Dr. Zachary Hollis graduated from App State in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science. During his time as a student, Hollis was a member of Phi Eta Sigma and the men’s cross-country and track and field teams. He also served on the Student Government Association.

After graduating from the university, Hollis attended medical school at the University of Illinois. He completed his residency and obtained fellowships at the University of Wisconsin and Johns Hopkins Hospital. He is board certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular medicine and clinical cardiac electrophysiology (the diagnosis and treatment of heart rhythm disorders). He currently serves as Western Region Leader for the Arrhythmia Department at Inova Schar Heart and Vascular, where he directs strategic initiatives to expand access to advanced cardiac care for underserved communities.

Hollis is a pioneer in leadless pacemaker technology who has led groundbreaking advancements in cardiac electrophysiology. He became the first physician to implant a leadless pacemaker at Bachmann’s bundle (an area of the heart’s upper chambers) in a human patient, restoring synchronized beating between the chambers.

Hollis has been a supporter of the Beaver College of Health Sciences, App State Athletics and the Mountaineer Emergency Fund. He also served on the Beaver College of Health Sciences Advisory Board from 2018 to 2022 and received the Distinguished Alumni Award as a 2025 inductee of the college’s Trillium Society. He currently resides in McLean, Virginia.

Maxine Cooper McCall graduated from Appalachian State Teachers College in 1960 with a bachelor’s degree in English and library science. In 1965 she received a master’s degree in English, with certification in junior college education.

Over the course of a 30-year career with Burke County Schools, McCall’s passion for theater shaped her approach to education. She designed and taught a pilot program for academically gifted students: four years of advanced study (grades 9–12) in English and the humanities. Later, as the coordinator for language arts, gifted education and second language programs, she oversaw curriculum design and teacher training for grades K–12. She directed Drexel school/community musicals productions and the Valdese outdoor drama “From This Day Forward.”

McCall has supported numerous funds and initiatives across the university, including generous donations to scholarships and facility improvements in the Department of English, the Department of Theatre and Dance, the Hayes School of Music and University Libraries. She has served on the Department of Theatre and Dance Advisory Council and is a member of the Rhododendron Society, Bell Ringers Society and Chancellor’s Society.

She has also served on governing boards for multiple county, state and national nonprofit organizations, including Anderson University (Anderson, Indiana), the NC Delta Kappa Gamma Educational Foundation and the North Carolina Society of Historians, of which she is president. She resides in Drexel.

Karen Bailey graduated from App State in 1989 with a degree in speech and theater. She currently serves as executive vice president of original programming and production at STARZ television network.

After graduating from the university, Bailey moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting, making her television debut on “The Young and the Restless.” Her experience on set inspired a transition behind the camera, leading to a career in independent producing. Her first feature, “BachelorMan,” won more than 40 film festival awards.

Bailey joined STARZ in 2006 as vice president of production, where she played a foundational role in building the studio’s production infrastructure. She later moved into creative leadership as vice president and senior vice president of original programming, developing scripted series and expanding the network’s content. Promoted to her current position in 2020, she now oversees strategy for original programming across the network, with notable successes including “Outlander” and “Spartacus.”

Bailey is committed to mentoring emerging writers, directors and creative executives through organizations such as Women in Film, the Alliance of Women Directors and the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. She is an active member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Producers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and supports philanthropic initiatives in the creative community. She has also generously supported scholarships for App State theater students. She currently resides in Burbank, California.

Fairley Bell Cook graduated from App State in 1981 with a degree in music merchandising. Following graduation, she built a successful business career spanning retail fashion, real estate and education. She currently holds a role with her family’s real estate business and serves as president of the Bell Cook Family Foundation.

Cook has served as chair of App State’s Foundation Board of Directors and as a member of the university’s Board of Trustees and Yosef Club Advisory Board. She is also a member of the Walker College of Business Dean’s Club and provides philanthropic support to the Hayes School of Music, University Libraries, the College of Fine and Applied Arts, App State Athletics and The Appalachian Fund. A passionate champion for student support, she and her family members have established three endowed scholarships at App State.

She recently participated in the University of North Carolina System Advancement Symposium, hosted by App State. As a speaker on a donor panel, she shared thoughts on multigenerational family philanthropy and on providing guidance to her two sons — also App State alumni — as they establish their own philanthropic relationships with their alma mater. She currently resides in Raleigh.

Marcus Osborne graduated from App State in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in athletic training, later completing a master’s degree in healthcare administration at Pfeiffer University.

He is director of wellness services at the Catawba Valley Health System, providing strategic and operational oversight for a broad portfolio, including community health, mobile services, employee wellness, diabetes education, spiritual care and sports medicine.

Under his leadership, the system has secured extensive grant funding to expand clinical and preventive health programs. He has also led operational restructuring efforts and advanced mobile health services to improve access to care across the region. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Osborne stepped into a systemwide leadership role, overseeing critical safety operations related to personal protective equipment and community vaccination efforts.

Osborne serves on the Beaver College of Health Sciences Advisory Board and is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Beyond his professional work, he is engaged in community leadership and youth athletics, maintaining a commitment to service and mentorship. He currently resides in Conover.

Jack Hoke graduated from App State in 1976 with a bachelor’s degree in business, later returning to the university to earn his teaching certification for business education. After gaining classroom experience as a teacher, he returned again to his alma mater to complete his master’s and education specialist degrees in public school administration.

He has served his community in many key positions in K–12 education: teacher, assistant principal, principal, associate superintendent and superintendent. He is currently executive director of the North Carolina School Superintendents’ Association.

Hoke has twice been named the Northwest Regional Service Alliance Superintendent of the Year. He also received the North Carolina Association of School Administrators Raymond Sarbaugh State Leadership Award and was recognized on the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s list of “100 Administrators to Remember.” In 2010, he was a finalist for the A. Craig Phillips North Carolina Superintendent of the Year Award, and in 2012 he received the state’s highest honor, the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, for his leadership in education.

Committed to expanding education opportunities for future teachers, Hoke has contributed generously to scholarships in the Reich College of Education and has been recognized by the college with the Rhododendron Society Award, honoring his service and philanthropic support. He currently resides in Hickory.

Faye A. Chadwell graduated from App State in 1984 with a bachelor’s degree in English. She began her library career as a student, working at the Belk Library circulation desk.

Chadwell serves as dean of University Libraries and Scholarly Communications at Pennsylvania State University Libraries, where she provides strategic leadership for their multi-library system. She previously served as the Donald and Delpha Campbell University Librarian at Oregon State University, following faculty appointments at the University of Oregon and the University of South Carolina.

A nationally recognized library leader, Chadwell has held leadership roles with the Association of Research Libraries, the Association of College and Research Libraries, the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition, the American Library Association’s Rainbow Round Table and the Oregon Library Association. She has also held board and committee chair positions with the Big Ten Academic Alliance, Greater Western Library Alliance, Partnership for Academic Library Collaboration and Innovation and Orbis Cascade Alliance.

Chadwell has remained engaged with App State’s University Libraries, making generous contributions to Belk Library and Information Commons and to scholarships for library student employees. She currently resides in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania.

Doug Johnson graduated from App State in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree in banking and finance. Over the course of a 47-year career with Blue Ridge Energy, he has held multiple roles with the cooperative, including chief executive officer from 1989 until 2025. During his tenure, he led initiatives to strengthen system reliability, enhance member care, manage wholesale power and help shape state and national energy policy. He also led the creation of two subsidiary companies and the establishment of a Members Foundation focused on reinvesting in local communities. He continues to support the organization as an executive consultant.

Johnson has volunteered with numerous boards and committees focused on economic development, access to quality healthcare and education, and long-term community well-being. His contributions have earned him the 2015 J.C. Brown CEO Communication Leadership Award from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and the state’s highest honor, the Order of the Long Leaf Pine.

Johnson is a member of the Walker College of Business Dean’s Club and has served on the Business Advisory Council since 2008. He is a recipient of the university’s Outstanding Service Award and has made significant contributions to the Building Leaders Initiative. He currently resides in Granite Falls.

Talana Bell graduated from App State in 1986 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. She later returned to the university, earning master’s degrees in business administration and accounting in 2017.

Following her undergraduate studies, Bell entered the healthcare accounting sector. In 1999, she joined Flowers Hospital in Dothan, Alabama, as a financial analyst. Within six months, she was promoted to chief financial officer. She served as the hospital’s CFO for more than 15 years, managing complex healthcare revenue streams, regulatory compliance and general financial operations. Her leadership earned her national recognition — in 2015, Becker’s Hospital Review named her to its prestigious list of “150 Hospital and Health System CFOs to Know.”

After retiring from her career in healthcare finance, Bell transitioned into higher education administration at App State. She was an executive assistant before transitioning into universitywide resource management, serving as CFO of Academic Affairs and associate vice provost for resource management.

Bell has served on the App State Foundation Board of Directors and on the university’s IT Executive Council. She has also served as chair of Wiregrass United Way in Dothan, Alabama, as treasurer of First United Methodist Church of Dothan and as finance chair and moderator of First Baptist Church of Boone. She currently lives in West Jefferson.