Executive Leadership

Our program leaders have collective expertise in all areas of the Honors experience, from course development and advising to study abroad and experiential learning. An accessible, hands-on group, this enterprising team connects directly with students and faculty across campus to shape and guide our program at all levels.

Start scrolling or click a name below to jump to a profile.

Dr. Melissa L. Johnson, Interim Director
Regan Garner, Associate Director
Dr. Kristy Spear, Assistant Director for Honors Experiential Learning

Dr. Melissa L. Johnson

Interim Director

mjohnson@honors.ufl.edu

Contact for:

Primary point of contact for the program
Honors strategic initiatives and planning
Campus partnerships and outreach
Teaching for Honors and other faculty involvement
Fundraising, annual giving, and stakeholder engagement
Honors news and communications, including website
Special events

Dr. Melissa L. Johnson (“Dr. J”) has led the Honors Program as Interim Director since 2022, although she has been part of the program for more than 2 decades. She previously served as the Senior Associate Director, among other roles.

A lifelong “honors” student, Dr. Johnson closely identifies with our high achieving student population - both from the perspective of seeking academic challenge and growth, as well as demonstrating a formidable drive for success in and out of the classroom. Her own experiences as an undergraduate honors student, top merit scholar, and award-winning student leader continue to contribute to her ability to understand, support, and yes, challenge the students in UF Honors with intention.

Dr. Johnson has built a national reputation as a leading expert in honors advising and co-curricular engagement through both scholarship and leadership within the profession. She has created and facilitated national institutes to train honors advisors from across the country, including those from peer and aspirational peer institutions. She has served on journal editorial boards, received grant funding, and written multiple publications tied to the undergraduate honors experience. Her expertise is also in-demand as an external consultant and reviewer for honors programs and colleges throughout the U.S.

A former member of the Board of Directors for the National Collegiate Honors Council, past president of the Florida Collegiate Honors Council, and past national chair of the Advising High Achieving Students Advising Community through NACADA, Dr. Johnson has leveraged her platform to advocate for enhanced honors advising, robust honors student engagement, and professional honors staff support for more than a decade. In 2018 she was the second youngest ever (at the time) to be elected to Fellow status by the National Collegiate Honors Council, in recognition of her deep contributions to the local, state, and national conversations about honors education.

Beyond the Honors Program, Dr. Johnson has served on numerous university committees over the past 20 years, including Academic Assessment (co-chair), University Libraries (chair), Faculty Senate (senator and steering committee), and Infrastructure Council. As a member of Phi Beta Kappa (Epsilon of North Carolina), she has held leadership roles on the executive board for the UF, Beta of Florida chapter, including as president.

Dr. Johnson earned her Bachelor of Arts in Classical Studies with a focus on Ancient Greek Civilizations, and a double-major in History from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Her majors were a direct result of a love of ancient civilizations and many, many years of taking Latin starting from when she attended a classical magnet middle school. At UNCG she was a Katharine Smith Reynolds merit scholar, member of the honors program, and a magna cum laude graduate. She earned her master’s degree from the same institution, focusing on Higher Education Administration, after she changed her mind about applying to law school. While working with UF Honors, she completed her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on Educational Technology from the UF College of Education in 2012. Her dissertation research centered around perspectives of early adopters in online honors education which was quite controversial at the time!

Off campus Dr. J can be found with her 11 year old greyhound, Kenzie, who has retired from her various roles as a former racer in Orlando, certified therapy dog for Honors, and canine blood donor at UF Vet Med. She also reads extensively for fun as a way to relax, with almost 300 books logged so far in 2025. And finally, Dr. J is a lifelong Parrothead, which she got to put on full display by teaching an UnCommon Arts course about Jimmy Buffett in Fall 2024!

Awards:

Fellow of the National Collegiate Honors Council, 2018
Field and Fork Faculty Teaching Fellow, 2017-2018
Faculty Honoree, UF Anderson Scholars, 2008, 2011-2014, 2016
Professional Advisor of the Year for Undergraduate Affairs, 2015
Outstanding UF Service Learning Faculty of the Year, 2009
Outstanding New Advisor Certificate of Merit, NACADA Region 4, 2007

Regan Garner

Associate Director

rlgarner@ufl.edu

Contact for:

Internal scholarship questions (Lombardi/Stamps, Davis UWC)
Study abroad advising
Social justice/activism opportunities
Phi Kappa Phi
UFIC Study Abroad Faculty Advisory Committee Member

Regan Garner is an Associate Director for the Honors Program. She serves as the coordinator for the Honors’ selective internal scholarship programs: the Davis United World College Scholars Program, the John V. Lombardi Scholarship Program and the Stamps Scholars Program. Regan believes the tenacity, motivation and curiosity of these scholarship recipients demonstrates how to thrive in an increasingly complex world, which she is proud to support.

Previously, Regan worked as an Assistant Director and National Merit Scholar Recruiter in the UF Office of Admissions. She’s a double Gator with a BA in Classical Studies and M.Ed. in Social Foundations of Education. Vast past experience as study abroad program director and Fulbright Program Advisor make Regan a great resource for all Honors students interested in studying abroad.

Outside of Honors, Regan is deeply involved in the community. She is a leader in the Gainesville chapter of National Women’s Liberation, active member of the Alachua County Labor Coalition, the Civic Media Center, the Gainesville Anti-Fascist Committee, and United Faculty of Florida at UF.

Also: Regan has deep knowledge of local restaurants, cultural happenings, and outdoor activities. Wondering where to find, say the best tacos in town? Ask Regan!

Additional Information:

Phi Kappa Phi Chapter President
UF International Educator of the Year Award 2016

Dr. Kristy Spear

Assistant Director for Honors Experiential Learning

kspear@honors.ufl.edu

Contact for:

Seeking or promoting experiential learning opportunities
(Un)Common peer instructors
Internship credit
SHO and creating new Honors student organizations
(Un)Common Classrooms
Mindfulness Learning Community
Honoring the Ocean

Dr. Kristy Spear is the Assistant Director for Honors Experiential Learning. She supports Honors students by creating and curating opportunities for purposeful engagement and active experimentation both in and out of the traditional classroom. Dr. Spear finds it rewarding to champion honors students as they seek and engage in uniquely meaningful experiences that foster intellectual and personal growth.

Dr. Spear is an alumna of the University of Florida, earning a Master's degree in Education Leadership, a Doctorate in Educational Technology, and a graduate certificate in Digital Humanities. She also holds an interdisciplinary Bachelor of Science in Health and Communication. Her research interests include wellbeing and designing educational experiences that foster learning and engagement for high-achieving students. Formerly, she served as chair of the Advising High Achieving Students Community through the National Academic Advising Association.

Before joining Honors in 2014, Dr. Spear supported the career development of students and faculty with roles in human resources and career services. Her interest in career development may be a product of her own unique employment history, which includes ballroom dance instructor, Halloween Horror Nights Scareactor and pyrotechnician.