The Legacy We Create Reaches Beyond UHCL

UHCL’s 2026 Alumni Celebration honored four people whose influence can be measured by what their work makes possible for others.

Legacy is often described through accomplishments, positions or awards. At the University of Houston-Clear Lake’s 2026 Alumni Celebration, a different measure emerged through the stories of four honorees: the students they encourage, the products they improve, the leaders they guide and the communities they serve.

UHCL recognized Heather Kanenberg, Ph.D., with the Outstanding Professor Award; Angie Avera, ’17 MS, with the Early Achievement Award; and James Robert Lay, ’04 BS, ’06 MBA, and Troy Finner, ’09 MA, with Distinguished Alumni Awards. The four were honored Oct. 16 during a Roaring ’20s-inspired evening at South Shore Harbour Resort and Conference Center.

Joe Staley, vice president for University Advancement, welcomed alumni, faculty, University leaders and community supporters by describing the celebration as an opportunity to reflect on achievement while taking pride in what UHCL represents: “opportunity, transformation and community.”

Those ideas were reflected in four careers that have unfolded in different settings but share an outward focus. Each recipient has used education, expertise or leadership to improve what someone else can experience or accomplish.

“The legacy of this University is reflected in the lives our graduates touch and the communities they strengthen,” UHCL President Richard Walker said. “Tonight’s honorees are extraordinary examples of that legacy in action.”

For Heather Kanenberg, Ph.D., legacy takes shape as students develop the confidence to contribute their ideas and recognize their capacity to help others. As program director and professor of social work in the College of Human Sciences and Humanities, she approaches teaching as a reciprocal relationship. Her students’ questions, experiences and commitment to their own development continually challenge her to make learning relevant to the people in front of her.

Her influence becomes most visible when students begin using their voices in the classroom, advocate for change or return from internships eager to describe how they applied what they learned. Kanenberg’s selection as Outstanding Professor reflects an approach that combines high expectations with genuine support, preparing social workers who will carry those values into agencies and communities throughout the region.

For Angie Avera, ’17 MS, the work begins with a similar commitment to understanding people. As senior manager of user research at Peloton Interactive, she helps ensure that technology is designed around how people think, behave and respond. Earlier in her career, she contributed to research supporting health and safety features at Apple, including fall and atrial fibrillation detection for Apple Watch.

The human factors preparation Avera received at UHCL taught her to move from observing behavior to translating evidence into decisions that product teams could use. Her Early Achievement Award recognizes a rapidly advancing career, but its significance extends beyond the products she has helped develop. Avera now leads researchers, mentors people entering the field and creates opportunities like those that helped her begin her own career.

JR Lay, ’04 BS, ’06 MBA, creates opportunity by helping financial-services leaders understand and respond to change. He began building his business while attending UHCL, and a connection made at a university event introduced him to his first credit union client. His work has since grown to include books, a podcast, consulting and international speaking focused on digital growth and the human behaviors that shape transformation.

His career has also required him to reconsider what growth means in his own life. Personal and professional challenges led Lay to examine familiar measures of success and rebuild his work around a clearer sense of purpose. That experience now informs the way he helps other leaders move forward amid uncertainty.

For Troy Finner, ’09 MA, education expanded his capacity to serve. He completed his master’s degree in criminology while working full-time with the Houston Police Department and taking on additional employment to support his family. The degree helped make his professional advancement possible, eventually leading him to serve as Houston’s chief of police and now as chief of the Missouri City Police Department.

Across more than three decades in law enforcement, Finner has treated trust as something built through presence, listening and respect. His approach recognizes that effective public service depends on understanding how people experience their communities, particularly during moments of conflict or loss.

Tyvia Moore, director of Alumni Relations, introduced the four recipients and welcomed previous honorees back to the celebration. The presence of past and current award recipients reflected a community connected across generations and professions.

“What an incredible group of Hawks who continue to make us proud,” Moore said after the final presentation.

That pride was accompanied by an invitation to remain involved. UHCL Alumni Association Board Chair Carlissa Runnels, ’11 MA, encouraged graduates to mentor students, attend events and volunteer their time, reminding those gathered that “there is a place and a role for everyone to contribute.”

The four honors recognized careers already distinguished by achievement, but the evening’s larger message concerned what comes next. A professor helps students discover their voices. A researcher develops technology around human needs. An entrepreneur helps leaders navigate change, and a police chief works to strengthen trust. Their legacy continues through the people who are better prepared, better supported or better served because of what they chose to do with their UHCL experience.