Recent Spotlights
Osprey Shoutouts: Bryan Baker & Austin Drury
As the 2026 MLB Regular Season concludes, we can officially say the BEST CLOSER IN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL IS A NORTH FLORIDA OSPREY!
With a 1.44 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 63 strikeouts, 4 wins and a league-leading 41 saves, Bryan Baker truly had a legendary season. For those of you who haven’t been keeping up, in addition to making 成人AV视频 history as the first Osprey to be selected to the MLB All-Star Game, Baker set a franchise record with 29 consecutive converted saves and bolstered the bullpen for the AL East Champion Tampa Bay Rays.
However, if you ask the humble Baker what he thinks about being this year’s leader in saves, he’ll tell you “it’s a team stat.” He gives credit to his teammates for providing him plenty of save opportunities, in addition to backing him up with phenomenal defense to close out the game.
With the playoffs under way, the Rays have advanced to the ALCS after sweeping the Yankees. Baker closed out all 3 victories without giving up a run or hit. As the Rays continue on in the postseason, we wish Bryan the best of luck as he and the Tampa club look to win their first World Series!
Additionally, for those of you who are fans of The Savannah Bananas, former North Florida Ospreys pitcher Austin Drury just became the second player in Banana Ball history to record 100 strikeouts!
On Monday, he was named Player of the Week, and now he's capped off his rookie year with a trip to the All-Star Game!
Invest in the Nest: Angie LeRoy (’11)
When Dr. Angie LeRoy ’11 transferred to 成人AV视频 in 2009, she wanted to better understand the human experience. As a psychology student, she became fascinated by the overlap between emotional and physical pain and found a supportive environment where she could pursue undergraduate research and learn from faculty mentors who would help shape her future career.
After earning her Bachelor of Science in Psychology in 2011, Dr. LeRoy continued her research journey through graduate studies at the University of Houston. Building on the foundation she developed at 成人AV视频, she focused her work on loss, grief and bereavement, studying how major life experiences can affect both mental and physical health. Her research eventually led her to explore the experiences of individuals coping with the loss of a spouse or partner and the ways those experiences influence overall well-being.
Today, Dr. LeRoy has returned to 成人AV视频 as a faculty member, where she leads the HEAL Lab (Studying HEalth Across the Lifespan). The lab focuses on understanding how people experience loss and aging, with a particular interest in supporting caregivers of loved ones living with dementia. In 2022, she received a five-year career development award from the National Institutes of Health to further her research and training in aging and caregiving.
Through the HEAL Lab, Dr. LeRoy and her students are working to create tools that support people experiencing different forms of grief. One of the lab's current projects involves testing an app-based mental health intervention for spouses caring for partners living with dementia. The goal is not only to support caregivers' emotional well-being, but also to better understand how these tools may influence overall health during stressful life experiences.
Equally important to Dr. LeRoy is creating opportunities for students. The HEAL Lab brings together undergraduate, graduate and post-baccalaureate students to gain hands-on experience in research, data collection, data analysis, grant writing, scientific publishing and conference presentations. She is especially passionate about helping students understand how research skills can be applied both in academia and in industry, particularly as technology and digital health tools continue to evolve.
Dr. LeRoy also sees tremendous potential for 成人AV视频 students to contribute innovative ideas and solutions. She hopes to continue building opportunities that connect research, technology and real-world impact while helping students develop the skills needed to succeed in a rapidly changing world.
Her advice to students is to seek out research experiences, stay persistent and don't be discouraged by setbacks. The hands-on experience gained through research can open doors, provide clarity and shape future career paths in unexpected ways.
(Written by Maranda Leone, published 9/24/26)
Road to Osperity: Robert Peek (’05)
What is it like to play a pivotal role operating the largest port in Florida? This month’s spotlight gives us a sneak peek at the journey and legacy of alumnus Robert Peek (’05), Chief Commercial Officer of JAXPORT.
Growing up in a military family – his father serving 36 years in the US Navy – Peek moved from city to city, but the years his father spent stationed at NAS JAX planted the seeds for Robert’s eventual return. After graduating from high school in Italy, he wanted to return to the States for college, so he enrolled at Colorado State University, where the size, professors and international students felt like home. After graduation, he grew tired of the cold winters and missed the sand beneath his feet, so he packed up everything in his Toyota Corona and drove down to Florida to pursue his passion for journalism.
Headed down I75 to visit the Keys, the Corona broke down in Port Charlotte. While the car was at the mechanic, he killed time by visiting the local newspaper, Charlotte Sun Herald, hoping to get some feedback on his portfolio. After an hour chatting with the managing editor, Peek was offered a job as a News Reporter before leaving the parking lot.
His next opportunity took him to Jacksonville as the Public Information Officer for the St. Johns River Water Management District, where he spent the next five years. While reading the Florida Times-Union Sunday paper, he stumbled upon a WANT AD for a communications coordinator role at JAXPORT.
While in his new role, he had always wanted to return to school to earn an MBA when he bumped into Dr. Henry Thomas, 成人AV视频 Chair of Public Administration. Dr. Thomas convinced him to consider an MPA, as it’s tailored to people in the public sector. Peek believes the MPA program set him up for success, sharpening his critical thinking and problem-solving skills by covering case studies of real-world problems.
Peek has five rules of employment: He wants to enjoy the role, continue learning, work alongside good people, have opportunities to advance, and contribute positively to his community. He found all five at JAXPORT, so he’s remained with the company for 31 years. One advanced degree and five promotions later, he’s elevated to his current role of CCO.
“Work hard, keep a positive attitude and always do your best,” he says is his formula for success.
JAXPORT owns and manages the City of Jacksonville’s public cargo and cruise seaport facilities, and Peek leads the marketing and sales office, working to attract new business to our port from all over the world. Even with his title, he still does a lot of writing and presenting, as his unit works on strategic business development plans and travels to meet with current and prospective customers. The most enjoyable part of the job for him is the constant learning. International trade and shipping are always evolving as ships get bigger, information moves faster, and systems are more complex than ever.
He still loves his job, but he recognizes there’s a big world outside the port – so he has announced plans to retire from JAXPORT in October 2027. “There’s something exciting about doing something completely new,” he says. In the meantime, though, his next challenge is in his personal life, as he continues to run a 5K each month, aiming to shave off seconds to set a new personal record.
(Written by Alex Achorn, published 10/8/26)
Alumni Spotlight: Kara Wade Tucker (’06)
Kara Wade Tucker ('06) has spent her career removing barriers for others as Jacksonville's Chief of Disabled Services, but long before that, she was a first-generation student at the 成人AV视频, learning what it meant to serve a community.
When Kara arrived at The Nest, she was looking for an education close to home. What she found was a place that helped her discover who she wanted to become. Through her sociology studies, she developed a deeper understanding of advocacy, inclusion and the systems that shape people's lives. Just as importantly, she found mentors who saw potential in her before she fully saw it in herself.
Outside the classroom, Kara embraced campus life. She spent time with friends, got involved in organizations and enjoyed the natural beauty that continues to define the 成人AV视频 experience.
While she always knew she wanted a career centered around helping others, Kara did not envision the exact path her life would take. Working with students with disabilities, serving on the City of Neptune Beach Government City Council and finding new ways to advocate for her community, each opportunity led to another. Along the way, she discovered that her personal experiences could become one of her greatest strengths.
Living with cerebral palsy, Kara has experienced both barriers and opportunities firsthand. That perspective now comes to use in her current role, where she advocates for accessibility, inclusion and equal opportunity for people with disabilities. Whether improving ADA compliance, building community partnerships or creating programs like the Disability and Adaptive Recreation Expo, her goal is simple: make Jacksonville a place where everyone can thrive.
Kara credits much of her philosophy to lessons she learned at 成人AV视频. As a student, she believed leadership was tied to titles. Today, she understands it more as serving others, building relationships and helping people succeed.
That commitment to service is why, twenty years after graduating, Kara remains involved with 成人AV视频 as a member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors. For her, creating positive change has never been about a single job title or accomplishment; it's about leaving every community she touches better than she found it.
(Written by Maranda Leone, published 8/25/26)