2017 Rising Star Awardees

In 2016, the NORDP Board of Directors established the Rising Star Award to recognize up to three members annually who have made outstanding volunteer contributions to NORDP. Awardees are announced at the NORDP annual conference, presented with an etched glass plaque, and receive free registration for the following year’s annual conference.

The 2017 Rising Star awardees are Madhavi Chokshi, Mary J. Fechner, and Michael Thompson.

2017 Rising Star awardees Madhavi Chokshi, Mary J. Fechner, and Michael Thompson

L-to-R: Madhavi Chokshi, Michael Thompson, Mary J. Fechner

MADHAVI (MADDY) CHOKSHI, UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA

A NORDP member since 2014, Maddy attended her first annual conference in 2016. She served on the conference planning committee and led the “local activities” sub-committee, coordinating networking dinners and morning walk/runs. She subsequently served on the “Strategic Alliances External Engagement” committee, and is actively engaged in NORDP Region III.

MARY J. FECHNER, UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AT AMHERST

Active in both NORDP and NORDP NE, Mary combines her anthropology Ph.D. training with RD experience to bring a nuanced understanding to her service on NORDP’s annual conference evaluation committee. She is co-investigator on a collaborative project with University of Massachusetts, University of Tennessee, and Hanover Research peers to study development of the RD field through analysis of RD job postings and focus group input.

MICHAEL THOMPSON, UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

Michael has generously shared his knowledge and expertise with regional and national colleagues since becoming an RD professional in 2013. He recruited an NSF GRFP program director to co-present with him at NORDP’s 2015 annual conference. He serves on NORDP’s communications working group, and served on the 2016 and 2017 conference marketing committees. He started the @NORDP_official Twitter account and has been tweeting ever since.