2021 Awards of Excellence

AAFCS celebrated the #FCSsuccess of our New Achiever and Leaders below, our Distinguished Service Award honorees, our award-winning teachers, scholarship, and fellowship recipients during the 2021 Virtual Conference.

The New Achievers

These emerging family and consumer sciences professionals have exhibited the potential to make significant contributions to the field through their involvement with AAFCS. Their accomplishments are already lengthy for any career, and we look forward to seeing their progression and leadership in FCS evolve!

Nicole Heflin


Professional Member, Indiana 
Westfield High School FCS Teacher/FCCLA Academic Coach
Ivy Tech Community College Adjunct Instructor

Rebekah Luong, CFCS


Professional Member, Arkansas
Clinical Instructor of Nutrition and Family Sciences
University of Central Arkansas

The Leaders

Introduced as a part of the Association's 75th Anniversary observance in 1984 this award honors those whose work and service has influenced the direction of some aspect of the association or the profession. They have each developed a professional reputation regionally, nationally, and/or internationally, and have a comprehensive record reflecting a significant level of professional responsibility.

Janine M. Duncan, CFCS


Professional Member, Kansas
Assistant Professor FCS Education, CTE Coordinator, Dept. of Curriculum & Instruction, Kansas State University

Sharon "Sha" Pate


Emeritus Member, Florida
Management Consultant
AAFCS Community of Apparel, Textiles, & Design

Nancy M. Shepherd


Professional Member, Texas
Former Assistant Professor,
Stephen S. Austin University

Jeanne Schwass-Long, CFCS


Emeritus Member, Wisconsin
Coordinator, Stoughton United Methodist Food Pantry
& Former FCS Teacher

Alice Spangler, CFCS-Retired


Emeritus member, Indiana
Professor Emeritus, Ball State University
Foods and Nutrition Co-editor, FCSRJ