Annual FGCU Alumni Awards recognize 9 outstanding Eagles
- Drew Sterwald
- Alumni
- Contributors: James Greco, Photos
4 – minute read
As the Florida Gulf Coast University community celebrated Homecoming Week, the FGCU Alumni Association honored nine graduates who have distinguished themselves through professional accomplishments, public service and commitment to their alma mater.
The 2026 Alumni Awards were presented during a Feb. 17 celebration at The Boardwalk.
The Alumni of Distinction award was presented to James Evans, who earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies in 1999 and a master’s in environmental science in 2011. As CEO of the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, he leads regional environmental conservation and policy efforts across Southwest Florida. He has held senior environmental leadership roles with the city of Sanibel and the conservation foundation and played a key role in post-Hurricane Ian recovery. He continues to support FGCU through service and collaboration with The Water School and other departments. Read more about his accomplishments in an FGCU360 profile published last year.
Alumni Business of the Year went to Ian Schmoyer, Christopher Alan Homes founder and CEO, who graduated in 2004 with a finance degree. He has grown the company from a startup in 2017 into a top-five regional homebuilder, delivering more than 3,000 homes and generating over $200 million annually. The company is consistently recognized for industry performance, workplace culture and community impact, including large-scale rebuilds for families in need through Lee BIA Builders Care.
Soaring Eagles awards recognize alumni who, within 10 years of graduating, have made noteworthy achievements in their professions and community service. This year’s winners are:
• Chauntel Brown (’13, resort and hospitality management; ’19, educational leadership master’s): Brown has led and supported more than 100 hotel openings, transitions and acquisitions globally through her work with Hyatt Hotels Corp. She played key roles in the openings of Grand Hyatt Nashville and Four Seasons Nashville and now mentors FGCU students, supporting leadership development in the hospitality industry.
• Kaitlin Danks (’19, environmental studies): Danks serves as a business and economic development specialist for the city of Fort Myers, supporting recruitment, expansion and regional partnerships. She is president of the FGCU Fort Myers Alumni Chapter, a mentor in the Lutgert College of Business and an active leader in economic development, alumni engagement and community organizations.
• Madison Franz (’23, early childhood education): Franz is an elementary school educator whose work focuses on inclusive instruction, literacy development and student-centered classroom design. She has published peer-reviewed research, presented at regional and national conferences, served on FGCU committees, mentored graduates and was recognized as a Teacher of the Year and Golden Apple nominee.
• Kyara Gutierrez (’20, software engineering): Gutierrez led an FGCU capstone project with the Space Telescope Science Institute, contributing to command interfaces for the James Webb Space Telescope. She is currently a cloud engineer at Microsoft and remains actively engaged in mentoring students and supporting FGCU’s Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers.
• Olivia Grissinger (’25, entrepreneurship): Grissinger is a marketing professional at Arthrex whose FGCU entrepreneurship education supported her entry into the medical device industry. She is active in professional networks, community giving and advocacy efforts, including breast cancer awareness and scholarship initiatives.
• Sarah Harrington (’24, environmental science master’s): Harrington applies her FGCU graduate training across economic development, affordable housing, environmental health and community planning with the Collier County Economic Development Office. She completed a graduate certificate in economic development and serves on multiple county and regional advisory committees.
• Jasmine Pagano (’20, public health): Pagano is supervisor of prevention services at David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health, where her team reaches more than 12,000 individuals annually through evidence-based mental health and substance use prevention programs. She also serves as an FGCU adjunct instructor, mental health first aid trainer and Chi Omega adviser, earning multiple awards for public health leadership.
