Valley residents, researchers recognized for public service

The Public Service Awards at James Madison University, hosted by JMU’s Master of Public Administration program and co-sponsored by the Madison Center for Community Development and JMU’s Office of Economic and Community Development, have announced their 2026 honorees. 

Honorees are nominated by their peers and will be recognized at the annual Public Service Reception at JMU on Wednesday. 

The awards recognize four Shenandoah Valley residents and JMU alums for exemplary professional public service. They also honor a JMU researcher whose work advances evidence-based practice and generates positive community impact. 

Since 2009, the Public Service Awards at JMU have recognized 50 examples of outstanding public service across the Shenandoah Valley and throughout the commonwealth as part of National Public Service Recognition Week. The 2026 honorees are:  

Career Achievement in Public Service Award   

Stephen G. King, retired county administrator, Rockingham County   

King is recognized for a career focused on ensuring rural and urban residents in Rockingham County received equal access to utilities, services, safety and well-being, regardless of location, while serving as a careful steward of taxpayer dollars.   

Excellence in Public Service Professional Award   

Olivia Hilton (MPA ’23), town manager, Town of Mount Jackson   

Hilton is honored for her innovative approach to town management in the Shenandoah Valley, securing grant funding for a range of community improvements, from enhancing walkability in Mount Jackson to establishing The Nest, an entrepreneurial incubator.   

John B. Noftsinger Alumni Award for Public Service Excellence   

Derek Steele (BS ’84), AVID district director, Fairfax County Public Schools   

Steele demonstrates entrepreneurial public service leadership by guiding Fairfax County Public Schools’ Advancement Via Individual Determination program to national prominence while collaborating with JMU to create pathways to success for first-generation college students from diverse backgrounds.   

Public Service Student Leadership Award   

Kieran Fensterwald (B.A., political science, ’26), Madison Center for Civic Engagement   

Through his work as a Democracy Fellow, Fensterwald plays a central role in implementing and improving Better Conversations Together, JMU’s premier first-year student deliberative forum program aimed at building communication skills essential for a healthy democracy.   

Madison Excellence in Community-Based Research Award  

Julianne Secrist, academic director, Claude Moore Precious Time; assistant professor, JMU School of Nursing   

Secrist’s work connects evidence-based practice to child well-being through Claude Moore Precious Time, a pediatric respite care program that provides families of children with disabilities or special health care needs opportunities for relief from caregiving demands.   

For awards program information, contact Rob Alexander at alexanrw@jmu.edu.   

Award descriptions  

Career Achievement in Public Service  

This award recognizes an individual with more than 20 years of service in government or a nonprofit organization who has advanced the public interest by engaging the community, strengthening social equity, demonstrating integrity, promoting ethical standards, and advancing professional excellence in the Shenandoah Valley. The recipient may be retired or currently employed.   

Excellence in Public Service  

This award recognizes an outstanding public service project or program conducted by an employee of a government or nonprofit organization in the Shenandoah Valley. The work demonstrates high public impact, advances social equity, applies professional expertise, and reflects a strong public service ethic.   

John B. Noftsinger Alumni Award for Public Service Excellence  

This award honors a JMU alumnus employed in public service who embodies servant leadership, cross-sector collaboration, entrepreneurship, and forward-thinking while mentoring and supporting others in pursuit of public service excellence.   

Public Service Student Leadership Award  

This award recognizes an undergraduate or graduate student in the Shenandoah Valley who demonstrates commitment to the public interest, advances the public good by creating opportunities for civic participation, and develops public service leadership capacity among peers.   

Madison Excellence in Community-Based Research Award  

This award honors JMU faculty or researchers who engage in high-quality applied research addressing local challenges. Awardees demonstrate strong stakeholder engagement, collaborative partnerships, and a commitment to evidence-based programs, policies, or practices that meaningfully benefit the community.