Southern Tier Region Awards
Donna L. Dunaway Medal
Jim Hinerman
Jim is no stranger to the educational community having been an active member in Kentucky as their state president, active member and participant at Kentucky AHPERD, Southern Tier NAHPL, and the National Academy of HPL where he has served on various committees, and councils since its inception. Jim has been active in numerous community endeavors to promote physical activity for residents of all ages. His love of baseball afforded him head coaching experience, service as athletic director, and Part Owner and President of “The Ball Diamond” making baseball skills available to all players of all ages. He has been instrumental in starting baseball teams, leagues and camps to help young- sters improve their skills in baseball. Jim’s honors are numerous having received the 2021 SHAPE Southern District Honor Award, Kentucky’s highest award, the Walter Mustaine Award for service to the profession in 2015, Kentucky College Physical Educator of the Year 2007, and Kentucky Intercollegiate Conference Baseball Coach of the Year, 1996. In addition, Jim is a charter mem- ber of the National Academy of Health and Physical Literacy. Jim is described as someone you can rely on to get things done, to lead by example, and to always do so in an honest and respectful way. He contin- ues to support our Future Professionals by volunteering his services to the LDC year after year.
Honor Award
Ginger Aaron-Brush
Ginger has been an active member of Alabama, Southern District/Tier for over twenty years. Her contributions to ASAHPERD and the state of Alabama include Social Media Manager, HEAL Social Media Manager and the Alabama Learning Exchange Classroom Resource Team. Her contribution to NAHPL Southern Tier has had a profound impact on its success and global image. She is producer of the Successful Podcast “Scaling the Summit” and webinar producer of “Voices of the Academy”. Ginger has been recognized by her school system, Alabama Region 3 and ASAHPERD teacher of the year. She has received the ASAHPERD Honor Award for her unwavering dedication to its mission and goals. In her nomination credentials she is described as “going above and beyond to support others and a willingness to teach us how to communicate better and use technology to support the advancement of health and physical literacy.”Outstanding Young Professional Award
Chrissy Dilliard
Chrissy has demonstrated her leadership skills in both the classroom and field settings. Chrissy leads with a servant’s heart. She supports her classmates and volunteers at local school events as well as in the community by teaching dance at a community gym. Chrissy is an active member of both ASAHPERD and NAHPL Southern Tier, attending the 2024 ASAHPERD Fall and 2025 Spring Conference. Chrissy represented Alabama at the 2024 Southern Tier Student Leadership Development Conference and presented two sessions at the 2025 Alabama Fall Conference. Chrissy is an exemplary role model in leadership, scholarship and service. The NAHPL Southern Tier is proud to present to Chrissy Dillard the 2026 Outstanding Future Professional Award.
Andrew H. Lewis Diversity Advancement Award
Tarin Hampton
Tarin Hampton has served the health, physical education and dance communities for nearly 50 years, locally, statewide, southern region, nationally and internationally. Throughout her teaching career, she taught and encouraged students from numerous diverse backgrounds on all academic levels, having enjoyed the variety of students she was privileged to teach. In 2002 she created a community program for aquatics and First Adid/CPR-First Responder, which included Lifeguard Training certification for Spelman Students, and she also collaborated with the Atlanta Jewish School for Girls and the Marcus Jewish Community Center. Tarin was a two-time Fullbright-Hays Award participant which took her to Morocco for 6 weeks in 2000 and to Ghana in 2008 which resulted in her invitation to serve on a two-and-a-half-year sabbatical appointment at the Universi- ty of Cape Coast. Tarin has taught, researched and created programs in Cape Coast, Ghana that address dance for deaf students, HIV/AIDS and was a featured presenter/performer at the Annual Festival that celebrates the Gullah-Geechee population of Sapelo Island, Georgia.Scholar Award
Larrell Wilkinson
Larrell has an undergraduate degree in Biology, a master’s degree in Public Health Promotion & Education and a PhD in Health Services, Policy & Management. He is currently a Professor of Community Health & Human Services at UAB School of Educa- tion & Human Sciences. Larrell was selected in 2023 to be the Keynote Speaker at the Southern Tier Summit Health general session. He has 30 peer-reviewed publications, one published book chapter and one international keynote presentation. In addition, Larrell has been an invited speaker at 64 international/national, 36 regional/state and 33 invited presentations or lectures. His primary research interest focuses on the reduc- tion or elimination of health disparities through community engaged research. The work includes gaining a better understanding of the individual, contextual and behavioral factors associated with disease or disease risk and the design and implementation of interventions to address these factors.