Baker, Hennink-Kaminski, Lidey and Noland named Grady Alumni Award honorees

Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2025 Alumni Awards, recognizing alumni who have established a tradition of service and achievement in their careers.

Recipients this year include:

John E. Drewry Young Alumni Award — Anne Noland (ABJ ’15), vice president of communications, Miami Dolphins

Professional Excellence Award — Marah Lidey (ABJ ’11), head of inclusive product, Pinterest

John Holliman, Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award — Eric Baker (ABJ ’90), senior creative director, Universal Creative

Distinguished Alumni Scholar Award — Heidi Hennink-Kaminski (PhD ’06), dean, College of Communication Arts and Sciences, Michigan State University

Alumni Award recipients will be recognized at the College’s annual recognition event, Grady Salutes: A Celebration of Achievement, Leadership and Commitment, on Friday, April 25, 2025, on the Schnitzer Family Media Lawn. The Grady Salutes luncheon will also honor inductees into the Grady Fellowship.

More information about each honoree can be found below:

Anne Noland joined the Miami Dolphins in 2021 and was named the club’s vice president of communications in March 2024. She has also spent time in roles with the New England Patriots, the Denver Broncos and the Tennessee Titans. In 2021, Noland was named to The Athletic’s NFL 40 Under 40 list, which highlights rising stars from coaching staffs, team personnel and business executives across the league. She graduated from Grady College with a degree in public relations and a Carmical Sports Media Certificate.

Marah Lidey has spent 15 years building and growing mission-driven brands. Prior to Pinterest, she was the co-founder and co-CEO of Shine, an award-winning mental health app backed by the New York Times. A strong advocate for inclusion and equity in tech, Lidey has been recognized on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list and continues to be a leading voice in both the startup and mental health communities. Lidey earned a degree in journalism and a Certificate in New Media.

Eric Baker’s current role at Universal Creative is serving as the senior creative director on The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Ministry of Magic™. His career spans almost three decades and includes not only multi award-winning theme park worlds at Universal Creative and Disney World, but also more than 20 years in film and television production. In addition to his work managing the props teams for Wizarding World of Harry Potter Hogsmeade™ and The Wizard World of Harry Potter Diagon Alley™, Baker has also served as creative director for Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. He has won numerous Themed Entertainment Association Awards (THEA) for his work. He graduated with a degree in what is now entertainment and media studies. As the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Baker will also be inducted into the Grady College Fellowship. 

Heidi Hennink-Kaminski‘s research focuses on interdisciplinary health communication, emphasizing social marketing strategies to promote healthy behaviors at both individual and community levels. Her research has been funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, among others. Before joining MSU in 2024, Hennink-Kaminski was an 18-year faculty member at the Hussman School of Journalism and Media at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she was the Hugh Morton Distinguished Professor.

Watch for more in-depth interviews coming soon.

Tickets for Grady Salutes can be purchased here.

Author: Sarah Freeman, freemans@uga.edu