FSU PC names four Notable Noles for 2025

Florida State University Panama City has announced the 2025 Notable Noles. This year’s four honorees include Alex Burgans, Cheryl Flax-Hyman, Catie Feeney and Lesley Miller.

A campus tradition since 1996, the award is given to FSU Panama City alumni who demonstrated excellence as students and have made outstanding contributions to the community and within their careers. Including this year’s honorees, FSU Panama City has recognized 99 Notable Noles in the past 29 years.

ALEX BURGANS

Alex Burgans earned his Master of Science in Systems Engineering from FSU Panama City in May 2020. He was a member of the inaugural cohort of a pioneering academic–government partnership established between the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division and the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. The program was designed to equip working professionals with advanced systems engineering expertise essential to defense innovation and regional economic growth.

Burgans currently serves as project manager for the Airborne Mine Neutralization System—a mission-critical weapon system employed by the U.S. Navy. 

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Burgans is a world-class triathlete. After a decade of disciplined training, he placed fifth in his age group at the 2024 Ironman Florida, earning a coveted qualification for the 2025 Ironman World Championship in Nice, France. In September, he became a World Championship finisher on what is one of the most demanding Ironman courses in the world.

“Training allows me to fully unplug from life’s daily stresses,” Burgans said. “Balance is key—time with family, my fiancée and doing things I enjoy is what allows me to keep going.”

Dedicated to giving back to his community through education, Burgans tutors high school students in challenging subjects such as chemistry, trigonometry and calculus. He credits the encouragement of his middle and high school teachers for sparking his passion for math and science and hopes to continue paying that mentorship forward.

Burgans expressed deep appreciation for Dean Randy Hanna, who played a pivotal role in his decision to attend FSU Panama City: “Dean Hanna kept in touch with me while I was completing my undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering at the University of Alabama,” Burgans said. “He was developing a master’s program for Panama City and wanted to make sure I was part of it. We are blessed to have him as our dean—he never forgets a face and more importantly, he remembers everyone’s story.”

A lifelong Seminole, Burgans credits his parents for instilling in him a deep connection to FSU. “My mom earned three degrees from Florida State, so I’ve always been a Seminole. Honestly, I never really knew there was another option. She was recognized as a Notable Nole in 2010, and I think it’s pretty special to now be a part of a mother-son Notable Nole duo.”

Burgans was nominated by Dustin Stokesbary, Vice President at Centennial Bank and a 2019 Notable Nole. “Alex embodies what it means to be a Notable Nole,” Stokesbary said. “His life reflects the values Florida State University strives to instill—excellence, service, and resilience.”

CHERYL FLAX-HYMAN

Cheryl Flax-Hyman is the executive vice-president of Gulf Coast State College. She previously served as the head of Institutional Effectiveness & Strategic Planning at GCSC, focusing on strategic planning, accreditation and articulation agreements, and she served as president of the college in 2022-23.

Flax-Hyman holds a bachelor's degree in Speech Communication from the University of Maryland, a master's degree in Educational Leadership & Administration from FSU Panama City, and a doctorate of education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of West Florida.

She said the proximity of FSU PC to home and work, combined with the quality of instruction, made it a natural choice for graduate school. “My favorite class—hands down—was Legal Aspects of Higher Education,” she added. “Dr. Terry Leas was the professor, and the class would be so heavily involved in discussing case studies that we would lose track of time and run over every class session, causing Dr. Leas to almost miss the van heading back to Tallahassee.”

At that time, professors from FSU Tallahassee traveled to Panama City by van several times a week to lead classes. She also had a Rotary Fellowship to Australia, during which she studied that country’s educational system and best practices.

Flax-Hyman added that she was “incredibly grateful to all the support I received from my family, colleagues, and Gulf Coast State College for the opportunity to earn an advanced degree.”

Since joining GCSC in 1985, Flax-Hyman has worked in the areas of leadership training, economic development and student support services. In 2022, she was named Gulf Coast’s interim president; however, the college’s District Board of Trustees later removed the qualifier and retroactively established her as GCSC’s first female president.

She was nominated for recognition as a Notable Nole by GCSC’s current president, Glen McDonald. 

She was described as “an exemplary leader regarded with utmost respect and beloved by all,” according to the plaque she received from the GCSC District Board of Trustees. She was also honored with the Distinguished Service Award, the highest honor bestowed by the board, for her 40 years of dedicated service.

CATIE FEENEY

Catie Munns Feeney of DeFuniak Springs serves as the Operations Coordinator for Walton County Emergency Management, where she oversees training, planning and operations that help safeguard her community before, during and after disasters. A two-time graduate of Florida State University, Feeney earned her bachelor of science in Criminology in 2014 and master of science in Corporate and Public Communication from FSU Panama City in 2018.

“What first brought me to FSU Panama City was a combination of life and timing — my husband, John, and my career,” Feeney said. “But what made me stay and ultimately pursue my graduate degree here was the incredible sense of community and the personal investment the faculty and staff have in their students. The way professors truly know their students, care about their success, and invest in their growth both personally and professionally has motivated me to share the good work of FSU PC.”

After earning her undergraduate degree, Feeney served as senior admissions officer and later as an academic advisor at FSU. College of Applied Studies advisor Angela Sexton encouraged her to pursue her master’s degree.

“I often say that if I had known about FSU Panama City when I was touring schools, I would have chosen to complete my undergraduate degree here, too,” Feeney said. “It’s a place that believes in you, challenges you and celebrates your success right alongside you.” Feeney received Special Congressional Recognition for her work as public information officer for the Bay County Emergency Operations Center during and after Hurricane Michael, and was later honored with the Key to the City of Live Oak for her contributions to Suwannee County’s response and recovery from hurricanes Idalia, Debby and Helene. In 2025, she received the Florida Emergency Preparedness Association Service Award.

Deeply rooted in community service and leadership, Feeney volunteers with the Walton County Community Emergency Response Team and serves on the Board of Directors for the Matrix Community Outreach Center.

During her master’s program, Feeney was assigned to produce a communications audit for a real client, which introduced her to Ron Sharp, the executive director of what was then the St. Andrew Bay Center. Feeney later served on the center’s board of directors, taking a leadership role as it went through the rebranding process and became The Arc of the Bay. Sharp nominated Feeney for Notable Nole recognition.

“This experience profoundly reshaped how I approach my role in emergency management,” she said. “It highlighted the importance of protecting and serving our county’s most vulnerable populations. … What began as a class assignment evolved into a life lesson, instilling perspective and purpose that continue to guide me every day.”

LESLEY MILLER

A resident of Lynn Haven, Lesley Miller recently retired as the chief accounting officer of Summit Bank. She received her bachelor of science in Accounting from FSU Panama City in 1986 and became a Certified Public Accountant 1999. She serves on the board of directors of Covenant Christian School in Panama City, a role she has enjoyed for nearly a decade, and she endowed a family education scholarship at FSU Panama City.

“I attended FSU PC primarily due to its reputation for excellence and the fact I could stay in Panama City,” she said. “I appreciated the small class size and the fact that we had the same instructors as the main campus. When I attended from ‘83 to ‘86 the professors commuted daily from Tallahassee.”

Miller had a long and distinguished career in the banking and credit union industry, rising up the corporate ladder to serve as the chief financial officer at one local credit union, and the senior vice president/CFO at another before joining Summit Bank. Now that she’s retired, she enjoys spending time with family and friends without worrying about a schedule.

“I love going to the gym, traveling, reading, learning card games, learning mahjong and especially enjoy attending concerts all over the country with my son,” she said. “My son and I have attended over 20 Billy Strings concerts. We have become somewhat of a groupie!”

“Over the years, Lesley has been an excellent representative of a Florida State University alumnus,” said Karen Hurst, a 2018 Notable Nole who retired from Innovations Financial Credit Union, who nominated Miller. She added, “She is an intelligent, dedicated, hard-working individual committed to her family, community and profession. I am very proud to have called her my good friend and colleague.”

Miller said she would encourage anyone who is considering college to attend FSU PC, if they desire a quality education. It is something of a family tradition, she said, as her brother, two nieces (and the husband of one of her nieces) all attended FSU PC. 

“As a matter of fact, my son, Ryan Miller, will be a 2026 graduate of FSU PC,” Miller added. “He will graduate with a degree in Financial Planning.”