Distinguished Service Award

The Distinguished Service Award (DSA) was established by the American Home Economics Association (AHEA) Foundation in 1979 as a living tribute to members of AHEA (now AAFCS) to recognize superior achievements in family and consumer sciences, outstanding contributions to the family and consumer sciences profession, and sustained association leadership at both state and national levels. A list of prior recipients can be found here.

2026 Recipient

DSA Press Release

Read the official announcement and congratulations to our 2026 Distinguished Service Award recipient here.

DSA Honorary Fund

Honor our DSA recipients by donating to the 2026 DSA Honorary Fund today. The Fund supports the Association's programs and services, including research, public awareness efforts, and publications. The community’s tax-deductible donations sustain these and other programs that support professionals whose work assists individuals, families, and communities in making informed decisions about their well-being, relationships, and resources to achieve optimal quality of life.

You can make your gift on the AAFCS website by clicking here. Donate by mail here.

DSA Book of Letters

We invite you to join us in celebrating our Distinguished Service Award recipient's remarkable accomplishments by sending your congratulatory letters, notes, or messages of appreciation here. Alternatively, you can mail your notes directly to the AAFCS office at 1410 King Street, 2nd Floor, Alexandria, VA 22314. Please submit your messages by May 15 to ensure they are included in the celebration.

Congratulations to our 2026 Recipients!

Deborah J. Handy, Ph.D., CFCS, said Yes to FCS more than 40 years ago. She completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Home Economics Education from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. She taught grades 7-12 in Wisconsin and advised the local FHA chapter. She completed both Master’s and Doctorate degrees at Washington State University (WSU) and has been teaching at WSU for more than 30 years. Dr. Handy enjoys working with her students and being involved in FCS related organizations and activities. She served as the Parliamentarian, Newsletter Editor, Student Unit Adviser, and President for the Washington AAFCS Affiliate. She has been a member of the WA-ACTE FACSE Executive Board for more than 30 years. She was the Executive Director for Washington FCCLA for 18 years. She served as member at large, recorder, and treasurer on the AAFCS Board of Directors, and chaired the AAFCS Council for Certification.

Deborah J. Handy, CFCS, Washington

Debra K. Andres, M.S., CFCS-HDFS, is a dedicated Family and Consumer Sciences Agent with Kansas State University Extension, serving the Flint Hills District. With more than three decades of experience in education, extension, and community leadership, she has developed and implemented impactful programs in health, nutrition, family well-being, and financial literacy. Deb has secured over $1.3 million in grants to support community initiatives, authored numerous publications, and presented nationally and internationally on leadership, family studies, and community health. A past president of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, she has been recognized with multiple awards, including National Top Ten Teacher of the Year and Outstanding Extension Educator. Beyond her professional work, Deb is deeply engaged in her community through church leadership, nonprofit boards, and local coalitions, reflecting her lifelong commitment to helping individuals and families thrive.

Debra K. Andres, CFCS-HDFS, Kansas

Eleanor R. Abel Glover Gladney, Ph.D., is a distinguished educator and leader whose career reflected an unwavering commitment to student success, workforce development, and educational excellence. A native of South Carolina, Dr. Glover Gladney holds advanced degrees in Home Economics Education, Individual and Family Development Education, Education Administration, and Curriculum and Instruction—credentials that underscore her deep expertise across multiple domains of learning and leadership. Her professional journey spans decades of transformative service, beginning as a home economics teacher and evolving into roles of increasing responsibility and impact. As Career and Technical Education (CTE) Program Team Lead, she championed initiatives that bridged academic learning with real-world application, preparing students for lifelong success. Her career is marked by a rare blend of compassion, strategic vision, and dedication to equity. Dr. Glover Gladney’s work has empowered educators, strengthened relationships with industry and organization leaders, and advanced FCS, in South Carolina and beyond.

Eleanor R. Abel Glover Gladney, South Carolina

2025 Recipient

Lizabeth Self-Mullens, CFCS-Retired, Tennessee

Lizabeth Self-Mullens, Ph.D., CFCS-Retired, Tennessee holds degrees in Home Economics Education, Textiles & Apparel, and Human Ecology. Her career includes service as a faculty member, extension educator, program director, unit director, assistant dean, dean, assistant vice president for academic affairs, and provost. Liz retired in 2018 as Dean, of the College of Agriculture & Human Ecology at Tennessee Technological University. She served as the 2020-2021 AAFCS Board President, Counselor on the 2021-2022 AAFCS Board of Directors, and Chairperson of the AFCS Past Presidents’ Unit for two years. She participated in the AAFCS Council for Certification and Task Force for Program Advancement. She currently serves on the Leadership Council, Past Presidents’ Unit, ATD Showcase Committee, several communities, and as a mentor in the AAFCS Leadership Academy. Locally, Liz teaches quilting classes to adults and children, participates with the Friends of White Plains to restore an 1840s historic home, and chairs the Upper Cumberland Quilt Festival Board.

2024 Recipients

Joanne was grounded in the sciences by a home economist mother and chemical engineer father. Raised in Baltimore and Philadelphia, she was the oldest of five children, married her high school sweetheart, has a son and daughter and six grandchildren. Joanne majored in Home Economics, with a concentration in textiles and clothing at the University of Delaware. Her career began in retail, textile licensing and adult education in the northeast. A move to Columbus, Georgia, center of southeastern textiles, offered opportunities to connect with other home economists and contribute to her community through volunteer work. In 1980, Joanne joined the University of Georgia Extension Service which resulted in a 30-plus year career addressing critical community issues and leadership in professional organizations. Accomplishments earned her Senior Public Service Associate faculty rank, equivalent to academic full professor. In retirement, Joanne continues to work with professional organizations at state, national and international levels.

Joanne S. Cavis, CFCS - Retired - Georgia

Lois Lewis is a retired professional whose career includes being a County Extension Educator for six years, and teaching high school Family & Consumer Sciences for 30+ years. She has a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota and a Master’s in Education from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Over the years, Lois built her FCS program into a fulltime position, and implemented a successful ProStart culinary program. She has received many awards, including the 2012 AAFCS National Teacher of the Year, the 2014 Minnesota ProStart Educator of Excellence, and the 2018 Minnesota Rural Education Association Educator of Excellence. She was a Minnesota Teacher Induction Program mentor and an Educators Abroad University Supervisor, and has also had multiple leadership roles in the Minnesota Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (including President) and in AAFCS, most notably as Elementary, Secondary and Adult Education Community leader and a Council for Certification member