The UIndy College of Health Sciences Recognizes Outstanding Alumni with 2026 Awards

The University of Indianapolis’s College of Health Sciences (CHS) proudly recognized outstanding alumni who have achieved exceptional success and leveraged their UIndy education to make a significant impact in their field, within their communities, and in the world.

This year’s CHS Alumni Awards recipients were:

Ralph Reiff ’80 (Physical Education, Biology)

A first-generation college student, Reiff graduated from UIndy in 1980, earning a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and Biology. After graduation, he became a certified athletic trainer.

Reiff has managed the medical aspects of more than 35 NCAA events, including six men’s basketball Final Fours. He also served as the Manager of Athlete Care for the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta and designed and implemented an Athlete Recovery Center at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

Reiff has also excelled as a business leader, opening St. Vincent Sports Performance in 2000 and serving as its executive director until 2019.

He was designated a Sagamore of Wabash by then Governor Robert Orr. Reiff has also been inducted into the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame.

Birdie Gunyon Meyer ’78 (Nursing, Elementary Education)

Born in Frankfort, Indiana, Meyer majored in elementary education and nursing. She received her associate’s degree in Nursing in 1975 and worked at Methodist Hospital in Cardiovascular Critical Care Unit as a staff nurse while finishing her bachelor’s degree in 1978.

Meyer worked at IU Health for 43 years. She was a Clinical Instructor in cardiovascular (CV) before transitioning to obstetrics (OB). She founded the Perinatal Mood Disorders Program in 1997 at IU Health. Meyer also helped bring mental health screening to routine maternity care and educated bedside nurses at 15 IU Health hospitals. 

After retiring from IU Health, Meyer has served as director of education and training for Postpartum Support International. Bringing awareness to postpartum depression, she led the development of the first International Perinatal Mental Health Professional Certification, which is now a nursing-credentialed program with over 8,000 people certified.

Meyer co-authored a chapter of the book, “Behavioral Health Services with High-Risk Infants & Families.” She is highlighted in PSI’s video, “Healthy Mom, Happy Family: Understanding Pregnancy and Postpartum Mood and Anxiety Disorders.” She was also featured in the documentary, “More Than Blue”, which was released this year on streaming platforms. 

Her influence extends beyond the U.S., speaking frequently in France and China. 

Kim Strunk ’96 (Occupational Therapy)

A native of Indianapolis, Strunk has spent more than 20 years in pediatric care. She started working in Indiana’s First Steps program, where she witnessed firsthand the challenges families faced in accessing services for children with autism. 

Driven to find a better way to support these families, Strunk founded her first therapy center in Kokomo, Indiana, in 2005. That early vision grew into Hopebridge Therapy Centers, now one of the nation’s leading providers of pediatric and autism therapy, supporting thousands of children and families across multiple states.

Strunk currently serves as head of clinical strategy at Hopebridge, where she continues to improve the quality of care and expand access to services nationwide. Her impact was recognized when she received the IBJ Healthcare Heroes award in 2022.

Ann Lundy ’90 (AS, Nursing)

A native Hoosier, Lundy earned an associate degree in nursing from UIndy before earning a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University.

Since 2022, Lundy has served as chief executive officer of Indiana Health Centers, Inc. She brings more than 30 years of experience as a registered nurse and a deep passion for serving the most vulnerable communities.

Ann also chairs an Indiana Primary Care Association steering committee on Value-Based Care transformation to inform the Board on strategy. Her work in this area helped support the creation of a Clinically Integrated Network that now serves more than 300,000 Hoosiers. She has been very active in healthcare policy at both the state and national levels, including the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

Earlier in her career, she held several leadership roles in Clinical Operations, overseeing clinical operations for Medicaid and Medicare, as well as Community and State business. In these roles, she supported 25 health plans serving more than four million Medicaid members.

She remains active in her community, serving on various boards after completing an elected three-year term on the Christ the King Catholic School Board in Indianapolis.

Terry Stigdon ’09 (Nursing)

Born in New Orleans and raised on the South Side of Chicago, Stigdon earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from UIndy in 2009. Her career has spanned from nursing to government work, and she now serves as the chief executive officer of the Indiana Region of the American Red Cross.

In 2018, Governor Eric Holcomb appointed her to lead the Department of Child Services (DCS), where she reshaped the agency’s operations and worked with families and children in need. During her time at DCS, the number of children in foster care in Indiana decreased by 50%, while federal safety measures improved.

Prior to joining DCS, Terry worked as a nurse at Riley Hospital for Children for more than 20 years. She served in various roles, including manager of the Intensive Care Unit and the Emergency Department, before serving as director of the Emergency Medicine and Trauma Center, Trauma Program, Car Passenger Safety Program, and Inpatient Behavioral Health. 

She has been married to her husband, Jay, for more than 30 years, and they have three adult children and two grandchildren.

Ryan Cotton ’06 (DHSc)

A native of Brownsburg, Indiana, Cotton earned his doctor of health science from UIndy in 2006. Ryan was heavily involved in the campus community, serving as a graduate assistant for the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program and later as adjunct faculty in the PTA, DPT, and post-professional PT programs. 

Cotton has more 20 years of experience as a practicing physical therapist, including 18 years in private practice. He worked alongside the UIndy College of Health Sciences to develop Indiana’s first Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency program.

In 2020, he transitioned to the nonprofit sector, joining Rock Steady Boxing as chief scientific officer. Since 2022, he has served as the organization’s president and CEO. Under his leadership, Rock Steady Boxing continues to provide life-changing exercise programming specifically designed for individuals living with Parkinson’s disease through more than 840 affiliate programs across all 50 states and 16 countries.