(From left) Codi Norred 17T, Sue Haupert-Johnson 95T, and Dominique Robinson 10T 11T stand with their Candler Distinguished Alumni Awards.
On October 23, Candler School of Theology honored three exceptional graduates with the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Awards, recognizing their faithful leadership, visionary scholarship, and lasting impact on the church, academy, and world.
The Distinguished Alumni Awards celebrate Candler graduates who embody the school’s mission through their service, creativity, and dedication to transforming communities. Awards are presented in three categories: Faithful and Creative Leadership, Lifetime Achievement, and Outstanding Young Alumnus.
Learn more about the 2025 honorees:
Codi Norred 17T received the Distinguished Alumni Award for Outstanding Young Alumnus in celebration of his visionary leadership in environmental justice, climate advocacy, and sustainability. As executive director of Georgia Interfaith Power and Light (GIPL), he leads statewide efforts to equip faith communities to care for creation and advance clean energy solutions. Norred co-founded the Southeast Faith Leaders Network and serves across numerous coalitions dedicated to ecological justice, including the Just Energy Circle and the Georgia Water Coalition. His leadership has been recognized through his appointments to the City of Atlanta’s Clean Energy Advisory Board and Emory University’s 40 Under Forty list. Through his work connecting faith and environmental advocacy—from Georgia to international contexts like Israel, Palestine, and Northern Ireland—Norred embodies the spirit of Candler’s mission, leading with courage, collaboration, and creativity.
The Rev. Dr. Dominique A. Robinson 10T 11T received the Distinguished Alumni Award for Faithful and Creative Leadership in recognition for her extraordinary contributions as a Womanist homiletician, visionary scholar, and courageous advocate for justice. The first African American full-time faculty member at the Seminary of the Southwest, her groundbreaking research led to the creation of iHomiletic™: Preaching that Clicks, a consulting service that equips faith leaders to engage technology and social media linguistics in preaching. Robinson’s pioneering work in digital homiletics, coupled with her leadership as inaugural dean of Julius S. Scott Sr. Chapel at Wiley College, continues to shape the next generation of preachers. An itinerant elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, she also serves as project manager for the AMEZ Compelling Preaching Initiative, developing resources that strengthen Black Methodist preaching traditions. Robinson’s prophetic scholarship, creativity, and commitment to faith-filled innovation exemplify Candler’s vision for leadership in a changing world.
Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson 95T received the Distinguished Alumni Award for Lifetime Achievement for her decades of mission-driven ministry and strategic leadership within The United Methodist Church. A summa cum laude graduate of Candler, Haupert-Johnson also holds a BS in business administration and a JD from the University of Florida. Before entering ministry, she practiced law as a federal clerk and litigator. Since her ordination, she has served congregations across Florida, led as North Central District Superintendent, and in 2016 was elected to the episcopacy—first serving the North Georgia Conference and currently the Virginia Conference since 2022. Widely regarded as a “missional strategist,” Haupert-Johnson has offered leadership across numerous denominational boards and educational institutions, including Emory University’s Board of Trustees. A gifted preacher, advocate, and bridge-builder, Bishop Haupert-Johnson’s ministry continues to inspire faithful service and courageous leadership across the global church.