Northwestern Employees ‘Walk Around Oklahoma’ More Than 10 Times Over

July 23, 2026

Five Northwestern Oklahoma State University employees, members of the Red-Hot Chili Steppers walking team, smile together on the steps outside the Administration Building on the Alva campus. Back row, left to right: Cheryl Ellis and Stacy Sanborn. Front row: Alexa Yost, Tara Hannaford and Jaime Johnson.
Members of the Red-Hot Chili Steppers, the winning team in the J.R. Holder Wellness Center's Walk Around Oklahoma challenge, are (back row, left to right): Cheryl Ellis, human resources director; Stacy Sanborn, administrative assistant to the vice president for academic affairs; (front row, left to right) Alexa Yost, payroll clerk; Tara Hannaford, financial aid director; and Jaime Johnson, payroll accountant.

ALVA, Okla. — Northwestern Oklahoma State University employees combined to walk, run and hike 16,769.87 miles this spring — far enough to travel from Alaska into South America — during a three-month wellness challenge that traced the 1,450-mile perimeter of Oklahoma.

The J.R. Holder Wellness Center challenge, called Walk Around Oklahoma, ran from April 1 through June 30. Eight teams of five full-time faculty and staff members from Northwestern's Alva, Enid and Woodward campuses tracked their daily physical activity toward the shared goal.

The winning team, the Red-Hot Chili Steppers, covered 2,607.52 miles. Team members included Cheryl Ellis, human resources director; Tara Hannaford, financial aid director; Jaime Johnson, payroll accountant; Stacy Sanborn, administrative assistant to the vice president for academic affairs; and Alexa Yost, payroll clerk. Johnson was named the team's most valuable participant.

Red-Hot Chili Steppers — 2,607.52 miles (MVP: Jaime Johnson)
Roaming Rangers — 2,557.3 miles (MVP: Dana Roark, instructor of business)
The Pace Makers — 2,453.32 miles (MVP: Brad Janney, intercampus courier/ITV facilitator)
Rangers on the Run — 2,442.6 miles (MVP: Kaylyn Hansen, director of assessment and institutional effectiveness)
Shockley Steppers — 1,885.04 miles (MVP: Dr. Tim Maharry, professor of mathematics)
Holy Walkamolies — 1,758.01 miles (MVP: Shannon Warnock, instructor of education)
Red Dirty Ramblers — 1,653.77 miles (MVP: Kennedy Dietz, Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association marketing and communications manager)
Team Books — 1,412.32 miles (MVP: Dr. Shannon Leaper, library services director)

Yellow retro-style “Walk Around Oklahoma” graphic featuring a vintage roadside sign, a map of Oklahoma marked with pins for each of the eight participating teams, and two illustrated figures walking near the top of the state.
Eight employee teams combined to cover 16,769.87 miles during the “Walk Around Oklahoma” 2026 walking challenge sponsored by the J.R. Holder Wellness Center. (Graphic: J.R. Holder Wellness Center)

If the group's combined mileage were plotted on the Pan-American Highway starting at Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, the group would have traveled deep into southern Argentina. The full highway spans an estimated 18,600 to 19,000 miles.

The challenge is one of several wellness initiatives the wellness center offers throughout the year for full-time faculty and staff, funded through Blue Cross Blue Shield.

The J.R. Holder Wellness Center is open to the public and is located on the Northwestern-Alva campus. The wellness center is open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday (closing at 8 p.m. Fridays in June and July); 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays; and 4 to 8 p.m. Sundays.

Membership information is available on the J.R. Holder Wellness Center webpage; additional updates can also be found on the wellness center Facebook page. For more information, contact Dr. Olivia Lohmann, director of the wellness center, at 580-327-8109 or oayandel@nwosu.edu.

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Media Contact:
Sean J. Doherty, University Relations Specialist
Email: sjdoherty@nwosu.edu
Phone: 580-327-8480