ACHS Recognizes Outstanding Faculty and Staff Award Winners at the 2024 Commencement Ceremony
Portland, OR – June 21, 2024 – American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS) held the graduation ceremony for the class of 2024 at the historic World Forestry Center in Portland, Oregon, on June 14th. It was a celebratory occasion honoring this year’s graduates as they received their hard-earned degrees, diplomas, and certificates. It was also an opportunity to spotlight this year’s faculty and staff, who received awards for excellence in teaching and student engagement. Each year, ACHS students, faculty, and staff submit nominations for 3 faculty awards and 1 staff award.
Professor Lisa Warman, BS, ML, and Professor Abbey Skinner, MS, BS, HHP are the recipients of the Distinguished Teaching Award. This award recognizes a faculty member who has gone above and beyond to show support for students and graduates both in and out of the classroom. Lisa has been teaching at ACHS since 2018. She is the Founding Director of the ACHS Peer Tutor Center, which has become a cornerstone of student support and academic excellence. She has overseen the development of a robust virtual platform that mirrors the interactive nature of a Canvas course, providing students with seamless access to peer tutoring in critical areas such as English Composition, Clinical Case Studies, Research Writing and other study supports across departments including courses in Nutrition, Aromatherapy, and Herbal Medicine.
Abbey has had a passion for holistic health since the age of 8 and discovered her love for teaching while serving on a 3-year special duty assignment as an instructor at the Community College of the Air Force campus in San Antonio, TX. She has been at ACHS since 2015 and is committed to lifelong learning and studying various topics of interest within integrative health. She combines a love of teaching with helping veterans to learn holistic approaches to well-being.
Dean of Aromatherapy, Amanda Lattin, BA, MAT, Dip. Aroma., MH, RA, is the recipient of the 2024 Distinguished Faculty Award. This award honors a faculty member who has demonstrated a commitment to excellence and service to ACHS both inside and outside the classroom. Amanda began at ACHS in 2010. She has had a passion for growing and using nutritional and medicinal plants since planting her first garden at age six. She pursued this passion while completing a B.A. in Chemistry at Huntingdon College and continued her education with a Master’s of Teaching in Chemistry from Lewis and Clark College. Amanda has taught the chemistry of essential oils at the College of Botanical Healing Arts and other venues, authored articles on Aromatherapy, and served as a subject consultant. Since 2008, she has run an Aromatherapy and Herbal Consulting practice in Portland, OR, and became an Aromatherapy Registration Council Registered Aromatherapist in April 2013.
Dr. Monica Jaramillo, DNP, MSN-Ed, RN/NLC, CNEn, Alumnus CCRN is the recipient of this year’s Rising Star Award. This award recognizes a first-year faculty member who has demonstrated a commitment to supporting and mentoring students in the classroom. Monica is a doctorate-prepared nurse educator and independent author who strongly advocates diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) at the highest levels of healthcare professions. She’s passionate about inspiring others of diverse backgrounds and multiple cultures to achieve their dreams and commit to life-long learning while advocating for improvements in global healthcare.
Jenn Pizutto, BA, MFA is the recipient of this year’s Staff Excellence in Student Engagement Award. This award recognizes a staff member who has shown exceptional commitment to engaging with students and fostering an inclusive and motivating environment. Jenn joined ACHS in 2021 as a Student Success Coach. She has an extensive background in higher education and community support. She is an advocate for practicing a holistic lifestyle and creating an equitable playing field in higher education.
“It is an honor to work with these committed faculty. Each faculty member has contributed to the ACHS community in unique and innovative ways, from developing peer tutoring supports to cultivating community and experiential approaches to learning at a distance. A huge congratulations to this year’s faculty award recipients. We are so proud that our students get the opportunity to learn from their expertise and experience.” – Tracey Abell, ACHS President
ACHS congratulates all of the 2024 faculty and staff award recipients. Their dedication and commitment to serving the ACHS community and advocating for holistic health directly reflects the college’s mission to transform healthcare education and support its students in their pursuit of excellence.
About ACHS:
The American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS), located in Portland, Oregon, is an accredited college specializing in online integrative health and wellness education. Founded in 1978, ACHS offers a range of certificate, diploma, and degree programs in aromatherapy, herbal medicine, functional nutrition, and other complementary alternative medicine disciplines. ACHS is dedicated to providing exceptional online education based on evidence-based research, with an emphasis on sustainability and global stewardship. For questions about this press release or to schedule an interview, please contact Tracey Abell at [email protected].
