The American Society of Radiologic Technologists will award Life Member status to two members during the ASRT Annual Governance and House of Delegates Meeting in Orlando, Florida, on June 28.

The Society’s newest Life Members are Catherine Kukec, B.M.E., R.T.(R)(M)(QM)(BD), CN-BI, FASRT, and Bettye Wilson, M.A.Ed., R.T.(R)(CT), RDMS, FASRT.

Life Member Award

Established in 1938, Life Members are active ASRT members who have maintained continuous membership for at least 30 years and have participated in a wide range of activities that demonstrate sustained superior performance in support of the ASRT and the radiologic science profession. Candidates who receive the honor are selected by at least a three-quarters vote of the ASRT Board of Directors.

Life Member

Catherine M. Kukec,
B.M.E., R.T.(R)(M)(QM)(BD), CN-BI, FASRT

Catherine M. Kukec, B.M.E., R.T.(R)(M)(QM)(BD), CN-BI, FASRT, joined ASRT in 1991. Her ASRT leadership roles include serving as speaker of the House and vice speaker of the House. In addition, she has served on the Commission on Education, Reference Committee on Education Administration and Advocacy Committee. She has been a contributing writer for ASRT Scanner since 2005 and is an ASRT Leadership Academy graduate. She is a dedicated advocate and was awarded the ASRT Outstanding Grassroots Advocacy Award in 2005. Kukec was elevated to ASRT Fellow in 2013. She holds an associate degree in radiologic technology from the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, and a bachelor’s degree in music education, certified K-12, from DePaul University in Chicago.

Kukec became a registered radiologic technologist in 1988 and has been a diagnostic radiographer for Chicago Ridge Medical Imaging in Chicago Ridge, Illinois, since 2017. She spent 19 years working for Adventist LaGrange Memorial Hospital in LaGrange, Illinois, as a radiologic technologist, patient care navigator, quality education specialist and clinical instructor. She also was the lead vascular interventional technologist at Edward Hospital in Naperville, Illinois. Kukec has presented at the Illinois State Society of Radiologic Technologists annual conferences and for numerous affiliate societies’ annual conferences between 1999 and 2017. She continues to contribute to education by serving as an adjunct faculty member and clinical instructor at the College of DuPage.

Kukec has been a member of the ISSRT for 38 years and has held positions including board chair, president, vice president, affiliate delegate, secretary and annual conference chair. She also served as chair for the legislative, nominations and mentor committees, and became a life member of the ISSRT in 2007. She is equally committed to her community and volunteers with the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society. She is a DuPage County Pads volunteer, assisting with overnight shelter and meal distributions for the area’s homeless population. She is also an accomplished flutist and is a member of the West Suburban Flute Orchestra.

Bettye Wilson,
M.A.Ed., R.T.(R)(CT), RDMS, FASRT

Bettye Wilson, M.A.Ed., R.T.(R)(CT), RDMS, FASRT, joined ASRT in 1993 and her contributions reflect a legacy of service and excellence to the profession and within the ASRT community. Wilson became a registered technologist with the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists in 1970. At ASRT, she has held volunteer roles as a mentor for the Student to Leadership Development Program and the Diversity Leadership Development Program, which evolved into the Health Equity Leadership Academy, and she continues to serve in the Professional Mentorship Program. In addition, she served in the House of Delegates as delegate, vice chair and chair for the ASRT Sonography Chapter. She was elevated to ASRT Fellow in 2004.

Wilson earned a master’s degree in education in allied health sciences from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and completed the university’s master teacher program.

She is an associate professor emerita at the UAB and was vice president of the UAB African American Faculty Association, participated on multiple committees focused on faculty affairs and minority recruitment and contributed to the UAB Commission on the Status of Women. At the UAB School of Health Professions, she held positions as associate professor, assistant professor, clinical instructor, sonography coordinator and computed tomography coordinator spanning 32 years. At Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions in Boston, she was an adjunct associate professor and served as an instructor for the advanced placement track radiography program for Pima Medical Institute.

Wilson held ARRT leadership positions from 2003-2007, including president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, contributor to the ethics review board and ARRT Board of Trustees member.

Active at the state level, she is a member of the Alabama Society of Radiologic Technologists having served as president, chairman of the board and editor of the Bama Rays. She became an ALSRT life member in 2003. She also was the co-founder, president and vice president of the Panhandle Society of Radiologic Technologists in Panama City, Florida, in the 1970s.

ASRT will recognize the honorees at the Honors Evening ceremony at the annual governance meeting in Orlando, Florida, on June 28.