2026 CU Anschutz Faculty Award Winners

At CU Anschutz, our faculty are among our greatest assets. Each year, we honor some of our remarkable faculty members with awards recognizing superior accomplishments in teaching and leadership.

Our faculty awards are especially meaningful – not only because they acknowledge outstanding performance in our core mission areas, but also because they represent recognition by colleagues and students of exemplary work and lasting impact.

Joseph Addison Sewall Award

Awarded for exceptional contributions of leadership and vision to CU Anschutz

• C. Neill Epperson, MD, DFAPA

• Shanta M. Zimmer, MD

Laura Borgelt, PharmD, MBA, Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs, Provost and Chief Academic Officer; Neill Epperson, MD, DFAPA; and Chancellor Don Elliman

Laura Borgelt, PharmD, MBA, Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs, Provost and Chief Academic Officer; Shanta Zimmer, MD; and Chancellor Don Elliman

Florence Rena Sabin Award 

Awarded for exceptional contributions to CU Anschutz and the health of the citizens of Colorado

• Christian Thurstone, MD, MS

Laura Borgelt, PharmD, MBA, Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs, Provost and Chief Academic Officer; Christian Thurstone, MD, MS; and Chancellor Don Elliman

2026 Faculty Award Winners

Chancellor’s Teaching Recognition Award

Selected by graduating students in each school or college

• Jennifer A. Disabato, DNP, CPNP PC, AC – CU Anschutz College of Nursing

• Meghan Jeffres, PharmD – CU Anschutz Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

• Alex Kaizer, PhD – Colorado School of Public Health

• Melanie Lambert, PT, DPT, DHSc, OCS – Physical Therapy Program

• Rizwan Nazarali, MD – Anesthesiologist Assistant Program

• Chad G. Pearson, PhD – CU Anschutz Graduate School

• Matthew Rustici, MD – CU Anschutz School of Medicine

• Petros Yoon, DDS – CU Anschutz School of Dental Medicine

Photo at top: from left, Alex Kaizer, PhD; Chad Pearson, PhD; Matthew Rustici, MD; Chancellor Don Elliman; Jennifer Disabato, DNP, CPNP PC, AC; Meghan Jeffres, PharmD; and Petros Yoon, DDS.

President’s Excellence in Teaching Award

Nominated by students and selected by a committee of students, faculty and administrators

• Jaime L. Daly, MD – Anesthesiologist Assistant Program

• Richard C. Lindrooth, PhD – Colorado School of Public Health

• Patrick Luna, MSN, RN, CEN – CU Anschutz College of Nursing

• Dan Malone, PT, PhD, CCS – Physical Therapy Program

• Brian Murray, PharmD – CU Anschutz Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

• Scott Saunders, MD – CU Anschutz School of Medicine

• Shayna Sengewalt, DDS – CU Anschutz School of Dental Medicine

from left: Patrick Luna, MSN, RN, CEN; Shayna Sengewalt, DDS; CU President Todd Saliman; Richard Lindrooth, PhD; and Scott Saunders, MD

Faculty award recipients were recognized at the Spring Commencement Ceremony on May 18, with awards for the Physical Therapy and Anesthesiologist Assistant Programs to be conferred at the Fall 2026 Commencement Ceremony.

Congratulations to our 2026 faculty honorees!