Alumni Advisory Council

Ann Tiao, Ph.D., Chair, is a Manhattan native who graduated from K-State in 1991 with a B.A. in Statistics. She is currently the Assistant Dean for Student Services in the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn GSE), where she has taught for two decades. As the leading advocate for student success, she works to promote student academic success, engagement and wellness, and to build systems to ensure longterm student support. As a Senior Fellow in the Higher Education Division at Penn GSE, Tiao has taught seven different classes typically aimed at the scholarly-practitioner. She has guided dozens of students through independent study courses and she chairs doctoral dissertation committees.

Tiao has worked in numerous fields, including technology, engineering, statistics, and higher education, typically focusing on building new teams, programs, or systems using data driven research to foster continuing improvement. In addition to her degree from K-State, she has an M.S. in Statistics from Texas A&M University and a Ph.D. in Higher Education from the University of Pennsylvania. She has received multiple awards for mentoring and service. She serves on the executive committee of the James Brister Society at Penn and the Board of Directors of the Philadelphia Boys & Girls Choir.

Susan E. Williams, MD, Past-Chair, has a music education degree from K-State. Now a staff physician in the Cleveland Clinic's Department of Endocrinology, she is a nationally recognized expert in the diagnosis and treatment of metabolic-related complications and one of four metabolic bone disease experts practicing in the Cleveland Clinic Endocrine Calcium Clinic. Williams earned her master’s degree in food science and nutrition from the University of Rhode Island and then accepted an Air Force direct commission where she completed her dietetic internship and distinguished herself as a practicing clinician. In 2003, she earned her medical degree from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. While completing residency and fellowship, she began investigating the unique metabolic complications related to bariatric (weight-loss) surgery. Her work led to her coining the phrase “bariatric osteomalacia,” characterizing reversible bone loss common in this population. She co-authored a book on osteoporosis, published in 2013, a well-recognized reference text published in several languages. Williams holds faculty appointments at two medical schools and serves on the board of directors of the American Board of Obesity Medicine.

Trent Armbrust - bio coming soon

Scott Ast graduated from K-State in 1990 with a B.A. in History. For most of his undergraduate career, he anticipated pursuing a graduate degree in history but decided otherwise late in his senior year. After a brief career in sales, Scott went to law school and graduated from Washburn University School of Law in December of 1994.

For just over a decade, Scott practiced in both small and large firms before co-founding Scharnhorst Ast Kennard Griffin, PC, in February of 2006. SAKG is a civil litigation boutique handling a variety of matters for individuals and corporations. Scott is a trial lawyer and a business owner. His proudest professional accomplishment is starting and growing SAKG, which has been selected multiple times as one of Kansas City's Best Places to Work.

Stacy Balzer - bio coming soon

Marilyn Peine Beckmon, Pharm. D., graduated from K-State in 2003 with a B.A. in Life Sciences and minor in Spanish. She worked for Advent Health in Shawnee Mission, Kansas, for several years before returning to school and earning her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2013. She works for United Health Group in home delivery pharmacy and also assists University of Kansas and UMKC pharmacy students in their final year on clinical rotations.

Matt Casey graduated from K-State in 2008 with a degree in economics and a minor in business. He served as an intern for Senator Pat Roberts in Washington, D.C., in 2007, and as a field director for Roberts' 2008 U.S. Senate campaign. After that, Casey worked as a lobbyist for six years in the Kansas Statehouse for the firm Gaches, Braden, and Associates. After that, he served as director of government relations for the Kansas Board of Regents since December 2014. In summer 2023, he became K-State's executive director of government relations. He and his wife Ella live in Wamego with their son Benjamin.

Heather Hall - bio coming soon

Lee Handke - bio coming soon

Rich Jankovich, graduated from K-State in 1979 with a degree in Physical Education and a minor in Business. He later received his MBA from the University of Central Missouri—then Central Missouri State University—where he was also an Assistant Basketball Coach for the 1984 Men’s NCAA Division II National Champions. He currently is the Special Accounts Manager for Purple Wave, Inc.

Jankovich is a former Manhattan City Commissioner and has served on the Riley County Police Department Law Board, City Audit Committee, and Flint Hills Regional Council as Vice President. He also co-chaired the Wildcat Creek Working Group. Jankovich is a Distinguished Trooper of the First Infantry Division and Fort Riley and he serves on the Manhattan High School Business Department Advisory Board, the Manhattan Konza Rotary Club, the Via Christi (Mercy) Regional Foundation Board, and the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce Military Relations Committee.

His wife, Caroline, is a retired Child Development Specialist for Early Head Start. They have three children and one granddaughter.

Summer Lewis launched her career in international development as a K-State undergraduate in Spanish, Sociology and Women’s Studies, thanks to a Rotary volunteer service grant to Guatemala. She went on to work in peacebuilding, economic and community development, and gender equity initiatives internationally. She became a Rotary Peace Fellow and received a Master's in International Studies: Peace and Conflict Resolution at the University of Queensland, Australia, in 2012. Summer currently manages the Rotary Foundation’s strategic partnership with the Institute for Economics and Peace. She also translates practitioner experience into the academic setting, teaching two online courses for K-State Global: “International Development” (Master of Community Development Program) and “Women and Globalization” (Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies Undergraduate Program). Summer was awarded the K-State College of Arts and Sciences Eisenhower Circle Young Alumni Award in 2017.

Originally from Manhattan, Kansas, she has spent more than half her life abroad—working, living, and traveling across 38 countries and 6 continents. She currently resides in Mexico.

Frank Meacham has served as a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Wichita, Kan., since 2000. In that role, he has received designation as an Accredited Asset Management Specialist through the College for Financial Planning. A lifelong native of Newton, Kan., Meacham graduated from K-State in 1978 with a B.S. in Corrective Administration. He serves on the board of directors of the Capital Campaign for Safehope, a domestic violence and sexual assault task force serving Harvey, Marion and McPherson counties, and on the Board of the Church Council for Trinity Heights United Methodist Church. Frank and his wife, Sue, have one daughter and two granddaughters.

Diane Patrick earned her B.A. in Political Science from K-State in 1970. She received her M.A. in Comparative Politics at the University of Missouri, Columbia, in 1972. Patrick's career focused on public service and philanthropy. The highlight of her 23-year government service was leading the FUTURES Program in Kansas City. The innovative, community-based public-private partnership for welfare reform was recognized by President Bill Clinton. Patrick worked with national community development intermediaries for 15 years to strengthen neighborhood revitalization results. She developed and administered innovative capacity building and planning programs for local nonprofits.

Diane is a Kansas City native and graduate of Shawnee Mission East High School. She serves on KSU Foundation’s Board of Trustees and volunteers in Kansas City to support urban core youth development and environmental stewardship. She was married for 45 years to Bob Patrick, a K-State history graduate and senior attorney with the U.S. EPA, until his death in 2015.

Akara Regimand graduated from K-State in 2017 with a B.S. in Communication Studies. While at K-State, she served as the Alumni Chair for the College of Arts and Sciences Ambassadors and worked with the Alumni Advisory Council on a system to connect students with alumni. She was involved in various on-campus activities, worked in the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, and participated in undergraduate research.

Akara works for SES, Inc., as a consultant and human resources generalist, managing employee relations and benefits. She is also a project manager on organic food regulation and technical writing.

Amy Button Renz - bio coming soon

Mike Sharpe - bio coming soon

Ryan Spohn was born and raised on a farm in central Kansas. He got his bachelor's degree in criminology from K-State in 1996. He went on to get a master's from Texas A&M and a Ph.D. from the University of Iowa, both in criminology. In 2003, he returned to K-State as a criminology professor until 2010, when he moved into a career in research. He has been working in the Nebraska justice system since then.

Tanna Thompson - bio coming soon

Sarah Young - bio coming soon