For Immediate Release
Contact: ARRT Strategic Communications
651.687.0048
communications@arrt.org
(July 16, 2025) — The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) is pleased to announce the three Registered Technologists (R.T.s) who earned honors in this year’s I Am the Gold Standard program. They are:
- Asher Street Beam, DHA, R.T.(R)(MR)(ARRT), MRSO
- Chandler L. Collins, MSRS, R.T.(T)(MR)(ARRT), CPHQ
- Kevin Duncan, MSRS, R.R.A., R.T.(R)(ARRT), RDMS, RVT
About the Honorees
Asher Street Beam is a professor and program director for the Master of Science in Magnetic Resonance Imaging program in the School of Health Related Professions at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi. The recipient of numerous honors and awards, Asher exemplifies the highest standards of excellence in medical imaging. Her career in education has profoundly influenced patient outcomes and the advancement of the field through research collaborations and contributions. Asher was instrumental in creating the first and only programmatically accredited master’s level MRI degree in the country, with a focus on preparing the next generation of technologists to perform at the highest level of quality and safety.
Chandler L. Collins is a radiation therapist in the Proton Therapy Center at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. Chandler has made significant contributions to the field over the past seven years, earning widespread respect and recognition. Among his many accomplishments, Chandler was instrumental in opening a second proton therapy center, where he developed policies, clinical workflows, training materials, and created quality assurance (QA) devices. He also serves as the elected co-lead of the Quality & Safety branch of MD Anderson’s Radiation Therapy Shared Governance model. In addition, he’s an adjunct professor of Radiation Biology & Safety at Cambridge College of Healthcare & Technology.
Kevin Duncan is a registered radiologist assistant at the University of Kentucky Healthcare in Lexington, Kentucky. During his 16-year tenure as radiology lead sonographer, Kevin has been a strong advocate for patient care, trained hundreds of students and colleagues in sonography, and played a crucial role in developing the ultrasound scanning rotation for radiology residents. He also serves as an elected member of the University of Kentucky's Staff Senate. Kevin received his Master of Science-Radiologist Assistant degree in 2024 from Midwestern State University despite undergoing open heart surgery and a long recovery period. After earning his R.R.A. credential earlier this year, he became the first registered radiologist assistant at University of Kentucky Healthcare and plans to grow the radiologist assistant service line to better serve the needs of the local community.
Asher Street Beam, DHA, R.T.(R)(MR)(ARRT), MRSO, Kevin Duncan, MSRS, R.R.A., R.T.(R)(ARRT), RDMS, RVT, Chandler L. Collins, MSRS, R.T.(T)(MR)(ARRT), CPHQ
About the Awards Program
A committee of ARRT staff R.T.s select the I Am the Gold Standard winners. The three will receive a cash prize to use toward their professional or personal development goals.
Each year, the honor goes to R.T.s who meet one or more of the following criteria:
- Quality and Safety: Led or significantly contributed to measurable improvements in patient care and safety.
- Patient Experience: Consistently provided stellar patient experiences that exceeded expectations, or led patient experience efforts that resulted in measurable improvements.
- Advocating for the Profession: Demonstrated a substantial commitment to the profession by achieving significant accomplishments outside of work responsibilities.
You can learn more about these outstanding registered technologists in ARRT’s Stories magazine out later this year.
About ARRT
ARRT promotes safe, high-quality patient care through credentialing, collaboration, and advocacy. Headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, ARRT evaluates, certifies, and annually registers more than 360,000 radiologic technologists across the United States.