Moody College of Communication honored some of its most revered community members Friday at its annual Friends of the College Awards Ceremony.

The event, held each fall, brings together faculty, staff, students, alumni and supporters to recognize accomplishments from the past year and to salute the people who make Moody College exceptional.

This year, the college handed out three awards.

The Robert C. Jeffrey College Benefactor Award, which is named for the college’s third dean and goes to people who have given time or resources to the college, was given to The University of Texas at Austin Vice President and Lois and Richard Folger Athletics Director Chris Del Conte. Del Conte helped create the Moody College student-focused broadcasting and production program Bevo Video Productions and was instrumental in Texas's acceptance into the Southeastern Conference.

This year’s Outstanding Alumni Award went to Dina Gerson, who earned her bachelor’s in advertising from UT Austin and worked for the Coca-Cola Company for 30 years, including heading up their Olympic marketing.

The Jay M. Bernhardt Award for Staff Excellence, which honors a staff member who has gone above and beyond to make a significant impact at the college, was given to Christie Hodge, the director of graduate programs. Hodge helped launch Moody College’s Option III program, which includes a certificate and master’s degree.

Learn more about the winners below. 

Chris Del Conte

2024 Robert C. Jeffrey College Benefactor Award

Chris Del Conte has served as The University of Texas at Austin Vice President and Lois and Richard Folger Athletics Director since 2017. During this time, he has spearheaded some of the most notable projects that have placed Texas at the forefront of college athletics, including the major renovation of the South End Zone of Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium and the brand-new home for Texas Men’s and Women’s Basketball and the premier destination for concerts and events, the Moody Center. Working alongside campus and UT System leadership, Del Conte played a critical role in Texas's acceptance into the Southeastern Conference. With Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director Drew Martin, Del Conte helped create Bevo Video Productions, a collaboration between Moody College and Texas Student Media that gives UT students hands-on production experience. Bevo Video students have the unique opportunity to work on the field, on the court, and behind the scenes as they participate in video board productions at more than 100 live athletic events annually.

Dina Gerson

2024 Outstanding Alumni Award

Dina graduated from UT with a bachelor’s in advertising in 1984 and worked for The Coca-Cola Company for more than 30 years, rising from promotions manager to director of Olympic marketing. During her time with the company, she curated special events, oversaw promotional production shoots, served as an Olympic subject matter expert, and managed more than 100 athletes chosen to serve as the face of the company, including Simone Biles, Missy Franklin and Alex Morgan, as well as Texas Exes Jordan Spieth and Sanya Richards Ross. Gerson worked on 12 Olympic Games, 10 Final Fours, five Olympic Torch Relays, two Super Bowls, the FIFA World Cup and the Special Olympics World Games. She continues to serve as an Olympic marketing consultant for two Team USA Olympic sponsors. In addition to these professional accomplishments, Gerson was instrumental in connecting Moody College with the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, which ultimately led to its grant to establish the renowned Arthur M. Blank Center for Stuttering Education and Research. The center has helped hundreds of people who stutter to better communicate.

Christie Hodge

2024 Jay M. Bernhardt Award for Staff Excellence

Christie Hodge has been with Moody College for 10 years and currently serves as the director of graduate programs, where she oversees the college’s graduate degrees and manages the distribution of more than half a million dollars in fellowships to Moody’s graduate students annually. She serves as a critical liaison between students, faculty, graduate advisors and coordinators, and graduate programs and the graduate school. Hodge played a crucial role in getting Moody’s Option III programs off the ground. These programs allow a unique group of graduate students to gain skills in strategic communication, sports communication, and communication leadership. Hodge was also recognized this year by her peers with the Moody College Staff Impact Award. Her coworkers noted that she has a deep understanding of how the college and graduate school work. They described her as professional, warm, supportive of students, and attentive to the needs of both faculty and staff.