Celebrating the 2026 Alumni Award Recipients
Thousands of Kansas City University (KCU) alumni make a profound impact on their communities every day.
Whether through patient care, public service, civic engagement or professional leadership, KCU graduates exemplify excellence and compassion in all they do—bringing pride to themselves and their alma mater.
Each year, the KCU Alumni Awards recognize exceptional individuals whose achievements embody the University's mission and values.
We will honor the 2026 Alumni Award recipients during Alumni Weekend, September 17-19.
Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award
Elaine M. Wallace, DO, Eds, MS (KCU-COM 1980)
Elaine M. Wallace, DO, EdS, MS, was appointed dean of Nova Southeastern University’s Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine (KPCOM) in January of 2015.
Over a 24-year career at KPCOM, Wallace served in numerous leadership, faculty and clinical roles, including executive associate dean, professor of osteopathic principles and practice, clinical professor of family medicine, professor of sports medicine and staff physician at NSU's Sanford L. Ziff Health Care Center. She also chaired the departments of osteopathic principles and practice and sports medicine, served as associate dean of academic administration and liaison to international medicine, and was the founding residency director of the NSU Sports Medicine Fellowship.
An active scholar and researcher, Wallace has a distinguished publication record. She has received many honors for her mentorship, teaching excellence and student engagement, including NSU's Faculty Award for Community Service and the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award, a national recognition of compassion and humanism in medicine.
She is a two-time recipient of the American Medical Association Gender Equity Award. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Wallace was recognized by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation as a Champion of Humanistic Care for exemplifying compassion and humanism in medicine, placing her among a national cohort of honorees that included Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Wallace has been recognized for her leadership, humanitarian service and commitment to health care excellence with honors including the Fort Lauderdale Opera Society's Culture and Humanitarian Award, the Trailblazer Award from Broward Community & Family Health Centers, the March of Dimes Woman of Distinction Award and the Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine's Board Chair Award.
She has been featured multiple times in Top Doctors magazine and in Marquis Who’s Who which honored her with the Albert Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. Recognized by her students as Professor of the Year eleven times, she also received the Missouri Governor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and the Morton Terry, NSU-DO Founders Award for inspirational leadership in education. In addition, Wallace has named among South Florida Business Journal’s Power Leaders in Health Care and she was featured in the cover article for CIO magazine as one of the “Ten Most Successful Leaders Pioneering Healthcare in the United States.”
Wallace champions collaborative, holistic patient care. Under her leadership, KPCOM has grown far beyond its original osteopathic medicine program, expanding to include programs in public health, health informatics, disaster and emergency management, couple and family therapy, nutrition, health and wellness coaching, and integrative research. Today, KPCOM offers five bachelor’s programs, seven master’s programs and three doctoral programs across two campuses and is home to the prestigious Institute for Neuroimmune Medicine.
She is an active participant and advocate for international medical outreach, serving the medically underserved. She has led students on missions to Guatemala, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Amazonian Peru, Puerto Rico, Galapagos and Cuba. Next year, she will be taking students to Jordan to work with refugee populations.
Wallace remains active in professional leadership, serving in past and present roles with the American Osteopathic Association, American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, the American Academy of Osteopathy, the American Association of Osteopathic Directors and Medical Educators, the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners and the Florida Council of Medical School Deans.
Wallace began her career in private family medicine practice in Kansas City, Missouri where she founded Lakeside Hospital Rape Crisis Center. She later joined KCU-COM, then known as University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine, where she served as department chair, medical director of the Family Care Center, associate dean of Academic and Clinical Affairs, vice dean of Academics, vice dean of Medical Education and acting dean, all while holding the rank of professor.
She holds a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from KCU-COM, a Master of Science in Higher Education and Leadership from the University of Kansas, multiple graduate degrees from NSU, and an Educational Specialist degree in Educational Curriculum.
Wallace is board-certified in family medicine, neuromusculoskeletal medicine, sports medicine and is a graduate of Medical Acupuncture for Physicians (UCLA – Helms Institute).
She is the mother of three children, including 13-year-old twin sons and a 16-year-old daughter. She and her family are avid travelers who enjoy adventure and cultural exploration. Outside of her professional work, she studies shamanic traditions with practitioners from around the world and considers herself a lifelong learner.
Graduate of the Last Decade Award | College of Biosciences
Qwynton Qhai Johnson, DO, MS (KCU-COM 2024, KCU-COB 2020)
Qwynton Qhai Johnson, DO, MS, is a physician-advocate dedicated to advancing equitable access to medical education and improving patient outcomes through evidence-based practice.
After earning a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Concordia University in Portland, Oregon, where he competed as a Division II collegiate soccer athlete, he earned both his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and Master of Biomedical Sciences (cum laude) from Kansas City University.
Johnson’s academic interests center on neurodegenerative disease and clinical outcomes research. His work has examined post-translational modifications of TDP-43 as a potential biomarker for conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, contributing to ongoing efforts in early detection and diagnosis. In addition to laboratory research, he has contributed to multiple clinical case reports spanning nephrology, hematology, oncology and surgical pathology, resulting in several peer-reviewed publications and presentations at regional and institutional conferences.
A committed leader and mentor, he founded the JUMPStart initiative with support from the KCU community to expose undergraduate students to medical school and careers in medicine. His work with JUMP-Start includes program development, institutional collaboration, and outcomes-based research.
Johnson has been recognized for both academic excellence and humanistic care, earning induction into the Gold Humanism Honor Society and Sigma Sigma Phi Honor Society. He has a strong commitment to mentorship, community service and diversity in medicine.
Graduate of the Last Decade Award | College of Osteopathic Medicine
Shruti Sharma, DO, FACP (KCU-COM Class of 2016)
Shruti Sharma, DO, FACP, is a hematologist and medical oncologist. A Kansas native, she graduated as valedictorian of her high school class before attending Texas A&M University, where she earned a degree in molecular and cellular biology, graduating summa cum laude.
She attended Kansas City University (KCU) College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM) and enjoyed working in the laboratory of Asma Zaidi, Phd, KCU professor of biochemistry Her research with Zaidi was recognized by the Chicago COM when she was awarded the Distinguished Research Achievement Award in 2017.
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During residency, she remained active in the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), serving on the Council on Osteopathic Continuing Medical Education and witnessing the transition to a single graduate medical education accreditation system between the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and the AOA. She later served as chief fellow during her hematology and medical oncology fellowship. Additionally, her research was published in the World Journal of Oncology and the Journal of Hematology.
Post graduation, she joined Texas Oncology. She is honored to serve her community and is invested in providing quality cancer care to all her patients.
Distinguished Legacy Award
G. Michael Johnston, DO, MACOI (KCU-COM 1973)
M. Michael Johnston, DO is a board-certified internist, nationally recognized educator and respected leader in osteopathic medicine whose career spanned more than five decades. A 1973 graduate of Kansas City College of Osteopathic Medicine (now Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine) he completed his internship and internal medicine residency at University Hospital, which was affiliated with the college at that time. He has dedicated much of his professional life to advancing osteopathic medical education and mentoring future physicians.
Johnston has served numerous leadership roles at Kansas City University (KCU) including associate provost for faculty and student success, and vice dean and campus dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kansas City. Through these roles, he helped shape curriculum, strengthen graduate medical education and influence the training of thousands of physicians. A gifted educator, he has been honored with the American Osteopathic Association Mentor Hall of Fame Award and the Robert G. Ricci, DO Outstanding Educator Award. He has also been recognized as a six-time recipient of the Teacher of the Year award by internal medicine residents at the former Park Lane Medical Center and Medical Center of Independence.
A leader within the osteopathic profession, Johnston is a Master of the American College of Osteopathic Internists. He held leadership roles with the American College of Osteopathic Internists (ACOI), the Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons (MAOPS), the Kansas City Regional Osteopathic Medical Association, the Southwest Clinical Society and the KCU Alumni Association, where he served as president. His many honors include ACOI Internist of the Year, the MAOPS Distinguished Service Award, the MAOPS Medallion Award, and Ingram's Heroes in Health Care Lifetime Achievement Award.
Throughout his career, Johnston has combined exceptional patient care with an unwavering commitment to teaching, mentorship and service. His lasting influence on generations of physicians and his dedication to Kansas City University and the osteopathic profession exemplify the enduring legacy of a KCU alumnus.
Alumni of the Year Award
Ryan Coute, DO (KCU-COM 2018)
A 2018 alumnus of the KCU College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ryan Coute, DO, is a physician-scientist and assistant professor of emergency medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). His research training includes a Sarnoff Cardiovascular Research Fellowship completed under the mentorship of Robert W. Neumar, MD, PhD, at the University of Michigan. His primary research focus is resuscitation science, with an emphasis on improving the treatment of sudden cardiac arrest.
Coute has authored 50 peer-reviewed manuscripts, including 25 as first or senior author. He has received 15 national research awards, including two American Heart Association (AHA) Young Investigator Awards, an AHA Best of the Best Award for Resuscitation Science and the 2025 Amy H. Kaji Early Investigator Award from the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine. He was recently named a James A. Pittman Scholar within the UAB Heersink School of Medicine and received the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research, becoming the first emergency physician to receive either distinction.
He is the principal investigator on multiple extramural grants, including an NIH K23 Career Development Award (perfect impact score of 10), an AHA Second Century Early Faculty Independence Award and a Zoll Foundation Early-Stage Research Award. He is ranked among the top 150 NIH-funded emergency medicine physicians in the United States, according to the Blue Ridge Institute.
Coute’s scholarship has translated into national service roles with AHA, including membership on the Advanced Life Support Guideline Writing Group and the ECC Science Subcommittee, as well as service as co-chair of the Research Sustainability Task Force. Regionally, he chairs the Alabama Sudden Cardiac Arrest Task Force and serves as director of research and innovation for the Birmingham Regional EMS System.
Star Spangled Banner Medallion
Colonel Patrick T. Birchfield, DO, MPH, MSS, FAOCOPM, FAsMA (KCU-COM Class of 2002)
Colonel Patrick T. Birchfield, DO, MPH, MSS, FAOCOPM, FAsMA, has been a member of the Armed Forces since 1990 and board-certified in aerospace medicine since 2006. After graduating from Kansas City University in 2002, he completed a transitional year internship at Eisenhower Army Medical Center and an aerospace medicine residency at the Naval Aerospace Medicine Institute. As an operational flight surgeon, Dr. Birchfield served two years in Afghanistan with the 101st Airborne Division during Operation Enduring Freedom.
Dr. Birchfield influenced Army leadership for generations as the senior professional military education instructor for all officers of the Army Medical Department, including physicians, nurses, veterinarians and dentists. As the chief of aeromedical consultation for Army Aviation, he and colleagues from the Navy, Air Force and Federal Aviation Administration developed and refined aeromedical policy with global implications.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Birchfield commanded the Army hospital system at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, collaborating with local, state, and federal authorities to support the health and safety of more than 275, 000 military beneficiaries.
Dr. Birchfield currently serves as command surgeon for the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, where works with the Army Astronaut Detachment the Human Spaceflight Performance Working Group and multiple federal agencies. He has served in numerous leadership roles within the American Osteopathic College of Occupational and Preventive Medicine (AOCOPM), including aerospace division and president. Recently appointed to the American Osteopathic Board of Preventive Medicine, he also represents AOCOPM on the Federal Air Surgeon’s airline emergency medical kit working group and serves as president of the American Society of Aerospace Medicine Specialists.
Alumni Service Award
M. Adele King, DO, FACOA, FAOCPr (KCU-COM 1965)
M. Adele King, DO, FACOA, FAOCPr, is a 1965 graduate of Kansas City University whose distinguished career in anesthesiology, proctology, medical education and professional leadership has spanned more than six decades. Dual board-certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Anesthesiology and the American Osteopathic Board of Proctology, she completed postgraduate training at Lakeside Hospital in Kansas City, including a preceptorship in proctology and residency in anesthesiology.
Dr. King built her career in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, where she held numerous leadership positions at Tahlequah City Hospital, including director of medical education, chief of staff and director of student rotations for anesthesia services. She also was a founder of the Tahlequah City Hospital Foundation.
Her commitment to education and the Tahlequah community extended to Northeastern State University, where she served on the advisory board for the President’s Leadership Class and the Board of Governors for the university’s Educational Foundation. She also served on the board of the Sequoyah Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to cultural enrichment through the performing arts.
A leader in osteopathic anesthesiology, Dr. King served on the American Osteopathic College of Anesthesiologists’ post-doctoral training committee and directed numerous midyear conferences. In 1997, she became the college’s first female president, serving from 1997-98. In recognition of her contributions to the profession, the American Osteopathic College of Anesthesiologists established the M. Adele King Professional Service Award in 2021. The award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to anesthesiology, public health, education, scientific discovery and/or leadership.
Throughout her career, Dr. King has demonstrated an enduring commitment to osteopathic medicine, medical education and her community. She has made Tahlequah her home for much of her professional life, cherishing the vibrant life she shared there with her late partner, Anne, until Anne’s death in 2017.
Rural Service Award
J. Andrew Bukaty, DO (KCU-COM Class of 2002)
J. Andrew Bukaty, DO is a family physician and health care leader whose career has been defined by a commitment to serving rural communities. Following his family medicine residency, he joined Docs Who Care, a physician-led organization dedicated to improving access to care in underserved areas across the Midwest. What began as an unexpected opportunity quickly became a calling, allowing him to combine his clinical expertise, leadership skills and passion for service in support of rural hospitals and health systems.
Over more than 21 years with Docs Who Care, Bukaty has provided care primarily in rural emergency department and hospitalist settings, helping sustain access to health care in communities that might otherwise have struggled to maintain local services. Since 2009, he has partnered with stakeholders in Osceola, Iowa, building long-term relationships focused on improving the health and well-being of the region.
In addition to his clinical work, Bukaty has held numerous leadership positions within Docs Who Care. Since 2010, he has provided leadership as a medical director at both the local and organizational levels. He currently serves as chief medical officer and as medical director for multiple partner facilities, helping guide the organization's clinical operations and mission.
A longtime supporter of children and families affected by cancer, Bukaty has volunteered at a summer camp in central Kansas since 2008. He also serves as the camp's medical director and is a founding board member of the nonprofit organization that supports its mission. Through his clinical care, leadership and volunteer service, Bukaty has remained committed to improving the lives of patients and communities throughout the rural Midwest.