People of Pitt State
Alumni
Ryan Bartlett, Benjamin Cochran, and Amber (Shaverdi) Huston will be honored with the Dr. Kenneth K. Bateman Outstanding Alumni Award. Lexington Peterson and Josh Thompson will be presented with the Gorillas of the Last Decade (GOLD) Alumni Award (formerly Good Apple Award).
Ryan Bartlett
Ryan Bartlett (BA ’03, Communication) is the senior producer of Digital Talent Production at FOX Sports in Los Angeles, California.
After graduating from Pitt State, he began his broadcast career. He worked at KMBC-TV, KOAM-TV, ESPN, and NFL Media where he served as digital line producer and managing producer. In his current role, Bartlett oversees the digital production of content for the NFL, MLB, WWE, Gambling and NASCAR.
He is a three-time Emmy Award Winner and a two-time winner of the Vision Award at ESPN for Creative Excellence, just to name a few.
Bartlett was appointed to the Pitt State Alumni Association Board of Directors in 2023. When he is back on campus at his alma mater, he can be found visiting with broadcasting students in the Department of Communication.
Bartlett grew up in Merriam, Kansas, and is a graduate of Shawnee Mission North.
Benjamin Cochran
Benjamin Cochran (MSN ’13, Family Nurse Practitioner & DNP ’16, Advanced Practice Nursing) is a board-certified family nurse practitioner at Labette Health’s Clinic in Altamont, Kansas.
Starting his nursing education at Labette Community College, he finished his Bachelor of Science in nursing at Wichita State University before attending the Irene Ransom Bradley School of Nursing at Pitt State, where he earned two advanced degrees.
In addition to practicing nursing, Cochran hosts a podcast called Just some Podcast for Nurse Practitioners, which he started in 2018.
He was awarded the Nurse Practitioner State Award for Excellence in Kansas from the American Association of Nurse Practitioners in 2021. Cochran also received the William & Allene Guthrie Van Meter Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award from LCC in 2023.
He is a member of the LCC Nursing Advisory Board, the LCC Foundation & Alumni Association Board, the Altamont City Council, is President of the Curious Minds Discovery Zone, and has coordinated Labette County Toys for Tots since 2013 with his wife, Audra.
Cochran grew up in Chetopa, Kansas. He has lived in Altamont for the last 17 years with his family.
Amber (Shaverdi) Huston
Amber (Shaverdi) Huston (BA ’05, Communication) is the executive director of the National Association for Campus Activities. She is the first female in NACA’s 64-year history to hold that role.
In addition, Huston is serving her second term as National President of Alpha Sigma Alpha Sorority. She has served Alpha Sigma Alpha in a variety of roles – as a volunteer, an advisor, and as an employee – since she graduated from Pitt State. She was initiated into the Eta Eta Chapter at Pitt State during her collegiate years.
In 2020, Eastern Illinois University honored Amber as an Outstanding Alumnus. She completed her Master of Science in Student Development at the University in 2008.
Huston serves on the Marriott International Customer Advisory Council and the Higher Education Consortium for Student Affairs Certification Board. She has volunteered for several fraternal, college/university and association programs serving as lead facilitator and presenter.
During her time at Pittsburg State, she was very involved on campus, including Alpha Sigma Alpha Sorority and Student Government Association. She earned many awards, such as Outstanding Leader of Campus, Jack H. Overman Leadership & Service Award, Outstanding Greek Woman, Golden Gorilla, and Homecoming Queen, just to name a few.
Huston grew up in Girard, Kansas. She and her family currently reside in Columbia, South Carolina.
Lexington Peterson
Lexington Peterson (BS ’21, Polymer Chemistry & BSET ’21, Plastics Engineering Technology) is the business development manager in the Automotive and Mobility division at ENGEL in Cincinnati, Ohio.
After graduating in 2021, Peterson joined the team at iMFLUX as a field process engineer. She then joined KraussMaffei as project manager in their injection molding division. At ENGEL, Peterson builds partnerships and advances a shared vision on the future of automotive and mobility markets with a special focus on sustainability and emerging technologies.
Peterson was named the 2023 Plastics New Rising Star and was an SPE Inspiring Plastics Professional at SPE ANTEC 2023.
As a woman in STEM, she encourages girls to follow their dreams and advocates for women in the industry. She has volunteered in several schools in the Cincinnati area, as well as organizations focusing on girls in STEM.
Peterson grew up in Amsterdam, Missouri.
Josh Thompson
Josh Thompson (BST ’17, Construction Management) is the owner and CEO of JT Companies in Pittsburg, Kansas.
JT Companies includes JT Construction and JT Home & Lawn. Thompson started JT Home & Lawn while he was a student at Pittsburg State. After graduation, Thompson joined Crossland Construction Company where he served as a field engineer and project manager.
In March 2020, he made the decision to step away from a secure, full-time job to operate on his own. Two days later, COVID shut the world down. Thompson kept working hard – focusing on concrete and metal building construction. During this time, he had only one full-time employee.
Over the last four years, the companies have experienced exponential growth. JT Companies now employes more than 30 employees. Thompson continues to hire Pitt State graduates to help him lead field operations and welcomes interns.
Thompson gives back to his alma mater in a multitude of ways. He serves on the School of Construction Leadership Council, is a proud sponsor of Pitt State Athletics, and gives back to several departments and groups through sponsorships.
In addition, he supports the community through service to the Salvation Army, The Lord’s Diner, Mt. Carmel Foundation, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Fold of Honor, just to name a few.
Thompson was born and raised in Pittsburg. He still lives in the community today with his wife, Amy.
