Faculty, staff, students and administrators at the University of Alabama at Birmingham were honored during a virtual ceremony for their commitment to excellence in 2020 despite the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“CSW Sees You,”, held Wednesday, April 21, was sponsored by the UAB Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion’s Commission on the Status of Women.

More than 60 individuals, units and departments were recognized during the ceremony. Katie Crenshaw, J.D., UAB’s Chief Risk and Compliance Officer, received the 2021 "Susan D. Marchase Outstanding Woman Administrator."

Sarah Nafziger, M.D., vice president for Clinical Support Services for UAB Medicine and director of Employee Health, received the inaugural “Commission on the Status of Women President’s Leadership Award."

Eight recipients of the “2020 Outstanding Women Awards” were also acknowledged during “CSW Sees You.” They are:

Outstanding Woman UAB Undergraduate Student


Ayla McCay

Outstanding Woman UAB Graduate Student


Carrie Leland

Outstanding Woman UAB Graduate Student


Callie Perkins

Outstanding Woman UAB Postdoc


Samia O'Bryan, Ph.D. - UAB Heersink School of Medicine

Outstanding Woman in the Community


Shelia Benson

Nevertheless, She Persisted Award


Stacie M. Propst, Ph.D.

The Becky Trigg Outstanding Woman Faculty Member


Amy Weinmann, Ph.D. - UAB Heersink School of Medicine

The Susan D. Marchase Outstanding Woman Administrator


Dianne K. Gilmer - School of Engineering

The UAB Commission on the Status of Women is dedicated to promoting gender inclusion and equity by supporting and improving options and opportunities for women at every stage of their education and career. CSW members support work-life balance initiatives, training and development of emerging leaders, and community outreach to improve the academic climate and work environment at UAB.

These efforts build on UAB’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and are evidenced by the educational achievements of female students, the innovative teaching, scholarship and research by female faculty, and the professional advancement of female staff and administrators.

The year 2020 brought with it so many unimaginable challenges and unfathomable circumstances along with a comparable number of opportunities for members of the UAB community. Recognizing the year that we experienced was far from “normal,” CSW wants to honor and acknowledge all individuals and/or departments that went above and beyond to persevere in their efforts over the last 12 months.

View the acknowledgments below: