Martin School announces Public Service Hall of Fame, Distinguished Alumni award winners
LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 14, 2026) — Each year, the University of Kentucky Martin School of Public Policy and Administration announces the Public Service Hall of Fame recipient and the Distinguished Alumni Award winner.
For 2026, Sally Hamilton will be inducted into the Kentucky Public Service Hall of Fame. Hamiliton is the chief administrative officer of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government. Her career in government service spans more than a half century.
Retired U.S. Navy Rear Adm. David Duttlinger will be honored with the Martin School’s 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award. Duttlinger is currently the executive director of the Bluegrass Area Development District.
Both will be honored during the annual Martin School Alumni and Friends Event ceremony 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 21, at the Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center.
Kentucky Public Service Hall of Fame
The nonpartisan Public Service Hall of Fame was established in 2012 by the Martin School Board of Visitors to “recognize Kentuckians who have demonstrated extraordinary public service to their communities and state.”
Hamilton will be the hall of fame’s 15th honoree. She began her career in state government in 1975 at the Kentucky Department of Local Government. She continued with positions in the Kentucky Finance and Administration Cabinet, Kentucky Educational Television and the Department of Education. After a brief retirement, she returned to work in the office of former State Auditor Crit Luallen. Hamilton joined the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government in 2011 as commissioner of general services. She has served as chief administrative officer for the past 13 years, working closely with two mayors — Jim Gray and Linda Gorton — as well as multiple members of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council. Hamilton earned her bachelor’s degree from Chatham University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She holds both a Master of Arts degree and Ph.D. in German studies from UK.
“Sally epitomizes the meaning of public service and leadership,” said Linda Breathitt, current chair of the Martin School Board of Visitors. “She is a shining example for others and most deserving of this recognition for her lifetime dedication to government service.”
Distinguished Alumni Award
The Distinguished Alumni Award was created in 2010 and is presented annually to a Martin School graduate who has demonstrated excellence in their chosen career path within public service.
Duttlinger is a 2002 graduate of the Martin School’s Master of Public Administration program. A Berea, Kentucky, native, he attended Vanderbilt University on a Navy ROTC scholarship, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. Upon graduation he was commissioned as an ensign and completed active duty tours in Public Works in Adak, Alaska, and with a Navy Construction Battalion in California.
Duttlinger joined the Bluegrass Area Development District (ADD) in 2007 as director of community and economic development. He was named executive director in 2013. While with the district, he continued serving in the U.S. Navy Reserves. He was promoted to rear admiral, U.S. Navy Reserves, in October 2022 to serve as the deputy commander for Naval Facilities Engineering Command. Later he assumed the role of deputy commander of the Naval Construction Forces, leading approximately 20,000 active duty and reserve Construction Battalions around the world. He retired from the Navy in 2025 after 33 years and was awarded the Legion of Merit for his service. In addition to his Martin School MPA, he also holds a Master of Science in environmental engineering from Stanford University.
“David Duttlinger is exactly the kind of leader this award was created to recognize — someone whose dedication to public service, both in leading the Bluegrass ADD and serving our nation as a rear admiral in the Navy Reserve, has been extraordinary,” said Spiro Maroulis, director of UK’s Martin School. “We are proud that the Martin School was a part of his journey, and even prouder to celebrate his remarkable career with this honor."
RSVP for the Martin School's Alumni and Friends reception at martin.uky.edu/events/2026-alumni-friends-reception.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and healthcare. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $1.02 billion research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.