Faculty members inducted into IACE Hall of Fame
Laura Bierema and Kimberly Osborne, faculty members in the Mary Frances Early College of Education’s department of lifelong education, administration and policy, will be inducted into the International Adult and Continuing Education (IACE) Hall of Fame on Oct. 6. They join the prestigious ranks of several University of Georgia faculty and alumni previously inducted.
Located in the University of Oklahoma’s Oklahoma Center for Continuing Education, the IACE Hall of Fame honors individuals who have made distinguished contributions to the field of adult and continuing education. To be eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame, a person must be distinguished in the profession, have brought honor or distinction to the field and made contributions to adult and continuing education.
Bierema has published more than 160 publications, including 10 books. Her research interests include workplace learning, career development, women’s development, organization development, executive coaching, leadership and critical human resource development. She holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Michigan State University and received an Ed.D. in adult education from the College of Education in 1994.
“I am deeply grateful to be among such an esteemed group of leaders in our field and continue the legacy of our department, where current and former faculty and alumni have been recognized including Ron Cervero, Brad Courtenay, Lucy M. Guglielmino, Lillian Hill, E. Paulette Isaac-Savage, Juanita Johnson-Bailey, Carol Kasworm, Huey Long, Sharan Merriam, Jovita Ross-Gordon, Lorilee Sandmann, Edward Simpson, Elizabeth Tisdell, Curtis Ulmer and Karen Watkins,” Bierema said.
In addition to her work as a faculty member at the College, Osborne is an internationally-recognized scholar-practitioner with experience as an advisor, coach and consultant in Fortune 500 companies, military, government, nonprofit and academic environments. Her academic interests include organization development, leadership development, strategic communication, media literacy, cultural studies and program planning. She received a Ph.D. in adult education from the College in 2006.
“This is the honor of a lifetime,” Osborne said. “When I began my doctoral studies at the College of Education, I never would have imagined all the experiences I would have, all the people I have been able to touch and all the influences I have made. This truly is one of the highlights of my career so far, and I am humbled and honored by this recognition.”