2025 John B. Noftsinger Alumni Award
News
Russell Leary (BA ’12, MAT ‘13) of On the Road Collaborative Recognized as a JMU Alumnus Demonstrating Public Service Excellence
Harrisonburg, Virginia, April 9, 2025 – The Public Service Awards at James Madison University, sponsored by the JMU Master of Public Administration program and the Madison Center for Community Development, have announced their 2025 honorees and have selected co-CEO of On the Road Collaborative, Russell Leary for the 2025 John B. Noftsinger Alumni Award for Public Service Excellence.
Since 2009, the Public Service Awards at JMU has recognized over forty-five individuals across the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia region for their excellence in public service as part of the national Public Service Recognition Week. Honorees are nominated and selected by their peers and are recognized at the annual Public Service Reception held on the JMU campus each April.
The John B. Noftsinger Alumni Award for Public Service Excellence recognizes a JMU alumnus/a employed in a public service role who shares the same ideals of public and community service as its namesake. The recipient is dedicated to servant leadership, collaborates across organizations and sectors, demonstrates entrepreneurship and forward thinking, and mentors and supports others in pursuit of public service excellence.
The nomination for Mr. Leary highlights his embodiment of the On the Road Collaborative mission, namely the empowerment and uplifting of young people and employees alike to thrive and strive for a brighter future while growing the organizational footprint with innovative and entrepreneurial approaches.
Her nominator writes “Russell doesn’t just manage from behind a desk—he is actively out in the community, building relationships that strengthen our programs and create new opportunities for the youth we serve. At On the Road, he continues this work by mentoring young professionals and emerging leaders, ensuring they have the guidance and resources they need to thrive in the nonprofit sector.”
The Public Service Awards coordinator, Dr. Rob Alexander notes that “Mr. Leary’s nomination clearly embodies the values, attitude, and abilities that John B. Noftsinger brought to his career at JMU and in our community. Celebrating Mr. Leary with this honor celebrates the spirit of collaboration, innovation, and mentorship that is essential for true public service leadership.”
The 2025 Public Service Awards at JMU recipients will be recognized at a Reception on the JMU campus on Tuesday, April 22nd.
The full set of 2025 Honorees are as follows:
Career Achievement in Public Service Award
Bonnie Riedesel, Executive Director (Retired), Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission
Excellence in Public Service Professional Award
Chris Rinker, Chief of Police, Town of New Market
The John B. Noftsinger Alumni Award for Public Service Excellence
Russell Leary (BA ’12, MAT ‘13), Co-CEO, On the Road Collaborative
Public Service Student Leadership Award
Mason Hoey (BS ’25, Public Policy and Administration and BA ‘25, Political Science), JMU Student Government Association
Madison Excellence in Community-Based Research Award
JMU School of Nursing UPCARE Scholars: Dr. Erika Metzler Sawin, Professor; Dr. Christina Lam, Associate Professor; Dr. Tina Switzer, Assistant Professor; Dr. Jamie Robinson, Associate Director for Undergraduate Programs, Associate Professor
Award descriptions and images available upon request.
Contact Dr. Rob Alexander at alexanrw@jmu.edu for Awards program information.
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