Each year, the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy (COSSPP) presents its Distinguished Alumni Awards to accomplished individuals to recognize their professional achievements, contributions to society, and support of the college and university.
We are pleased to announce our newest Distinguished Alumni: Jeralynn (Lynne) S. Cossman, Ph.D., Larry Hogan, and Gene Moran, Ph.D. They will be honored at the college’s Distinguished Alumni Gala in Spring 2027.
The 2026-2027 honorees join COSSPP’s 58 Distinguished Alumni who have received this honor in previous years. The college began recognizing Distinguished Alumni with this award in 1992, first honoring David Coburn (B.S. Political Science ’73, M.S. Urban and Regional Planning, & J.D. ’77).
“This year’s honorees show the remarkable range of what COSSPP alumni accomplish. Through leadership in higher education, public service, and government affairs, they have strengthened institutions, served their communities, and put their Florida State education to work. We are proud to recognize their achievements and welcome them as COSSPP Distinguished Alumni.” — COSSPP Dean Tim Chapin
Jeralynn (Lynne) S. Cossman, Ph.D.
B.S. Sociology and Women’s Studies ’90, M.S. Sociology ’92, Ph.D. Sociology and Demography ’96
Jeralynn (Lynne) S. Cossman, Ph.D., is Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs at the University of Massachusetts Lowell (UMass Lowell), a role she has held since August 2026.
Previously, Dr. Cossman was Professor of Sociology and Demography, the Mark G. Yudof Dean’s Endowed Professor, and Inaugural Dean of the College for Health, Community and Policy at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio), where she served from 2020 to 2026. There, she led the transformation of a collection of legacy departments into an R1-aligned college with shared governance, a coherent academic strategy, and a growing national research footprint. Prior to that, she was Professor and Chair of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at West Virginia University (WVU) from 2014 to 2020, and was at Mississippi State University (MSU) from 2001 to 2014, where she served as Professor and Department Head of Sociology and as a Research Fellow at the Social Science Research Center.
While at the University of Texas at San Antonio, Dr. Cossman served on several civic and nonprofit boards, including as Chair of the City of San Antonio Mayor’s Fitness Council, an executive board member for the Center for Health Empowerment in South Texas, and a board member for the San Antonio Council for International Visitors. In 2025, she received the Janet P. Realini Trailblazer Award from Healthy Futures of Texas.
Dr. Cossman’s research and teaching interests center on medical sociology, demography, and health services, with current work examining spatial disparities in mortality and morbidity. She has led research funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Mississippi’s Division of Medicaid. Her work has been published in journals including the American Journal of Public Health, Social Problems, Health & Place, and Population Research and Policy Review.
“Receiving this award is especially meaningful because Florida State was more than the place where I earned three academic degrees; it was where I became the person and leader I am today. I arrived at 17 and left 11 years later with a profound appreciation for the transformative power of education and the mentors who invested in me. Their example continues to inspire my commitment to creating opportunities for the next generation.” — Jeralynn (Lynne) S. Cossman, Ph.D.
The Honorable Larry Hogan
B.S. Political Science ’78
Larry Hogan is one of America’s most respected bipartisan leaders and a proud graduate of Florida State University.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from FSU in 1978, where his interest in government, public service, and problem-solving helped shape a career defined by leadership in both the private sector and public life.
He is a dynamic leader with a successful record of leadership in the private sector and public service. As a two-term Governor of Maryland, he set a national example on bipartisan governance, economic reform, and crisis management.
In 2014, he won the biggest upset victory in America and became only the second Republican governor elected in Maryland in 50 years. Once in office, Hogan accomplished what many believed was no longer possible: bipartisan, common-sense solutions and results.
After years of economic success and bipartisan progress in one of the bluest states in America, Hogan was overwhelmingly re-elected in 2018, making him only the second Republican to do so in the entire history of the state. In 2020, he was elected unanimously by his colleagues as the Chairman of the National Governors Association, where he launched a chair’s initiative on infrastructure and led America’s governors through the global pandemic.
Hogan finished his second term in 2023 and left office with the highest approval rating of any governor in America. His tenure as governor offers a case study in successful leadership in the areas of economic development, fiscal management, and crisis response. Hogan is adept at strategic communications, fostering collaboration, leading complex policy initiatives, team building, and managing large-scale operations.
“This is a tremendous honor. Florida State helped set me on the path to a life of public service, and I will always be grateful for the education, the encouragement, and the Seminole spirit that shaped me. In public life, I have always believed that the best results come when we put people ahead of politics and common sense ahead of division. That is a lesson I carried with me from Tallahassee to Annapolis, and it is one I am proud to celebrate with the Florida State family. Go Noles!” — Larry Hogan
Gene Moran, Ph.D.
B.S. Political Science ’84
Gene Moran, Ph.D., is President and Founder of Capitol Integration, a strategic advisory firm he launched in 2013 to help technology and defense companies align business strategy with the realities of how Congress, the executive branch, and the national security community make funding and policy decisions. His clients range from early-stage technology firms entering the federal market to established defense primes managing multi-year procurement and appropriations cycles. Bloomberg Government has named him a top-performing defense lobbyist six times, and he has also been recognized as a Top Lobbyist by the National Institute for Lobbying & Ethics.
Before founding Capitol Integration, Moran served as Senior Vice President at Leonardo DRS. That role followed a 25-year career in the United States Navy, from which he retired as a Captain. His Navy service included multiple commands at sea, senior legislative affairs leadership with the U.S. Congress, and national security assignments. That experience continues to shape how he advises clients on how government decisions actually get made, long before a deal ever reaches a vote.
Moran earned his B.S. in Political Science from Florida State in 1984, an M.S. in Financial Management from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1987, and both a Master of Philosophy (2021) and Ph.D. (2022) in Public Policy from Walden University. He now serves as an Adjunct Professor at FSU, teaching federal budgeting and lobbying, and is the author of seven books, including Government Deals are Funded, Not Sold and Pitching the Big Top. His most recent is The Fourth Ring: Navigating the New Circus of Federal Power.
Moran and his wife Julie (FSU ’83) are the parents of four daughters, all of whom graduated from FSU.
“This recognition means a great deal to me. My years at Florida State gave me a foundation and sparked an interest in government that I still rely on when advising clients in Washington. I hope my coming back to teach public policy and share practical experience inspires that same interest in future graduates of FSU.” — Gene Moran, Ph.D.
Previous Honorees
2025: Jennifer Green (B.S. Political Science ’94), President, CEO, and sole owner of Liberty Partners of Tallahassee, LLC, a government relations and lobbying firm she founded in 2007 with former U.S. Senator Connie Mack; she has nearly 30 years of experience in political, lobbying, and grassroots work in Florida and previously served as Deputy Executive Director and Lead Lobbyist for the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants; Jeff Kottkamp (B.S. Political Science ’84), Florida’s 17th Lieutenant Governor (2007–2011) and incoming CEO and President of Florida TaxWatch; he previously served in the Florida House of Representatives and founded Jeff Kottkamp, P.A., a firm specializing in constitutional law and governmental affairs; Bobby Pittman Jr. (B.S. Economics ’97), Founding Partner of Kupanda Capital, a platform that builds and scales companies driving global impact, including Mavin Global, the Afrobeats music company acquired by Universal Music Group in 2024; he previously held senior roles at the CIA, the National Security Council, the Department of the Treasury, and the White House; and Carissa Schively Slotterback, Ph.D. (Ph.D. Urban and Regional Planning ’04), Dean of the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Public and International Affairs, where she has led strategic planning, curriculum redesign, and diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts since 2020; she previously served in faculty and leadership roles at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs.
2024: John E. Dailey (B.S. Political Science ’96 & Master of Public Administration ’99), serves as Tallahassee’s mayor and has dedicated his professional life to building strong and vibrant communities through public service. Throughout his career, he has served in the Florida League of Cities, the Leon County Commission, and is a proud graduate of both Leadership Tallahassee and Leadership Florida. He also founded JDA Strategies in 2005, a research and development consulting firm focused on local governance. John received his bachelor’s degree in political science from FSU and a Master of Public Administration from the London School of Economics; Renisha Gibbs (B.S. Sociology ’99), serves as both the associate vice president for human resources and the finance and administration chief of staff at Florida State University. She has worked at FSU for 21 years and held several positions before her current one, including assistant director of employee and labor relations and director of equal opportunity and diversity. Gibbs received her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Florida State and is actively involved in her community through her work with Tallahassee Urban League, Pace Center for Girls-Leon and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; Vincent S. Long (B.S. Criminology ’93 & Master of Public Administration ’96), serves as the county administrator of Leon County. In his 30-year career, he served as a past president of the Florida Association of County Managers and currently sits on the Board ofDirectors of the Florida Local Government Investment Trust and the Advisory Board for the Askew School. As an expert source on local government issues, Long has been featured on national news outlets. He received a Master of Public Administration from Florida State’s Reubin O’D. Askew School of Public Administration and Policy ; Kathy J. Mears (B.S. Social Science ’03 & Master of Public Administration ’11), serves as the assistant commissioner of agriculture for the State of Florida and has over 25 years of experience in state government. As the highest-ranked staff member for the Commissioner of Agriculture, her department oversees 20 divisions and offices and has a budget of over $2 billion. She is heavily involved in her community, as she is a board member for the Capital Health Plan and a member of the FSU Health/TMH Transition Committee. Mears is a two-degree graduate of Florida State, with a bachelor’s degree in social science and then a Master of Public Administration.
2023: Mark P Barnebey, J.D. (B.S. Finance ’78; M.S. Urban and Regional Planning ’83; J.D. FSU College of Law ’83), a benefactor of Florida State University’s state-of-the-art Mark & Marianne Barnebey Planning & Development Lab, which with their support has become a nationally recognized resource connecting our students and faculty with public and private partners to provide capacity and innovative planning for the sustainable growth and long-term viability of Florida communities; Doby L. Flowers (B.S. Social Work ’71; M.S. Urban & Regional Planning ’73), Florida State’s first black Homecoming Queen and a co-founder of Florida State’s Civil Rights Institute; Fred H. Flowers, J.D. (B.A. Philosophy ’69; M.S. Urban & Regional Planning ’73), the first African American athlete to wear an FSU uniform and a founding member of the first African American Greek-letter organization on campus, the Chi Theta Chapter of Omega Psi Phi fraternity; Thomas M. Henderson (B.S. Political Science ’74), a previous journalist for several Florida newspapers and United Press International and for the Florida House of Representatives and Senate.
2022: Cecelia Bonifay, J.D. (B.A. ‘71 Political Science, M.S.P. ‘73 Urban and Regional Planning, J.D. ’84 FSU College of Law), chair of Akerman’s Land Use and Development Practice, helps developers navigate the governmental approval process for their real estate projects; Daniel M. Gropper, Ph.D. (M.S. ’85 & Ph.D. ’89, Economics) has served as Dean of the College of Business at Florida Atlantic University since July 2013; Jimmy Patronis (B.A. ‘96 Political Science) serves as the State of Florida’s Chief Financial Officer, State Fire Marshal, and a member of the Florida Cabinet; Nigel Parkinson, Sr. (M.S.P.A. ’75, Public Administration and Management) is President and CEO of Parkinson Construction Company, the oldest and largest African American owned, self-preforming construction company in the Washington metropolitan area.
2021: Dan Berger (B.S. ’89 Economics), president and CEO of the National Association of Federally Insured Credit Unions; Rosemary Magee, Ph.D. (B.A. ’73 Sociology), an accomplished higher education professional who has served in a variety of capacities at Emory University, including as faculty, dean, director and vice-president; Mel Martinez (B.A. ’69 International Affairs), Chairman of the Southeast U.S. and Latin America for JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Former Senator and United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; Karen Rasler, Ph.D. (M.S. ’77, Ph.D. ’81 Political Science), a dedicated academician with decades of research and teaching at major universities throughout the U.S.
2020: Jeff Butler (B.S. ’95 Interdisciplinary Social Science), entrepreneur and senior executive in the healthcare and technology industries; Jorge Gonzalez (B.S. ’87 Political Science, M.S.P. ’89 Urban and Regional Planning), real estate professional and CEO of St. Joe Company; Robert Hummer (M.S. ’90, Ph.D. ’93 Sociology), distinguished professor of sociology at UNC and acclaimed scholar of population health and mortality patterns and trends; Angela Riley Santone (B.S. ’93 Sociology), Senior Executive Vice President for Human Resources at AT&T
2019: William Desvousges (M.S. ’74, Ph.D. ’77 Economics), natural resource damage assessment specialist; Joyce Godwin (B.A. ’65 Political Science), philanthropist and corporate/nonprofit/education board member and consultant; Patrick D. Sargent (B.S. ’85 Political Science), commander of the U.S. Army Medical Department Center and School Health Readiness Center of Excellence
2018: Eric Reading (B.S. ’92, M.S. 93 International Affairs): Executive Vice President of Chemonics International development firm
2017: Marshall Cohn (B.S. Economics, Social Sciences ’81): Founder of real estate firm The Dunhill Companies; teaching assistant for online MBA classes at FSU in real estate finance and valuation; sponsor of the university’s annual Real Estate Trends Conference; Florida State University Real Estate Network Award in 2014
2016: Susan MacManus (B.A. Political Science ’68, Ph.D. Political Science ’75): Distinguished Professor, Department of Government and International Affairs, University of South Florida; political expert for state and national media
2015: Ed Moore (M.P.A. Public Administration ’76, Ph.D. Public Administration ’07): President, Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida; former president and CEO, James Madison Institute; former executive director, Broward County Community Mental Health Board; Fulbright SpecialistFlorida Advisory Council for U.S. Global Leadership Coalition
2014: Gordon Gaster (B.S. Economics ’58): Financial consultant, Florida State University Foundation trustee and vice chair, FSU Alumni Association president, founder of the Gordon D. Gaster Endowment Fund supporting the Gus Stavros Center for Economic Education and its Economic Literacy Initiative, 2010 Circle of Gold honoree
2013: Mark Ellis (B.A. Economics ’79): Executive Director of International Bar Association, director of American Bar Association Central European and Eurasian Law Initiative, Fulbright Scholar, media commentator, author
2012: Stephen Lawry (B.S. Political Science ’73, M.S.P. Urban and Regional Planning ’75): Global Practice Lead for Land Tenure and Property Rights at consulting group Development Alternatives, Inc., president Antioch College, associate director for Africa programs at University of Wisconsin Land Tenure Center, director Ford Foundation Office of Management Services
2011: Lettie Bien (B.S. Political Science ’76): Retired U.S. Army Reserve Colonel, Senior Adviser to Iraqi Ministry of Industry and Minerals, South Florida Area Coordinator for Admissions at West Point, recipient of Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, and the Meritorious Civilian Service Award
2010: Harry Lerner (B.S. Economics ’82, M.S.P. Urban and Regional Planning ’84): President of Maxcy Development Group, Inc., member of Association of Florida Community Developers and Urban Land Institute, City of Jacksonville planner, planning project manager for private firms
2009: Victor Holcomb (B.S. Economics ’76): Senior principal Holcomb & Mayts law firm, trustee Kaul Foundation; and John Holcomb (B.S. Political Science ’77): Partner with Hill, Ward, & Henderson law firm, National President of American Board of Trial Advocates, trustee Kaul Foundation
2008: Clyda S. Rent (B.A. Sociology ’64, M.S. Sociology ’66, Ph.D. Sociology ’68): President Emerita of Mississippi University for Women; and George Rent (Ph.D. Sociology ’68): Associate Provost at Mississippi State University; faculty at University of North Carolina at Charlotte; consultant to U.S. Office of Higher Education, National Science Foundation, and United Family Services
2007: Laird Anderson (B.S. International Affairs ’58): Professor Emeritus of Journalism, School of Communication, American University; retired Colonel, US Army Reserves; reporter for Wall Street Journal, Chicago and Washington bureaus; Tallahassee bureau chief, Miami News and Palm Beach Times; international lecturer U.S. State Department
2006: Thomas M. Culligan (B.S. Political Science ’73, M.P.A. Public Administration ’77), M.S. Public Administration): Executive Vice President of Business Development for Raytheon Company, CEO of Raytheon International, Inc.
2005: Janice Kaminis Platt (B.S. Political Science ’58): Hillsborough County Commissioner
2004: Mark Filteau (M.S.P. Urban and Regional Planning ’76): President, Facilities Division, Johnson Controls
2003: Manuel H. Johnson (M.S. Economics ’75, Ph.D. Economics ’77): Senior Partner Johnson Smick International; Assistant Secretary of the Treasury (1982-86); vice chair Board of Governors of Federal Reserve System (1986-90);
2002: Carl Blackwell (B.S. Education ’58, M.S. Political Science ’59): Interim Chancellor of Florida Board of Education, Associate Vice Chancellor of of Planning and Budgeting of Florida Board of Regents, Associate State Budget Director and Chief of Bureau of Budgeting in Department of Administration
2001: Barbara W. White (Ph.D. Political Science ’86): Dean of School of Social Work,University of Texas (Austin); Associate Dean School of Social Work, Florida State University
2000: Alan Sundberg (B.S. Political Science ’55): Florida Supreme Court Justice 1975-1982, Chief Justice 1980-82.
1999: Arnold Greenfield (B.S. Social Sciences ’58): Investment banker, managing director of Lehman Brothers, Chair of Florida Preservation Advisory Council
1998: Barby Barone (B.S. Political Science ’69, M.S. Political Science ’70): Founder of Biltmore Advisers Inc., strategic investment management and financial planning
1997: Melvin Magidson (B.S. Economics ’48, M.S. Economics ’49): President and CEO of MCM Financial Corp.; and Lynda Keever (B.S. Political Science ’69): Publisher of Florida Trend magazine; board member of Florida Chamber of Commerce, Leroy Collins Center, Florida Education Foundation, Florida Council on Economic Education; Board of Trustees Florida State University and Leadership Florida
1996: Peter F. Romero (M.A. International Affairs ’72): CEO Experior Advisory, U.S. Ambassador to Ecuador, Assistant Secretary of State of Western Hemisphere Affairs Bureau, Chief of Mission for U.S. Embassy in San Salvador
1995: James Ammons (M.S. Political Science ’75, Ph.D. Political Science ’77): President of Florida A&M University, Chancellor of North Carolina Central University
1994: Alan Bayer (M.S. Sociology ’63, Ph.D. Sociology ’65): Professor Emeritus Virgina Tech; and Reuben O’D. Askew (B.S. Public Administration ’51): 37th Governor of Florida (1971-79)
1993: Parris Glendening (B.A. Political Science ’64, M.A. Political Science ’65, Ph.D. Political Science ’67): 59th Governor of Maryland
1992: David Coburn (B.S. Political Science ’73, M.S.P. Urban and Regional Planning ’77): Chief of staff in Florida House and Senate; staff director of Senate Rules Committee, Senate Ways and Means Committee, House Appropriations Committee