor of Business Administration, 1993
Masters of Accountancy, 1995
Anna Brosche is one of four partners in the CPA firm of Ennis, Pellum & Associates of Jacksonville, where she has worked since 2002. Her rapid ascent up the career ladder started shortly after she graduated from UNF with a BBA in 1993 and a Masters of Accountancy in 1995.
Anna obtained a position in the Jacksonville office of Ernst & Young, where she served in the audit practice for three years. She then worked for a law firm for four years as the director of finance before joining Ennis, Pellum & Associates. Anna was named a partner in 2004 and assumed responsibility for the firm’s audit practice. She became chief operating officer of the firm in 2007, an accomplishment of which she is the proudest.
Anna’s successful career hasn’t stopped her from keeping in close contact with UNF as the president of the Coggin College Alumni Chapter. Now in her second term, Anna’s leadership has truly been a catalyst for change within the chapter. Thanks to her guidance, the Coggin Alumni Chapter remains one the most active and vibrant chapters of the UNF Alumni Association.
Additionally, Anna is a huge presence in the Coggin Career Management Center. She regularly attends events and gives her time to help to prepare students for the real world by offering resume and interview critiques and participating in the Coggin Mentoring program. Anna was also instrumental in the formation of the Coggin Women in Business Society. The Coggin College of Business is truly made better by her ongoing interest and involvement.
Anna has also been honored by the following organizations: The Spirit of Rosie Award (Pioneer) - 2009, Jacksonville Business Journal Women of Influence - 2007, and the Jacksonville Business Journal 40 Under 40 – 2006. We are honored to recognize Anna as an Outstanding Alumna of the Coggin College of Business.
College of Education and Human Services
Joni S. Shook
Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology, 1980
Joni S. Shook is known for being an enthusiastic master collaborator and teacher who has distinguished herself in the counseling field. Joni became an elementary school counselor in 1981 after receiving her master’s degree at UNF. In 1992, she was named Teacher of the Year at Chimney Lakes Elementary School. After serving as an elementary school counselor for nearly two decades, Joni worked with UNF and Duval County Public Schools (DCPS) as a Supporters of Academic Rigor (SOAR) counselor.
Within the year, Joni was chosen out of 250 school counselors to become the DCPS’s District Level Counselor. In this role, she has co-written the district’s K-12 Comprehensive Guidance Plan and has set a goal for every single public school in Duval County to have a progressive school counseling program. She implemented an elementary Career Guidance Program which resulted in the State of Florida praising Duval Schools’ program as “a leader in the state in preparing students for postsecondary education.” Through Joni’s innovative and visionary leadership, the DCPS counseling program has become a national name in the school counseling field.
Joni wrote and received the only Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program grant (SOAR grant) in Florida, besting tough competition from many large and medium-sized Florida school districts. With the SOAR grant, five current counselor education students and two recent graduates were hired as counselors in five schools. The goal of these counselors is to connect with the school’s academic mission and work to impact critical data elements such as the FCAT scores. Four of the five schools improved at least one grade level.
This talented school professional also believes in serving her community. From 1993 to 2001, she was an instructor in the Children First in Divorce program at Hope Haven Children’s Clinic and Family Center. This court ordered program is designed to help parents protect their children in divorce. She has partnered with the UNF counselor education program as an annual member of the selection team for new students, a frequent guest lecturer, advisor and champion of COEHS students to the principals in Duval County.
This is not the first time Joni has been recognized for her achievements. She was a Florida Times Union EVE Award Finalist in 2009 and received the Florida School Counselor Association Supervisor Advocacy Award in 2008. She is a sought after conference speaker and has been tapped as a national trainer for the Education Trust.
Joni is currently a member of the American School Counselor Association. She is a current member of the Florida School Counselor Association and the First Coast Counseling Association and has served in leadership roles with both organizations. We are honored to recognize Joni as an Outstanding Alumna of the College of Education and Human Services.
Brooks College of Health
Donna T. Jones
Master of Science in Health, 1996
A licensed dietitian and nutritionist in Jacksonville, Donna T. Jones received her undergraduate degree from the University of Florida and earned her Master of Science in Health from the Brooks College of Health (BCH) at the University of North Florida. She serves as a member of the Dietetics and Nutrition Licensure Council for Florida and is president of one of the only private nutrition practices in Northeast Florida. Donna works with all of the BCH dietetics and nutrition graduate interns for long-term care and private practice rotations. She also serves on the BCH Department of Nutrition and Dietetics Advisory Council, and is a past president of the Jacksonville Dietetic Association, an organization of registered dietitians, dietetic technicians, and dietetic students, whose mission is to provide expert nutrition education and support to the community.
Ms. Jones has received numerous awards including Emerging Leader Jacksonville Dietetic Association 2003, Emerging Leader Florida Dietetic Association 2004, and she was chosen for Who's Who in Executives and Professionals in 2002. She has also received a Letter of Commendation from the U.S. Navy. Among her passions is her work and efforts to mentor future registered dietitians. Her view of health care is reflected in her favorite quote from Thomas Edison, who said, “The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human body, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.” We are pleased to honor Ms. Jones as an Outstanding Alumna for the Brooks College of Health.
College of Computing, Engineering and Construction
Earl N. Shimp
Bachelor of Technology, 1981
Earl Shimp knew when he was a youngster that he wanted to build things. His family had been in construction for generations and he remembers going to job sites as a young teenager. Beginning in 1972, Earl worked as an estimator, a purchasing agent and a project manager for a large general contractor. He wanted to do more and decided to pursue his Bachelor’s Degree in Technology. Earl says that his “UNF education laid the foundation for me” and provided the skills needed for him to grow professionally.
Today, Earl serves as the Senior Vice President of Operations for Gate Construction Materials Group. He oversees the operation of six architectural and pre-stressed plants throughout the southeastern United States. When Jacksonville residents cross the Buckman Bridge or walk into the Times-Union Center, they are experiencing part of Earl’s legacy.
Earls says he is proud to play a continuing role at UNF as an alumnus. He is a member of the College of Computing, Engineering and Construction Dean’s Leadership Council and has helped with UNF’s entry into the Big Beam Contest, a competition sponsored by the Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) Student Education Committee. UNF was the first college in Florida to enter the competition which features student teams fabricating and testing a precast, prestressed concrete beam. Earl also assisted with an investment of $125,000 over five years through a PCI Foundation grant to support research and special work with concrete at UNF.
In addition to his involvement with UNF, Earl also serves as a current member and is a past board president of the First Coast Manufacturers Association as well as the Florida Prestressed Concrete Association. Other organizations include the Episcopal Children’s Services and The Church of the Messiah. Earl’s free time is spent hunting wild turkeys and he even served as the past president of the North Florida Chapter of the Wild Turkey Federation. Earl and his wife, Cathie, have a daughter named Brooke. We are honored to recognize Earl as an Outstanding Alumnus of the College of Computing, Engineering and Construction.
Thomas G. Carpenter Library
Jennifer E. Jones
Bachelor of Arts, 1999
Jennifer E. (Leonard) Jones is president of the R. Roberts Gallery, an important purveyor of fine art and quality framing in historic Avondale for over twenty years. Jen became the owner in 2008 and has put her special touch on the gallery, reinventing it and herself in the process.
Jennifer credits Dr. Debra Murphy-Livingston as her inspiration to create a career in the arts in Jacksonville. She began working at the gallery in 1999 and became its director two years later. Fulfilling a dream, she purchased the gallery from Richard Roberts in March of 2008. Although facing challenges of the current economy, Jen sees herself as a determined business owner whose gallery will not be the 22nd in Northeast Florida to close in a year. The gallery is not only surviving, it is making a difference in the art community and in the lives of many. Jen’s mantra of focusing on relationships with customers will help her business weather the recession.
Jen has used her UNF education to help launch and develop her career, her passion for art to educate and inspire others, and her business and personal skills to help her community. She has played a leadership role in her Avondale neighborhood, helping to secure a $1 million Town Center Rebuilding Grant. She has sponsored fundraisers for organizations such as United Way and has raised over $250,000 to benefit ten Jacksonville non-profits by donations made through art sales.
As an active member of the Library Dean’s Leadership Council, Jen has made important contributions to UNF’s library. When international artist Peter Max had a show at her gallery last year, she sponsored a special evening for friends of UNF at which a portion of the sale of art benefitted the library. Jen also volunteered to support and promote the Art in the Library Project, an initiative that has brought wonderful art to the Library walls. If you meet Jen, you will be inspired by her energy and passion—not only for art and her work, but also for the people around her. As a mother of three, she has built a successful business, contributed to the community, and given back to UNF. The Thomas G. Carpenter Library is pleased to honor Jennifer Jones as an Outstanding Alumna.
