Kristin Farmer (M.Ed.), San Diego, Calif. :: received the 2016 Distinguished Service Award from Heart of Autism, a Dallas-area nonprofit. The award was presented at the Heart of Autism Masquerade Ball last fall at the Eldorado Country Club in McKinney. The organization raises funds for families who cannot afford autism services as well as research into autism spectrum disorder. She founded ACES, providing multidisciplinary services to people with autism across the United States, and is the benefactor of UNT’s Kristin Farmer Autism Center. She also is involved with the Young Presidents Organization, Chi Omega and Girl Scouts and is a member of the UNT Founders Circle.