Commitment to Excellence Staff Recognition Program

Have you seen a staff member demonstrating excellence in performing their job responsibilities? Take a moment and nominate them for a Commitment to Excellence Award. The Commitment to Excellence Awards are metallic commemorative coins that will be presented to staff to recognize their efforts above and beyond the call of duty.

This program celebrates our staff members who demonstrate the highest standards in their commitment to supporting our mission, vision and values. The Commitment to Excellence program is our practice of thanking those who consistently demonstrate excellence in what they do for our School community.

The award program is intended for staff whose roles are primarily administrative. To be nominated, a staff member’s performance should meet one or more of the following criteria:

Consistently demonstrates excellence in the performance of their job responsibilities.
Consistently exhibits a superb and ongoing high level of service to their customers.
Consistently produces the highest quality of work product.
Performed a significant and exceptional role in the completion of a high impact project or initiative.

Any faculty or staff member may submit nominations to the DUSON.staffrecognition@dm.duke.edu email address.

All nominations will be reviewed against the criteria, and once approved, a representative from the Vice Dean, Finance and Administration’s office will notify the supervisor of the employee so the commemorative coin may be presented to the recipient.

2026-2027 Award Recipients

I would like to recognize Jim McNerney for his support and teamwork. Recently, our team hosted a video shoot with senior executives and needed a room prepared early on a Monday morning. To make the process easier, Jim arranged for the room to be set up on Friday and brought in the furniture we requested ahead of time. He also greeted our ɫ��ֱ�� Health partners, helped ensure their equipment was securely stored over the weekend, and was available to support any needs that arose. Thanks to Jim's planning, attention to detail, and proactive approach, everything was perfectly arranged and ready when we arrived. His support made a significant difference and helped ensure the filming was a success.

Jim McNerney

September 2026

I would like to recognize Jim McNerney for his support and teamwork. Recently, our team hosted a video shoot with senior executives and needed a room prepared early on a Monday morning. To make the process easier, Jim arranged for the room to be set up on Friday and brought in the furniture we requested ahead of time. He also greeted our ɫ��ֱ�� Health partners, helped ensure their equipment was securely stored over the weekend, and was available to support any needs that arose. Thanks to Jim's planning, attention to detail, and proactive approach, everything was perfectly arranged and ready when we arrived. His support made a significant difference and helped ensure the filming was a success.

Nominated by: Sara Aghajanian

I am writing to share my sincere appreciation for your team and, specifically, to recognize Mrs. Bonita Douglas.Her consistent support and guidance throughout my first two semesters at DUSON have been a significant part of my academic success. She has always been incredibly helpful and supportive, and I am truly grateful for the time and effort she has dedicated to helping me succeed.I sincerely appreciate Bonita and your entire department for all of the support you have provided thus far in my MN program!

Bonita Douglas

September 2026

I am writing to share my sincere appreciation for your team and, specifically, to recognize Mrs. Bonita Douglas.
Her consistent support and guidance throughout my first two semesters at DUSON have been a significant part of my academic success. She has always been incredibly helpful and supportive, and I am truly grateful for the time and effort she has dedicated to helping me succeed.
I sincerely appreciate Bonita and your entire department for all of the support you have provided thus far in my MN program!

Nominated by: Apaïs Rafia

The hiring of Michael Juday has been a tremendous benefit to the ɫ��ֱ��. His extensive knowledge and expertise in AV and networking have had a positive impact on our department and the services we provide to faculty, staff, and students.Since joining the team, Michael has consistently shared his knowledge and experience, helping improve my understanding of complex AV and networking systems. On a personal level, he has played a significant role in helping me develop a stronger understanding of how networking works and how it integrates with the technology we support every day. His willingness to teach, explain concepts, and provide guidance has contributed greatly to my professional growth.Beyond his technical expertise, Michael has been an outstanding colleague who is always willing to support others and contribute to the success of the team. Over time, our professional relationship has grown into a genuine friendship. His mentorship, encouragement, and positive attitude have made him much more than just a coworker.I am grateful for the knowledge he has shared and the positive impact he has had on both the School of Nursing and my own career development. Michael's dedication, professionalism, and character make him a valuable member of our organization.

Michael Juday

August 2026

The hiring of Michael Juday has been a tremendous benefit to the ɫ��ֱ��. His extensive knowledge and expertise in AV and networking have had a positive impact on our department and the services we provide to faculty, staff, and students.
Since joining the team, Michael has consistently shared his knowledge and experience, helping improve my understanding of complex AV and networking systems. On a personal level, he has played a significant role in helping me develop a stronger understanding of how networking works and how it integrates with the technology we support every day. His willingness to teach, explain concepts, and provide guidance has contributed greatly to my professional growth.
Beyond his technical expertise, Michael has been an outstanding colleague who is always willing to support others and contribute to the success of the team. Over time, our professional relationship has grown into a genuine friendship. His mentorship, encouragement, and positive attitude have made him much more than just a coworker.
I am grateful for the knowledge he has shared and the positive impact he has had on both the School of Nursing and my own career development. Michael's dedication, professionalism, and character make him a valuable member of our organization.

Nominated by: Corey Brown

Please help me recognize the exceptional planning for the MSN on campus orientation and the warm welcome Ms. Stacy Zhao.She welcomed more than 40 MSN students and hosted them throughout the day including a wonderful tour of the school and the campus.Stacy illustrated the wonder and excellence of our community with professionalism, grace and generosity.Thank you, Stacy, for making us look so good!I’m grateful!

Stacy Zhao

August 2026

Please help me recognize the exceptional planning for the MSN on campus orientation and the warm welcome Ms. Stacy Zhao.
She welcomed more than 40 MSN students and hosted them throughout the day including a wonderful tour of the school and the campus.
Stacy illustrated the wonder and excellence of our community with professionalism, grace and generosity.
Thank you, Stacy, for making us look so good!
I’m grateful!

Nominated by: Anne Derouin

I have the pleasure of nominating Monse Godinez Nepliouev for DUSON Commitment to Excellence Recognition. Monse has worked as program coordinator in the IPEC Center for the last two years. In that time, she has helped the Center expand its programming to reach more learners and faculty across the various health professions programs and schools and extended our reach to staff and clinicians across the health system. Monse came to the role highly recommended from her work mentoring high school students through the Emily K Center. However, in this role, her responsibilities and constituency increased 10-fold and she was faced with working across units in our large and complicated health system. Monse has excelled in her role through a unique combination of positivity, grace, humor, and humility. It is also true, though, that she has exhibited grit, toughness, and accountability that sets her apart. A few specific examples of her impact include the following:She has helped the IPEC team refine how we work together with careful planning for a combination of synchronous and asynchronous work, well-constructed agendas, and transition to Microsoft Teams as our work platform.She has upped our game with respect to evaluation—this has included learning and mastering Qualtrics, producing timely reports that help the team gauge impact of programming and make immediate revisions in response to feedback, and keeping program leadership and students informed of our programs and progress. She has demonstrated flexibility in taking on responsibilities and tasks that were not necessarily part of her initial job description—including assuming coordination of the Stress First Aid program with shifts and reductions in staffing. She has not only stepped up, but has helped the program thrive even after grant funding ended over a year ago. In this role, she has mentored NP students to facilitate Booster sessions and navigated the complex world of continuing education credits.She has worked to create administrative bridges across campus, including her work with ɫ��ֱ�� AHEAD in developing their annual education day amidst a leadership change and helping to manage logistics of the monthly Education Grand Rounds.These are just a few examples of why we are so lucky to have Monse on our team. Perhaps more importantly, she has the biggest heart of all of us and is constantly attentive to acknowledging the various milestones and challenges in people's lives. I am honored to nominate Monse for Commitment to Excellence Recognition as the epitome of these principles at DUSON and across campus.

Monse Godinez Nepliouev

August 2026
I have the pleasure of nominating Monse Godinez Nepliouev for DUSON Commitment to Excellence Recognition. Monse has worked as program coordinator in the IPEC Center for the last two years. In that time, she has helped the Center expand its programming to reach more learners and faculty across the various health professions programs and schools and extended our reach to staff and clinicians across the health system. Monse came to the role highly recommended from her work mentoring high school students through the Emily K Center. However, in this role, her responsibilities and constituency increased 10-fold and she was faced with working across units in our large and complicated health system. Monse has excelled in her role through a unique combination of positivity, grace, humor, and humility. It is also true, though, that she has exhibited grit, toughness, and accountability that sets her apart. A few specific examples of her impact include the following:
She has helped the IPEC team refine how we work together with careful planning for a combination of synchronous and asynchronous work, well-constructed agendas, and transition to Microsoft Teams as our work platform.
She has upped our game with respect to evaluation—this has included learning and mastering Qualtrics, producing timely reports that help the team gauge impact of programming and make immediate revisions in response to feedback, and keeping program leadership and students informed of our programs and progress.
She has demonstrated flexibility in taking on responsibilities and tasks that were not necessarily part of her initial job description—including assuming coordination of the Stress First Aid program with shifts and reductions in staffing. She has not only stepped up, but has helped the program thrive even after grant funding ended over a year ago. In this role, she has mentored NP students to facilitate Booster sessions and navigated the complex world of continuing education credits.
She has worked to create administrative bridges across campus, including her work with ɫ��ֱ��
AHEAD in developing their annual education day amidst a leadership change and helping to manage logistics of the monthly Education Grand Rounds.
These are just a few examples of why we are so lucky to have Monse on our team. Perhaps more importantly, she has the biggest heart of all of us and is constantly attentive to acknowledging the various milestones and challenges in people's lives. I am honored to nominate Monse for Commitment to Excellence Recognition as the epitome of these principles at DUSON and across campus.

Nominated by: Mitchell Heflin

I am writing to nominate Courtney Swinkels for the Commitment to Excellence award in recognition of her extraordinary performance, unwavering professionalism, and exceptional contributions to several major, high‑impact initiatives within our School. While she consistently excels in all aspects of her role, her work over the past year has gone far beyond what is normally expected of a Clinical Research Coordinator and has created meaningful value for faculty, staff, students, and our community partners.Courtney played a central and exceptional role in launching two large, complex projects simultaneously: the UMN multisite smoking cessation trial and the Rural Health Equity Hub. For the UMN trial, she built workflows, coordinated across institutions, established communication systems, and ensured regulatory and operational readiness. She routinely anticipated challenges before they emerged, developed solutions independently, and maintained a can‑do approach even under tight timelines and evolving requirements.Her contributions to the Rural Health Equity Hub have been equally outstanding. She supported the development of Hub infrastructure, organized cross‑team processes, and played a key role in planning and executing our first Rural Health Symposium at the DUSON, a major event that brought together faculty, students, and community partners across the region. She also provided invaluable support to community partners participating in Hub activities, ensuring they had the resources, communication, and guidance needed to fully engage in our collaborative work.In addition, Courtney made a significant contribution to the P20 grant submission, assisting with coordination, document preparation, and communication across multiple investigators and cores. Her attention to detail, reliability, and ability to manage complex, time‑sensitive tasks were essential to producing a polished and competitive application.Across all responsibilities, Courtney consistently demonstrates excellence, produces work of the highest quality, and provides superb service to faculty, staff, and community partners. Her reliability, initiative, and positive, solutions‑oriented mindset have made her indispensable to our research programs.

Courtney Swinkels

August 2026

I am writing to nominate Courtney Swinkels for the Commitment to Excellence award in recognition of her extraordinary performance, unwavering professionalism, and exceptional contributions to several major, high‑impact initiatives within our School. While she consistently excels in all aspects of her role, her work over the past year has gone far beyond what is normally expected of a Clinical Research Coordinator and has created meaningful value for faculty, staff, students, and our community partners.
Courtney played a central and exceptional role in launching two large, complex projects simultaneously: the UMN multisite smoking cessation trial and the Rural Health Equity Hub. For the UMN trial, she built workflows, coordinated across institutions, established communication systems, and ensured regulatory and operational readiness. She routinely anticipated challenges before they emerged, developed solutions independently, and maintained a can‑do approach even under tight timelines and evolving requirements.
Her contributions to the Rural Health Equity Hub have been equally outstanding. She supported the development of Hub infrastructure, organized cross‑team processes, and played a key role in planning and executing our first Rural Health Symposium at the DUSON, a major event that brought together faculty, students, and community partners across the region. She also provided invaluable support to community partners participating in Hub activities, ensuring they had the resources, communication, and guidance needed to fully engage in our collaborative work.
In addition, Courtney made a significant contribution to the P20 grant submission, assisting with coordination, document preparation, and communication across multiple investigators and cores. Her attention to detail, reliability, and ability to manage complex, time‑sensitive tasks were essential to producing a polished and competitive application.
Across all responsibilities, Courtney consistently demonstrates excellence, produces work of the highest quality, and provides superb service to faculty, staff, and community partners. Her reliability, initiative, and positive, solutions‑oriented mindset have made her indispensable to our research programs.

Nominated by: Devon Noonan

Tonia Poteat and I would like to nominate Ash Humphrey for the Commitment to Staff Recognition Program. Tonia is the PI of our research group and I (Jenny Williams) am Ash's supervisor. We think Ash is very deserving of this recognition. Please see below for some additional information about Ash's work:· Consistently demonstrate excellence in the performance of their job responsibilities.Ash has a very high standard for their work and is constantly demonstrating excellence in their performance. They carefully review their work to avoid mistakes and they ask clarifying questions to make sure their job performance meets and exceeds expectations. Ash is someone who we can trust with any task and we know it will be completed with a high degree of accuracy and efficiency. In addition, Ash is constantly thinking ahead about the needs of a project, anticipating potential challenges, and brainstorming solutions. They are highly self-motivated and have even taken the initiative to teach themselves new skills to better contribute to our projects.· Consistently produce work of the highest quality.Ash produces high-quality work on a consistent basis, and they are constantly seeking out new information to improve their work. Whatever we ask of Ash, they go above and beyond to exceed our expectations. For example, four years ago we asked Ash to help us work with a team of REDCap programmers so that we could build a new project in REDCap to track participant retention and allow us to administer surveys in a longitudinal project. Ash went above and beyond, working in the REDCap sandbox alongside the programmers to learn how to program REDCap. This helped our project move much quicker because the programmers worked across several projects and could not always get to our requests right away. REDCap is complex and has many moving parts. Ash has learned how to navigate this platform to make our work more effective and to make our studies easier for participants to navigate. We are now in the data analysis phase of this project and have high quality, well-managed data thanks in big part to Ash's efforts. Because Ash has taken the initiative to learn REDCap, they lead REDCap development for all of our projects, and we no longer require outside consultants to do this work.Ash also stepped in over the past year when several of our federal research grants. Ash stepped in and learned how to complete regulatory tasks, coordinate projects, and set up vendors and contracts at ɫ��ֱ��. Not only did they learn many new skills in a very short amount of time, the quality of their work was excellent. · Played a significant and exceptional role in the completion of a high-impact project or initiative.Ash has played a significant role on a number of high-impact projects and initiatives but the one we would like to highlight is their role on our Safe Hope study. Ash stepped in to help coordinate this study during a time that our group was experiencing staffing shortages. We lost several grants due to unanticipated federal grant cancelations and this project was extremely important for keeping our research group afloat. Ash was crucial in helping the Dr. Poteat (the study PI) obtain regulatory approval for the study and set up project logistics. This was a complicated project that included writing and implementing a project protocol and scheduling multiple in-person data collection days involving several ɫ��ֱ�� data collectors. Ash also learned to navigate ɫ��ֱ�� financial systems to get approval for participant payments and learn how to properly document these payments. This was all done on an extremely short timeline since the study had to be up and running about a month after we received funding. Ash did an excellent job learning new information, communicating with our PI and members of our research staff, and coordinating a new study during a vital time for our group. We are extremely grateful for the dedication that Ash showed to their work and their team in making this project come to life.Thank you so much for this opportunity to recognize Ash's excellent work!

Ash Humphrey

August 2026

Tonia Poteat and I would like to nominate Ash Humphrey for the Commitment to Staff Recognition Program. Tonia is the PI of our research group and I (Jenny Williams) am Ash's supervisor. We think Ash is very deserving of this recognition. Please see below for some additional information about Ash's work:
· Consistently demonstrate excellence in the performance of their job responsibilities.
Ash has a very high standard for their work and is constantly demonstrating excellence in their performance. They carefully review their work to avoid mistakes and they ask clarifying questions to make sure their job performance meets and exceeds expectations. Ash is someone who we can trust with any task and we know it will be completed with a high degree of accuracy and efficiency. In addition, Ash is constantly thinking ahead about the needs of a project, anticipating potential challenges, and brainstorming solutions. They are highly self-motivated and have even taken the initiative to teach themselves new skills to better contribute to our projects.
· Consistently produce work of the highest quality.
Ash produces high-quality work on a consistent basis, and they are constantly seeking out new information to improve their work. Whatever we ask of Ash, they go above and beyond to exceed our expectations. For example, four years ago we asked Ash to help us work with a team of REDCap programmers so that we could build a new project in REDCap to track participant retention and allow us to administer surveys in a longitudinal project. Ash went above and beyond, working in the REDCap sandbox alongside the programmers to learn how to program REDCap. This helped our project move much quicker because the programmers worked across several projects and could not always get to our requests right away. REDCap is complex and has many moving parts. Ash has learned how to navigate this platform to make our work more effective and to make our studies easier for participants to navigate. We are now in the data analysis phase of this project and have high quality, well-managed data thanks in big part to Ash's efforts. Because Ash has taken the initiative to learn REDCap, they lead REDCap development for all of our projects, and we no longer require outside consultants to do this work.
Ash also stepped in over the past year when several of our federal research grants. Ash stepped in and learned how to complete regulatory tasks, coordinate projects, and set up vendors and contracts at ɫ��ֱ��. Not only did they learn many new skills in a very short amount of time, the quality of their work was excellent.
· Played a significant and exceptional role in the completion of a high-impact project or initiative.
Ash has played a significant role on a number of high-impact projects and initiatives but the one we would like to highlight is their role on our Safe Hope study. Ash stepped in to help coordinate this study during a time that our group was experiencing staffing shortages. We lost several grants due to unanticipated federal grant cancelations and this project was extremely important for keeping our research group afloat. Ash was crucial in helping the Dr. Poteat (the study PI) obtain regulatory approval for the study and set up project logistics. This was a complicated project that included writing and implementing a project protocol and scheduling multiple in-person data collection days involving several ɫ��ֱ�� data collectors. Ash also learned to navigate ɫ��ֱ�� financial systems to get approval for participant payments and learn how to properly document these payments. This was all done on an extremely short timeline since the study had to be up and running about a month after we received funding. Ash did an excellent job learning new information, communicating with our PI and members of our research staff, and coordinating a new study during a vital time for our group. We are extremely grateful for the dedication that Ash showed to their work and their team in making this project come to life.
Thank you so much for this opportunity to recognize Ash's excellent work!

Nominated by: Tonia Poteat and Jenny Williams

I am nominating Kimberly Jackson for a Commitment to Excellence award.Ms. Jackson consistently demonstrates exceptional professionalism and dedication in her role as the coordinator for hiring clinical instructors for one of the largest courses in the MSN program. She manages this complex and high‑stakes task with remarkable efficiency, expertise, and patience. Ensuring adequate instructor coverage is always a stressful process, yet Ms. Jackson makes it feel seamless and reassuring. Her communication is unfailingly kind, enthusiastic, and professional, and she approaches every interaction with a genuine commitment to supporting faculty. Working with Ms. Jackson is truly a pleasure, and her contributions significantly strengthen the success of our program.

Kimberly Jackson

August 2026

I am nominating Kimberly Jackson for a Commitment to Excellence award.
Ms. Jackson consistently demonstrates exceptional professionalism and dedication in her role as the coordinator for hiring clinical instructors for one of the largest courses in the MSN program. She manages this complex and high‑stakes task with remarkable efficiency, expertise, and patience. Ensuring adequate instructor coverage is always a stressful process, yet Ms. Jackson makes it feel seamless and reassuring. Her communication is unfailingly kind, enthusiastic, and professional, and she approaches every interaction with a genuine commitment to supporting faculty. Working with Ms. Jackson is truly a pleasure, and her contributions significantly strengthen the success of our program.

Nominated by: Kara McGee

I am writing to nominate Rometa Summerlin for the Commitment to Excellence award for her outstanding support of my endocrinology on-campus experience and my endocrine courses. Rometa's expertise, professionalism, and efficiency help me to deliver the highest quality educational experience for our students. I rely heavily on her for administrative support when the students are on campus and she consistently provides the highest level of support. She is always prompt, always positive, and helps me coordinate a large number of events simultaneously. Thank you to Rometa for her commitment to excellence in student programming and experiences and faculty support. 

Rometa Summerlin

July 2026

I am writing to nominate Rometa Summerlin for the Commitment to Excellence award for her outstanding support of my endocrinology on-campus experience and my endocrine courses. Rometa's expertise, professionalism, and efficiency help me to deliver the highest quality educational experience for our students. I rely heavily on her for administrative support when the students are on campus and she consistently provides the highest level of support. She is always prompt, always positive, and helps me coordinate a large number of events simultaneously. Thank you to Rometa for her commitment to excellence in student programming and experiences and faculty support.

Nominated by: Kathryn Evans Kreider

We would like to jointly nominate Daphne Lancaster for a Staff Recognition Award in recognition of her successful Spark Grant proposal, which led to the creation of the Midday Meetup lunch series.Daphne’s vision was to foster greater connection and engagement across teams by bringing colleagues together over a shared meal in a relaxed and welcoming setting. Through thoughtfully designed conversation prompts, participants had opportunities to learn more about one another, connect with colleagues they may not otherwise interact with, and engage in meaningful—and sometimes lighthearted—discussions beyond the scope of their daily work.What makes this initiative even more remarkable is that Daphne recognized the need to bring colleagues together during a time of uncertainty. While settling into a new department and learning a new role, she still found the time and energy to thoughtfully plan and launch Midday Meetup. Rather than focusing solely on her own transition, she created an opportunity for others to connect, support one another, and build relationships across DUSON.During the June staff meeting, Daphne shared outcome metrics demonstrating the program’s positive impact. Participants overwhelmingly agreed that the Midday Meetup sessions helped strengthen our sense of community, build relationships across teams, and enhance feelings of belonging within the School of Nursing.Daphne’s initiative, leadership, and commitment to cultivating a connected and inclusive workplace have made a meaningful difference for our staff community, making her highly deserving of this recognition. Perhaps the strongest testament to Daphne’s influence is that Vicki has chosen to continue the tradition she established by organizing future Midday Meetup gatherings. In recognition of the meaningful connections fostered through this initiative, Daphne herself will, of course, be among those invited to participate.Thank you for making a difference! 

Daphne Lancaster

July 2026

We would like to jointly nominate Daphne Lancaster for a Staff Recognition Award in recognition of her successful Spark Grant proposal, which led to the creation of the Midday Meetup lunch series.
Daphne’s vision was to foster greater connection and engagement across teams by bringing colleagues together over a shared meal in a relaxed and welcoming setting. Through thoughtfully designed conversation prompts, participants had opportunities to learn more about one another, connect with colleagues they may not otherwise interact with, and engage in meaningful—and sometimes lighthearted—discussions beyond the scope of their daily work.
What makes this initiative even more remarkable is that Daphne recognized the need to bring colleagues together during a time of uncertainty. While settling into a new department and learning a new role, she still found the time and energy to thoughtfully plan and launch Midday Meetup. Rather than focusing solely on her own transition, she created an opportunity for others to connect, support one another, and build relationships across DUSON.
During the June staff meeting, Daphne shared outcome metrics demonstrating the program’s positive impact. Participants overwhelmingly agreed that the Midday Meetup sessions helped strengthen our sense of community, build relationships across teams, and enhance feelings of belonging within the School of Nursing.
Daphne’s initiative, leadership, and commitment to cultivating a connected and inclusive workplace have made a meaningful difference for our staff community, making her highly deserving of this recognition. Perhaps the strongest testament to Daphne’s influence is that Vicki has chosen to continue the tradition she established by organizing future Midday Meetup gatherings. In recognition of the meaningful connections fostered through this initiative, Daphne herself will, of course, be among those invited to participate.
Thank you for making a difference!

Nominated by: Leslie Zanaglio and Vicki Rennecker-Nakayoshi

I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Corey Brown for the Commitment to Excellence coin. Due to all the changes we were dealing with in financial aid this past year, we decided to implement a web page for our students to help navigate the changes and the private loan process. A part of this process was to set up a tutorial on how to use the lending tool spreadsheets on the website. So instead of having to manually record each tutorial we wanted to use AI to create the tutorial for the students on how to use the lending tool. We decided to go with PowToon on the recommendation of, Carla Nichols, Director of Information Technology. Mr. Brown immediately volunteered to take the helm and work with me to figure out the process. We worked late on a Friday to figure out how to utilize the tool and generate the videos. This saved a lot of time for our office instead of us having to record each video. Mr. Brown demonstrated professionalism, kindness, patience, and insight through this process. He truly embodies what commitment to excellence is here at DUSON. Thank you, Mr. Brown.

Corey Brown

July 2026

I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Corey Brown for the Commitment to Excellence coin. Due to all the changes we were dealing with in financial aid this past year, we decided to implement a web page for our students to help navigate the changes and the private loan process. A part of this process was to set up a tutorial on how to use the lending tool spreadsheets on the website. So instead of having to manually record each tutorial we wanted to use AI to create the tutorial for the students on how to use the lending tool. We decided to go with PowToon on the recommendation of, Carla Nichols, Director of Information Technology.
Mr. Brown immediately volunteered to take the helm and work with me to figure out the process. We worked late on a Friday to figure out how to utilize the tool and generate the videos. This saved a lot of time for our office instead of us having to record each video. Mr. Brown demonstrated professionalism, kindness, patience, and insight through this process. He truly embodies what commitment to excellence is here at DUSON. Thank you, Mr. Brown.

Nominated by: Cecil Outlaw

I would like to recommend Jeffrey Clark for a Commitment to Excellence coin in recognition for his outstanding technical initiative and professionalism. I was having a long-standing issue with my computer and Mr. Clark took the time and initiative to resolve the situation and restore full functionality. His contribution also honored the groundwork laid by others, demonstrating a true collaboration and respect for team efforts. Thank you, Mr. Clark, for your hard work, dedication, and always having a strong commitment to excellence here at DUSON!

Jeffrey Clark

July 2026

I would like to recommend Jeffrey Clark for a Commitment to Excellence coin in recognition for his outstanding technical initiative and professionalism. I was having a long-standing issue with my computer and Mr. Clark took the time and initiative to resolve the situation and restore full functionality. His contribution also honored the groundwork laid by others, demonstrating a true collaboration and respect for team efforts. Thank you, Mr. Clark, for your hard work, dedication, and always having a strong commitment to excellence here at DUSON!

Nominated by: Cecil Outlaw

I would like to nominate Michael Strader and Stacy Zhao for a Committment to Excellence Awards. Over the past several months, they worked diligently together to plan and execute the annual reception at AANP National Conference. They managed the invitation lists and RSVPs, coordinated with the event space, were sure that all of the necessary advertisements and posters were ready to go, and never stopped smiling!!They were a true team and DUSON is lucky to have them!!

Michael Strader and Stacy Zhao

July 2026

I would like to nominate Michael Strader and Stacy Zhao for a Committment to Excellence Awards. Over the past several months, they worked diligently together to plan and execute the annual reception at AANP National Conference.
They managed the invitation lists and RSVPs, coordinated with the event space, were sure that all of the necessary advertisements and posters were ready to go, and never stopped smiling!!
They were a true team and DUSON is lucky to have them!!

Nominated by: Benjamin Smallheer

I am pleased to nominate Maimunah Kokayi, Academic IT Specialist, for the Commitment to Excellence Staff Recognition Program in recognition of her consistent excellence, exceptional service, and high-quality contributions in support of N 961 OCI.Maimunah consistently demonstrates excellence in the performance of her job responsibilities. Over the past several weeks—and especially during the OCI event—she managed a highly complex set of logistical tasks with precision, organization, and professionalism. Her ability to anticipate needs and seamlessly accommodate last-minute student changes ensured a smooth and highly effective experience for both faculty and students.She consistently exhibits a superb and ongoing level of support to the course, faculty and students . Throughout the OCI event, Maimunah maintained clear, timely communication and remained continuously available to provide support as needs arose. Her responsiveness, adaptability, and calm, solutions-oriented approach were instrumental in managing last-minute event needs. Maimunah also consistently produces work of the highest quality. The breakout rooms were exceptionally well organized and thoughtfully prepared, including accurate placement of student PowerPoint presentations, faculty and student folders, and virtual participation logistics. Despite the many moving parts involved, the event was executed flawlessly—a direct reflection of her attention to detail and commitment to excellence.In addition, Maimunah performed a significant and exceptional role in the success of the DNP Bowl, an interactive student learning activity. She provided essential guidance by sharing best practices from prior implementation, preparing the PowerPoint presentation, assisting with facilitation, and ensuring all materials were secured and ready for use. Her contributions were critical to the success and smooth delivery of this activity.Above all, Maimunah approaches her work with a gracious, enthusiastic, and positive demeanor. Her professionalism, dedication, and collaborative spirit make her an invaluable member of the team. I feel fortunate to work alongside her and deeply appreciate every effort she makes to support N 961.

Maimunah Kokayi

June 2026

I am pleased to nominate Maimunah Kokayi, Academic IT Specialist, for the Commitment to Excellence Staff Recognition Program in recognition of her consistent excellence, exceptional service, and high-quality contributions in support of N 961 OCI.
Maimunah consistently demonstrates excellence in the performance of her job responsibilities. Over the past several weeks—and especially during the OCI event—she managed a highly complex set of logistical tasks with precision, organization, and professionalism. Her ability to anticipate needs and seamlessly accommodate last-minute student changes ensured a smooth and highly effective experience for both faculty and students.
She consistently exhibits a superb and ongoing level of support to the course, faculty and students . Throughout the OCI event, Maimunah maintained clear, timely communication and remained continuously available to provide support as needs arose. Her responsiveness, adaptability, and calm, solutions-oriented approach were instrumental in managing last-minute event needs.
Maimunah also consistently produces work of the highest quality. The breakout rooms were exceptionally well organized and thoughtfully prepared, including accurate placement of student PowerPoint presentations, faculty and student folders, and virtual participation logistics. Despite the many moving parts involved, the event was executed flawlessly—a direct reflection of her attention to detail and commitment to excellence.
In addition, Maimunah performed a significant and exceptional role in the success of the DNP Bowl, an interactive student learning activity. She provided essential guidance by sharing best practices from prior implementation, preparing the PowerPoint presentation, assisting with facilitation, and ensuring all materials were secured and ready for use. Her contributions were critical to the success and smooth delivery of this activity.
Above all, Maimunah approaches her work with a gracious, enthusiastic, and positive demeanor. Her professionalism, dedication, and collaborative spirit make her an invaluable member of the team. I feel fortunate to work alongside her and deeply appreciate every effort she makes to support N 961.

Nominated by: Mariam Kayle

I would like to nominate Jeffrey Clark for a Commitment to Excellence Award because he is always going above and beyond and I appreciate his exceptional performance and dedication to the school. Recently, the CND and others have tried troubleshooting an issue for several days to get one of the vital sign monitors to work in a simulation room from the control room but couldn’t figure out why it wouldn’t show. Jeffrey worked on it for hours even going into his lunch break but finally resolved the issue. We are now able to run our sims smoothly for our MEPN students tomorrow thanks to his knowledge and patience. He’s a pleasure to work with and I am so grateful to have him as a colleague for always providing outstanding service.

Jeffrey Clark

June 2026

I would like to nominate Jeffrey Clark for a Commitment to Excellence Award because he is always going above and beyond and I appreciate his exceptional performance and dedication to the school. Recently, the CND and others have tried troubleshooting an issue for several days to get one of the vital sign monitors to work in a simulation room from the control room but couldn’t figure out why it wouldn’t show. Jeffrey worked on it for hours even going into his lunch break but finally resolved the issue. We are now able to run our sims smoothly for our MEPN students tomorrow thanks to his knowledge and patience. He’s a pleasure to work with and I am so grateful to have him as a colleague for always providing outstanding service.

Nominated by: Tiffiany Parker

I would like to recognize Ms. Tina Johnson for her creativity and expertise in working toward a more sustainable approach for scheduling accommodations students exams for the pre-licensure program. I have no doubt this will be a game-changer for the program!

Tina Johnson

June 2026

I would like to recognize Ms. Tina Johnson for her creativity and expertise in working toward a more sustainable approach for scheduling accommodations students exams for the pre-licensure program. I have no doubt this will be a game-changer for the program!

Nominated by: Stephanie Gedzyk-Nieman

I am pleased to nominate Najla McClain in recognition of the exceptional work in hosting this year’s LEAHP summer program students.Najla went above and beyond to ensure that each LEAHP student had a positive, welcoming, and impactful experience during their time on campus. From managing logistics such as travel arrangements and accommodations to thoughtfully providing snacks and attending to the smallest details, Najla demonstrated an extraordinary level of care and dedication.In addition to handling these logistics seamlessly, Najla curated and coordinated meaningful, engaging, and high-quality programming that enriched the students’ experience. The intentionality behind every aspect of the program was evident and contributed to an environment where students could learn, connect, and feel truly valued.Because of Najla’s efforts, the LEAHP students will carry the impact of their visit with them for years to come. The experience created under Najla’s leadership reflects a deep commitment to excellence and student success, and it has undoubtedly left a lasting impression.I commend Najla McClain for this outstanding contribution!

Najla McClain

June 2026

I am pleased to nominate Najla McClain in recognition of the exceptional work in hosting this year’s LEAHP summer program students.
Najla went above and beyond to ensure that each LEAHP student had a positive, welcoming, and impactful experience during their time on campus. From managing logistics such as travel arrangements and accommodations to thoughtfully providing snacks and attending to the smallest details, Najla demonstrated an extraordinary level of care and dedication.
In addition to handling these logistics seamlessly, Najla curated and coordinated meaningful, engaging, and high-quality programming that enriched the students’ experience. The intentionality behind every aspect of the program was evident and contributed to an environment where students could learn, connect, and feel truly valued.
Because of Najla’s efforts, the LEAHP students will carry the impact of their visit with them for years to come. The experience created under Najla’s leadership reflects a deep commitment to excellence and student success, and it has undoubtedly left a lasting impression.
I commend Najla McClain for this outstanding contribution!

Nominated by: Jenny Ingraham

I want to nominate Jeffrey Clark for the Dean’s Commitment to Excellence Award for all his work to get my new laptop set up to work with my existing monitors, docking station and all the other set ups. This presented a big challenge and he took over 1.5 hours on Tuesday morning to make sure everything was set up and working! He even missed the Community Breakfast just to keep working on my problems. He went above and beyond to make it all work seamlessly. Thanks Jeffrey!

Jeffrey Clark

May 2026

I want to nominate Jeffrey Clark for the Dean’s Commitment to Excellence Award for all his work to get my new laptop set up to work with my existing monitors, docking station and all the other set ups.

This presented a big challenge and he took over 1.5 hours on Tuesday morning to make sure everything was set up and working! He even missed the Community Breakfast just to keep working on my problems.

He went above and beyond to make it all work seamlessly. Thanks Jeffrey!

Nominated by: Karen Jackson

I would like to nominate Troy Pinkins, Jessica Covil-Manset, Andrew Buchanan, Mary Katherine Powers, and Sarah Morrison for their assistance with the Spring/Summer 2026 issue of ɫ��ֱ�� Nursing Magazine. Producing this magazine is truly a team effort, and it would not be possible without their collective contributions. Troy Pinkins’s superbly written biographies of our Alumni Award winners not only highlighted their incredible achievements but also significantly eased my production workload. Not having to research and write an entire section freed time to focus on other aspects of the magazine. Troy has also been a steadfast and reliable partner in sourcing class notes, confirming alumni details, and more, making Troy a vital part of the magazine production process. Andrew Buchanan’s photography brings a powerful and poignant visual dimension to the magazine. Andrew is always available to brainstorm photo needs and is quick to help locate visual assets when needed. Mary Katherine Powers contributed photography to this issue and was the primary force behind the initial cover design. In addition, Mary Katherine assisted with quick ad redesigns, ensured mailing lists were properly merged, and helped get the magazine uploaded to our website in a timely manner. The redesign of a new digital “home” for ɫ��ֱ�� Nursing Magazine has been a tremendous asset and has allowed our department to save printing costs as readership continues to shift online. Jessica Covil-Manset provided much-needed, last-minute proofing. Jess’s keen eye and attention to detail helped catch errors that might otherwise have made it into print, and the willingness to shift workload on short notice was deeply appreciated. Lastly, Sarah Morrison stepped in to shepherd the magazine through a crucial review period while I was out of the office. Without Sarah’s support, our production schedule would have been delayed by a week or more. All five of these colleagues continue to provide invaluable insight, time, and talent to the concepting, creation, and delivery of ɫ��ֱ�� Nursing Magazine. Their contributions are essential, and I am sincerely grateful for their support.

Andrew Buchanan, Jessica Covil-Manset, Sarah Morrison, Troy Pinkins, and Mary Katherine Powers

May 2026

I would like to nominate Troy Pinkins, Jessica Covil-Manset, Andrew Buchanan, Mary Katherine Powers, and Sarah Morrison for their assistance with the Spring/Summer 2026 issue of ɫ��ֱ�� Nursing Magazine. Producing this magazine is truly a team effort, and it would not be possible without their collective contributions.

Troy Pinkins’s superbly written biographies of our Alumni Award winners not only highlighted their incredible achievements but also significantly eased my production workload. Not having to research and write an entire section freed time to focus on other aspects of the magazine. Troy has also been a steadfast and reliable partner in sourcing class notes, confirming alumni details, and more, making Troy a vital part of the magazine production process.

Andrew Buchanan’s photography brings a powerful and poignant visual dimension to the magazine. Andrew is always available to brainstorm photo needs and is quick to help locate visual assets when needed.

Mary Katherine Powers contributed photography to this issue and was the primary force behind the initial cover design. In addition, Mary Katherine assisted with quick ad redesigns, ensured mailing lists were properly merged, and helped get the magazine uploaded to our website in a timely manner. The redesign of a new digital “home” for ɫ��ֱ�� Nursing Magazine has been a tremendous asset and has allowed our department to save printing costs as readership continues to shift online.

Jessica Covil-Manset provided much-needed, last-minute proofing. Jess’s keen eye and attention to detail helped catch errors that might otherwise have made it into print, and the willingness to shift workload on short notice was deeply appreciated.

Lastly, Sarah Morrison stepped in to shepherd the magazine through a crucial review period while I was out of the office. Without Sarah’s support, our production schedule would have been delayed by a week or more.

All five of these colleagues continue to provide invaluable insight, time, and talent to the concepting, creation, and delivery of ɫ��ֱ�� Nursing Magazine. Their contributions are essential, and I am sincerely grateful for their support.

Nominated by: Matt Lardie

I would like to nominate Maimunah Kokayi for a commitment to excellence award. On Friday, May 8, she stepped up to be our "administrative assistant” for a few hours to help our Sigma honor society induction ceremony go smoothly. We have lost support from DUSON due to funding cuts but she was willing to step in as event support. Not only did she set up the supplies and table setting, make sure the speaker had his presentation ready to go, but she offered to fetch extra items and help at the registration area once the ceremony had started. All of this is generally part of the role.  However, the next day (Saturday), she went above and beyond to go back to the building, and retrieve 5 more Sigma honor cords and place them at the door for the Registrar’s office, Lindsay Johnson, in order to help the late arrivals to receive their cords since they could not make it to the ceremony. She simply cared to help us give them their moment of glory!  Please offer her the commitment to excellence award.

Maimunah Kokayi

May 2026

I would like to nominate Maimunah Kokayi for a commitment to excellence award.

On Friday, May 8, she stepped up to be our "administrative assistant” for a few hours to help our Sigma honor society induction ceremony go smoothly. We have lost support from DUSON due to funding cuts but she was willing to step in as event support. Not only did she set up the supplies and table setting, make sure the speaker had his presentation ready to go, but she offered to fetch extra items and help at the registration area once the ceremony had started. All of this is generally part of the role.

However, the next day (Saturday), she went above and beyond to go back to the building, and retrieve 5 more Sigma honor cords and place them at the door for the Registrar’s office, Lindsay Johnson, in order to help the late arrivals to receive their cords since they could not make it to the ceremony. She simply cared to help us give them their moment of glory!

Please offer her the commitment to excellence award.

Nominated by: Kathy Trotter

I am extending my compliments and deep gratitude to Tina and Jim for their exceptional work, planning, and support on May 8. Four graduate recognition ceremonies and two receptions were held onsite at Pearson on the same day, and from our very first logistics conversation, Tina’s reassurances were steady and incredibly encouraging. Everything went so smoothly, I never came close to panicking. From coordinating with multiple vendors and managing deliveries to thoughtfully mapping crowd flow, our school was fully prepared to welcome hundreds of happy graduates, families, and friends. The way our community - faculty and staff - showed up to volunteer was genuinely uplifting, and the support from the Facilities team truly went above and beyond. When I left DUSON around 7:00pm, Tina and Jim were still moving tables and chairs, preparing a classroom for repairs. Their commitment, teamwork, and calm leadership exemplified excellence in action. I look forward to working with them again for our next event. As Jim said, ‘we got this’. Thank you again, team.

Tina Johnson and Jim McNerney

May 2026

I am extending my compliments and deep gratitude to Tina and Jim for their exceptional work, planning, and support on May 8. Four graduate recognition ceremonies and two receptions were held onsite at Pearson on the same day, and from our very first logistics conversation, Tina’s reassurances were steady and incredibly encouraging. Everything went so smoothly, I never came close to panicking.

From coordinating with multiple vendors and managing deliveries to thoughtfully mapping crowd flow, our school was fully prepared to welcome hundreds of happy graduates, families, and friends. The way our community - faculty and staff - showed up to volunteer was genuinely uplifting, and the support from the Facilities team truly went above and beyond. When I left DUSON around 7:00pm, Tina and Jim were still moving tables and chairs, preparing a classroom for repairs.

Their commitment, teamwork, and calm leadership exemplified excellence in action. I look forward to working with them again for our next event. As Jim said, ‘we got this’. Thank you again, team.

Nominated by: Najla McClain

Sincere thank you for the incredible staff that went above and beyond expectations to ensure the Graduation events that were attended by graduates and their families on May 8th, were DUSON quality. Their efforts included welcoming smiles at the doors, gorgeous decorations, foods and drinks for all in attendance and creative/fun/memorable moments. Special thank you to the outstanding efforts of ALL THE TECH TEAM! Eric Bloomer Corey Brown Jeffrey Clark Bonita Douglas Tina L Johnson Michael Juday Andre Kimbrough Maimunah Kokayi Carla Nichols Rometa Summerlin Joshua Venerable Denise Williams I’m so grateful for our remarkable team of dedicated experts and models of dependability, commitment and excellence. YOU MAKE SUCH A DIFFERENCE IN OUR DAILY LIVES.  THANK YOU!

Eric Bloomer, Corey Brown, Jeffrey Clark, Bonita Douglas, Tina L Johnson, Michael Juday, Andre Kimbrough, Maimunah Kokayi, Carla Nichols, Rometa Summerlin, Joshua Venerable, Denise Williams

May 2026

Sincere thank you for the incredible staff that went above and beyond expectations to ensure the Graduation events that were attended by graduates and their families on May 8^th, were DUSON quality. Their efforts included welcoming smiles at the doors, gorgeous decorations, foods and drinks for all in attendance and creative/fun/memorable moments.

Special thank you to the outstanding efforts of ALL THE TECH TEAM!

Eric Bloomer
Corey Brown
Jeffrey Clark
Bonita Douglas
Tina L Johnson
Michael Juday
Andre Kimbrough
Maimunah Kokayi
Carla Nichols
Rometa Summerlin
Joshua Venerable
Denise Williams

��’m&�Բ��;so grateful for our remarkable team of dedicated experts and models of dependability, commitment and excellence.

YOU MAKE SUCH A DIFFERENCE IN OUR DAILY LIVES.

THANK YOU!

Nominated by: Anne Derouin

Sincere thank you for the incredible staff that went above and beyond expectations to ensure the Graduation events that were attended by graduates and their families on May 8th, were DUSON quality. Their efforts included welcoming smiles at the doors, gorgeous decorations, foods and drinks for all in attendance and creative/fun/memorable moments. Special thank you to the outstanding efforts of: Laverne Myers Jenny Ingraham Yvette Massey MK Powers Matt Lardie Andrew Buchanan Stacy Zhou Angela Goss Leslie Zanaglio Lindsay Johnson Jim McNerney I’m so grateful for our remarkable team of dedicated experts and models of dependability, commitment and excellence. YOU MAKE SUCH A DIFFERENCE IN OUR DAILY LIVES.  THANK YOU!

Andrew Buchanan, Angela Goss, Jenny Ingraham, Lindsay Johnson, Matt Lardie, Yvette Massey, Jim McNerney, Laverne Myers, MK Powers, Leslie Zanaglio, Stacy Zhou

May 2026

Sincere thank you for the incredible staff that went above and beyond expectations to ensure the Graduation events that were attended by graduates and their families on May 8^th, were DUSON quality. Their efforts included welcoming smiles at the doors, gorgeous decorations, foods and drinks for all in attendance and creative/fun/memorable moments.

Special thank you to the outstanding efforts of:

Laverne Myers
Jenny Ingraham
Yvette Massey
MK Powers
Matt Lardie
Andrew Buchanan
Stacy Zhou
Angela Goss
Leslie Zanaglio
Lindsay Johnson
Jim McNerney

��’m&�Բ��;so grateful for our remarkable team of dedicated experts and models of dependability, commitment and excellence.

YOU MAKE SUCH A DIFFERENCE IN OUR DAILY LIVES.

THANK YOU!

Nominated by: Anne Derouin

A Special thank you to Ms. Bebe Mills, who sacrificed being with a hospitalized loved one to be with us and lead the graduation exercises. She ensured that we had a smooth and wonderful celebration (as always), but I do want to acknowledge the extra effort this took for her to be with us. REMARKABLE Dedication and commitment to our community. SALUTE TO MS. MILLS!

Bebe Mills

May 2026

A Special thank you to Ms. Bebe Mills, who sacrificed being with a hospitalized loved one to be with us and lead the graduation exercises.

She ensured that we had a smooth and wonderful celebration (as always), but I do want to acknowledge the extra effort this took for her to be with us.

REMARKABLE Dedication and commitment to our community.

SALUTE TO MS. MILLS!

Nominated by: Anne Derouin

Please recognize the OUTSTANDING effort of Ms. Najla McClain, who took on the HERCLUAN task of planning, coordinating and hosting a wonderful school-wide event to honor our spring graduates.  She was exceptional in taking on this responsibility in addition to many other ongoing tasks in the season. Her generosity, forward=thinking and creativity ensured the event was welcoming, inviting, FUN and inclusive for all in attendance. She has also planned for the future—ensuring we have debriefing and refine the process in the future. THANK YOU, amazing NAJLA! You went above and beyond in this beautiful event.

Najla McClain

May 2026

Please recognize the OUTSTANDING effort of Ms. Najla McClain, who took on the HERCLUAN task of planning, coordinating and hosting a wonderful school-wide event to honor our spring graduates.

She was exceptional in taking on this responsibility in addition to many other ongoing tasks in the season.

Her generosity, forward=thinking and creativity ensured the event was welcoming, inviting, FUN and inclusive for all in attendance.

She has also planned for the future—ensuring we have debriefing and refine the process in the future.

THANK YOU, amazing NAJLA! You went above and beyond in this beautiful event.

Nominated by: Anne Derouin

I wanted to take a moment to share that it has been wonderful working with Corey over my first 90 days. He has truly been a breath of fresh air. Corey is friendly, calm under pressure, and always willing to put in the work. He has been an excellent ambassador in helping me get acclimated—not only to the culture, but also to the soft skills needed to effectively support our customers and meet DUSON expectations.

Corey Brown

May 2026

I wanted to take a moment to share that it has been wonderful working with Corey over my first 90 days. He has truly been a breath of fresh air. Corey is friendly, calm under pressure, and always willing to put in the work.

He has been an excellent ambassador in helping me get acclimated—not only to the culture, but also to the soft skills needed to effectively support our customers and meet DUSON expectations.

Nominated by: Michael Juday

I would like to recognize Karen Jackson for her exceptional support of the search committee for the Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Enrollment. Her organization, foresight, and attention to detail have already made the process run smoothly and efficiently. This level of excellence is consistent across everything I’ve worked with her on. Karen is a positive, solutions‑oriented, problem solver who thinks several steps ahead and anticipates needs before they arise. Her contributions have set up this search, and our broader work, for continued success.

Karen Jackson

May 2026

I would like to recognize Karen Jackson for her exceptional support of the search committee for the Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Enrollment. Her organization, foresight, and attention to detail have already made the process run smoothly and efficiently. This level of excellence is consistent across everything I’ve worked with her on. Karen is a positive, solutions‑oriented, problem solver who thinks several steps ahead and anticipates needs before they arise. Her contributions have set up this search, and our broader work, for continued success.

Nominated by: Sara Aghajanian

I would like to nominate Tina Johnson, Rometa Summerlin, Raymond Brisson, and Kimberly Porter for their outstanding teamwork, initiative, and willingness to assist others. On the morning of the community breakfast, they noticed me assembling approximately 100 badge holders and badge reels shortly before the event began. Without being asked, each of them immediately stepped in to help. Their readiness to pitch in, collaborate, and ensure the task was completed efficiently made a meaningful difference and reflected a true spirit of service to SON. Their collective actions demonstrated exceptional teamwork, responsiveness, and a shared commitment to supporting one another and the broader community. Raymond, Kim, Rometa, and Tina exemplify the values of excellence, collaboration, and professionalism. I am grateful for their support and believe they are highly deserving of recognition through the Commitment to Excellence award.

Tina Johnson, Rometa Summerlin, Raymond Brisson, and Kimberly Porter

April 2026

I would like to nominate Tina Johnson, Rometa Summerlin, Raymond Brisson, and Kimberly Porter for their outstanding teamwork, initiative, and willingness to assist others.

On the morning of the community breakfast, they noticed me assembling approximately 100 badge holders and badge reels shortly before the event began. Without being asked, each of them immediately stepped in to help. Their readiness to pitch in, collaborate, and ensure the task was completed efficiently made a meaningful difference and reflected a true spirit of service to SON.

Their collective actions demonstrated exceptional teamwork, responsiveness, and a shared commitment to supporting one another and the broader community.

Raymond, Kim, Rometa, and Tina exemplify the values of excellence, collaboration, and professionalism. I am grateful for their support and believe they are highly deserving of recognition through the Commitment to Excellence award.

Nominated by: Angie Keith

I am honored to nominate Ms. Abby Carver for the Commitment to Excellence Award in recognition of her extraordinary dedication to the Office of Global and Community Health Initiatives (OGACHI). In her role, Abby consistently goes far beyond what is expected, serving as an essential backbone of OGACHI’s work to support global health education, partnerships, and student experiences. Her contributions span an impressive range of responsibilities—from expertly organizing and hosting international visitors to coordinating large-scale initiatives such as planetary health fairs. Each effort is executed with exceptional organization, attention to detail, and professionalism. What truly distinguishes Abby is her unwavering commitment to supporting students and colleagues, no matter the circumstance. She has been known to take calls in the middle of the night to assist global clinical immersion students navigating urgent travel logistics abroad, including in Tanzania. This level of dedication reflects not only her strong sense of responsibility but also her deep care for the well-being and success of others. Abby approaches every task with kindness, positivity, and a genuine joy that uplifts those around her. She embodies the very spirit of excellence through her reliability, initiative, and collaborative approach. Her work directly enables OGACHI to fulfill its mission of preparing global citizens and advancing health equity through meaningful international engagement. We are incredibly fortunate to have Abby as part of our team. Her contributions make a lasting impact on students, faculty, and global partners alike, and she exemplifies the highest standards of commitment to excellence.

Abby Carver

April 2026

I am honored to nominate Ms. Abby Carver for the Commitment to Excellence Award in recognition of her extraordinary dedication to the Office of Global and Community Health Initiatives (OGACHI).

In her role, Abby consistently goes far beyond what is expected, serving as an essential backbone of OGACHI’s work to support global health education, partnerships, and student experiences. Her contributions span an impressive range of responsibilities—from expertly organizing and hosting international visitors to coordinating large-scale initiatives such as planetary health fairs. Each effort is executed with exceptional organization, attention to detail, and professionalism.

What truly distinguishes Abby is her unwavering commitment to supporting students and colleagues, no matter the circumstance. She has been known to take calls in the middle of the night to assist global clinical immersion students navigating urgent travel logistics abroad, including in Tanzania. This level of dedication reflects not only her strong sense of responsibility but also her deep care for the well-being and success of others.

Abby approaches every task with kindness, positivity, and a genuine joy that uplifts those around her. She embodies the very spirit of excellence through her reliability, initiative, and collaborative approach. Her work directly enables OGACHI to fulfill its mission of preparing global citizens and advancing health equity through meaningful international engagement.

We are incredibly fortunate to have Abby as part of our team. Her contributions make a lasting impact on students, faculty, and global partners alike, and she exemplifies the highest standards of commitment to excellence.

Nominated by: Emily Funk

I am pleased to nominate Troy Pinkins in recognition of his leadership in executing an exceptional two-day series of events engaging DUSON alumni and volunteers. The scope and success of April 9–10, 2026, reflect Troy’s thoughtful planning, attention to detail, and commitment to delivering a meaningful experience for our community. Over several months, Troy developed a dynamic program that brought more than 60 alumni back to campus and reconnected them with the School’s energy and momentum. From immersive sessions in the Center for Nursing Discovery to Alumni Awards recognition and Reunion gatherings, each element was intentionally designed to highlight DUSON’s impact while strengthening engagement. Troy seamlessly integrated program design, communications, logistics, and volunteer coordination to create a cohesive and memorable experience. A defining moment of the week was the Alumni Awards and 50th Reunion Pinning Ceremony, which helped bring more than 60 alumni back to campus. Troy guided the experience from start to finish, working closely with honorees and their families to ensure it was both meaningful and celebratory. The event honored exceptional alumni while highlighting the enduring impact of the DUSON community—often inspiring deeper connection and future support. He also delighted guests with a surprise appearance by the Blue Devil. Troy also led a highly successful in-person Nursing Alumni Council meeting, collaborating with the Executive Committee to elevate both the content and overall experience. The agenda was thoughtfully curated, incorporating opportunities for learning, connection, and direct engagement with students and leadership. The result was a re-energized council, with members expressing strong enthusiasm for the direction and momentum of the group. In addition, Troy played a role in supporting the Board of Visitors meeting, partnering closely with colleagues to ensure a smooth and welcoming experience for this important group of advisors. Finally, Troy helped extend the reach of the Ruby L. Wilson Center dedication through a seamless livestream, connecting those unable to attend to this important moment. Troy’s leadership combines exceptional execution with a talent for creating experiences that drive connection, pride, and lasting engagement—strengthening the DUSON community in meaningful ways.

Troy Pinkins

April 2026
I am pleased to nominate Troy Pinkins in recognition of his leadership in executing an exceptional two-day series of events engaging DUSON alumni and volunteers. The scope and success of April 9–10, 2026, reflect Troy’s thoughtful planning, attention to detail, and commitment to delivering a meaningful experience for our community. Over several months, Troy developed a dynamic program that brought more than 60 alumni back to campus and reconnected them with the School’s energy and momentum. From immersive sessions in the Center for Nursing Discovery to Alumni Awards recognition and Reunion gatherings, each element was intentionally designed to highlight DUSON’s impact while strengthening engagement. Troy seamlessly integrated program design, communications, logistics, and volunteer coordination to create a cohesive and memorable experience.

A defining moment of the week was the Alumni Awards and 50th Reunion Pinning Ceremony, which helped bring more than 60 alumni back to campus. Troy guided the experience from start to finish, working closely with honorees and their families to ensure it was both meaningful and celebratory. The event honored exceptional alumni while highlighting the enduring impact of the DUSON community—often inspiring deeper connection and future support. He also delighted guests with a surprise appearance by the Blue Devil.

Troy also led a highly successful in-person Nursing Alumni Council meeting, collaborating with the Executive Committee to elevate both the content and overall experience. The agenda was thoughtfully curated, incorporating opportunities for learning, connection, and direct engagement with students and leadership. The result was a re-energized council, with members expressing strong enthusiasm for the direction and momentum of the group.

In addition, Troy played a role in supporting the Board of Visitors meeting, partnering closely with colleagues to ensure a smooth and welcoming experience for this important group of advisors.

Finally, Troy helped extend the reach of the Ruby L. Wilson Center dedication through a seamless livestream, connecting those unable to attend to this important moment.

Troy’s leadership combines exceptional execution with a talent for creating experiences that drive connection, pride, and lasting engagement—strengthening the DUSON community in meaningful ways.

Nominated by: Vicki Rennecker-Nakayoshi

I am writing to nominate Troy Pinkins for the tremendous undertaking and successful completion of a full two-day series of events to engage DUSON volunteers and alumni. For months, Troy has dedicated himself to ensuring that April 9-10, 2026, would reflect DUSON’s excellence to our alumni and volunteer community. While it would be impossible to list the full extent of his work on these two days, some highlights from his efforts included: Bringing back more than 60 alumni to Pearson Hall and IPE for ɫ��ֱ�� Reunions and organizing an engaging program that included seeing their peers and former Dean Gilliss honored at the annual alumni awards ceremony; experiencing the latest in nursing science, education, and innovation through three interactive sessions in the Center for Nursing Discovery; and enjoying community and social time over meals in the Atrium. Troy oversaw every aspect of this event, from marketing to programming to registration logistics, volunteer coordination, and beyond. Managing the annual DUSON Alumni Awards and 50th Reunion Pinning Ceremony—again from conception to soliciting submissions to coordinating with awardees and their family members to create a memorable and meaningful experience. Troy successfully led an exceptional program that included another slate of distinguished and inspiring alumni honorees. These awards not only provide recognition to the awardees, but they also help to promote the reputation of DUSON externally and, in some cases, awardees may go on to become highly engaged volunteers or generous donors after reconnecting through their award. Hosting the spring Nursing Alumni Council Meeting in person. Troy has worked tirelessly with the Executive Committee to infuse new energy into the NAC, and the effort was evident in this meeting. New members, a robust and meaningful agenda (including a Cancer Center tour and lunch with Kenan Scholars from the MN program), and time with the Dean ensured that the NAC members felt energized and highly complimentary of the direction the NAC is headed—thanks to Troy. Coordinating the meeting logistics for the Dean’s advisory council, the Board of Visitors. Troy worked closely with Kate Gray and Chela Cowan to help ensure the smooth running of the Board of Visitors meeting on Friday, going above and beyond the call of duty to ensure this important group of volunteers were well stewarded. Assisting with the dedication for the Ruby L. Wilson Center for Nursing Science & Innovation. Troy worked with Tina and the IT Department to live stream the event to the broader community and Ruby’s family who were unable to travel to the event. These are just a few of the ways Troy made an impact, and I’m sure I’ve missed countless other ways and touches he contributed. Beyond the work he put into each of these events, though, is his professionalism and problem-solving approach. Event planning is filled with challenges and obstacles that arise daily, and Troy manages to keep his cool as he navigates those challenges. On top of all of the work he put into the April 9-10 events, I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention that Troy jumped willingly and so very helpfully into organizing a luncheon for Dean Relf with 20 alumni in Charlotte on April 17, including nearly daily communications with invitees or the venue. This event would not be happening without his hard work. My sincere thanks to Troy for his incredibly hard work and team-oriented approach to helping DUSON put its best foot forward, always.

Troy Pinkins

April 2026
I am writing to nominate Troy Pinkins for the tremendous undertaking and successful completion of a full two-day series of events to engage DUSON volunteers and alumni. For months, Troy has dedicated himself to ensuring that April 9-10, 2026, would reflect DUSON’s excellence to our alumni and volunteer community.

While it would be impossible to list the full extent of his work on these two days, some highlights from his efforts included:

Bringing back more than 60 alumni to Pearson Hall and IPE for ɫ��ֱ�� Reunions and organizing an engaging program that included seeing their peers and former Dean Gilliss honored at the annual alumni awards ceremony; experiencing the latest in nursing science, education, and innovation through three interactive sessions in the Center for Nursing Discovery; and enjoying community and social time over meals in the Atrium. Troy oversaw every aspect of this event, from marketing to programming to registration logistics, volunteer coordination, and beyond.

Managing the annual DUSON Alumni Awards and 50th Reunion Pinning Ceremony—again from conception to soliciting submissions to coordinating with awardees and their family members to create a memorable and meaningful experience. Troy successfully led an exceptional program that included another slate of distinguished and inspiring alumni honorees. These awards not only provide recognition to the awardees, but they also help to promote the reputation of DUSON externally and, in some cases, awardees may go on to become highly engaged volunteers or generous donors after reconnecting through their award.

Hosting the spring Nursing Alumni Council Meeting in person. Troy has worked tirelessly with the Executive Committee to infuse new energy into the NAC, and the effort was evident in this meeting. New members, a robust and meaningful agenda (including a Cancer Center tour and lunch with Kenan Scholars from the MN program), and time with the Dean ensured that the NAC members felt energized and highly complimentary of the direction the NAC is headed—thanks to Troy.

Coordinating the meeting logistics for the Dean’s advisory council, the Board of Visitors. Troy worked closely with Kate Gray and Chela Cowan to help ensure the smooth running of the Board of Visitors meeting on Friday, going above and beyond the call of duty to ensure this important group of volunteers were well stewarded.

Assisting with the dedication for the Ruby L. Wilson Center for Nursing Science & Innovation. Troy worked with Tina and the IT Department to live stream the event to the broader community and Ruby’s family who were unable to travel to the event.

These are just a few of the ways Troy made an impact, and I’m sure I’ve missed countless other ways and touches he contributed. Beyond the work he put into each of these events, though, is his professionalism and problem-solving approach. Event planning is filled with challenges and obstacles that arise daily, and Troy manages to keep his cool as he navigates those challenges.

On top of all of the work he put into the April 9-10 events, I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention that Troy jumped willingly and so very helpfully into organizing a luncheon for Dean Relf with 20 alumni in Charlotte on April 17, including nearly daily communications with invitees or the venue. This event would not be happening without his hard work.

My sincere thanks to Troy for his incredibly hard work and team-oriented approach to helping DUSON put its best foot forward, always.

Nominated by: Kirsten Beattie

I am pleased to nominate Mary Katherine (MK) Powers for the Commitment to Excellence Award in recognition of her consistent professionalism, technical expertise, and exceptional commitment to supporting the ɫ��ֱ��’s mission, vision, and values. MK consistently demonstrates excellence in performing her job responsibilities, particularly in high-pressure situations requiring speed, precision, and creativity. At very short notice, she has been instrumental in updating the School’s externally facing website sections to ensure accuracy, clarity, and alignment with institutional messaging, often stepping in without hesitation to meet urgent communication needs. She consistently produces the highest quality work products. Notably, MK designed and delivered polished, visually compelling graphics for several high-impact, school-wide initiatives, including the Dean’s New Year holiday card and the Ruby Wilson dedication invitation. Each piece reflected thoughtful design, brand alignment, and an exceptional attention to detail that strengthened the School’s external presence. In addition to her creative strengths, MK provides a superb and ongoing level of service to internal stakeholders. She routinely troubleshoots complex technical and backend coding issues within the Emma Email platform, ensuring communications function properly and are delivered on time. Her willingness to problem-solve, assist colleagues, and take initiative, often behind the scenes, has had a meaningful impact on the effectiveness and reliability of School communications. Throughout her work, MK consistently goes above and beyond the call of duty. Her responsiveness, collaborative spirit, and technical expertise exemplify the highest standards of excellence and service. She is a tremendous asset to the Marketing & Communications team under the leadership of Sara Aghajanian, M.P.H., Associate Dean, Marketing & Communications, and is deeply deserving of recognition through the Commitment to Excellence Award.

Mary Katherine (MK) Powers

April 2026

I am pleased to nominate Mary Katherine (MK) Powers for the Commitment to Excellence Award in recognition of her consistent professionalism, technical expertise, and exceptional commitment to supporting the ɫ��ֱ��’s mission, vision, and values.

MK consistently demonstrates excellence in performing her job responsibilities, particularly in high-pressure situations requiring speed, precision, and creativity. At very short notice, she has been instrumental in updating the School’s externally facing website sections to ensure accuracy, clarity, and alignment with institutional messaging, often stepping in without hesitation to meet urgent communication needs.

She consistently produces the highest quality work products. Notably, MK designed and delivered polished, visually compelling graphics for several high-impact, school-wide initiatives, including the Dean’s New Year holiday card and the Ruby Wilson dedication invitation. Each piece reflected thoughtful design, brand alignment, and an exceptional attention to detail that strengthened the School’s external presence.

In addition to her creative strengths, MK provides a superb and ongoing level of service to internal stakeholders. She routinely troubleshoots complex technical and backend coding issues within the Emma Email platform, ensuring communications function properly and are delivered on time. Her willingness to problem-solve, assist colleagues, and take initiative, often behind the scenes, has had a meaningful impact on the effectiveness and reliability of School communications.

Throughout her work, MK consistently goes above and beyond the call of duty. Her responsiveness, collaborative spirit, and technical expertise exemplify the highest standards of excellence and service. She is a tremendous asset to the Marketing & Communications team under the leadership of Sara Aghajanian, M.P.H., Associate Dean, Marketing & Communications, and is deeply deserving of recognition through the Commitment to Excellence Award.

Nominated by: Troy Pinkins

I am writing to formally nominate the Staff and Workplace Advocacy Council (SaWAC) for a Commitment to Excellence Award in recognition of their outstanding performance, collaboration, and service to the ɫ��ֱ�� community through their planning and execution of the DUSON Staff Retreat held on Tuesday, March 31, 2026. SaWAC’s work exemplifies the highest standards of excellence as outlined in the program criteria. Collectively, the council demonstrated consistent excellence in job performance, exceptional customer service, and high‑quality work product, and played a significant role in delivering a high‑impact initiative that meaningfully advanced the School’s mission, vision, and values. The retreat was intentionally designed to foster resilience, belonging, trust, and connection among staff. SaWAC led the planning and coordination of all aspects of the event, including logistics, space planning, food and hospitality, program flow, and engagement strategies. The result was a seamless, welcoming experience that encouraged staff to be fully present; intentionally setting aside outside distractions to engage thoughtfully with colleagues and content. Key highlights of SaWAC’s excellence include: Creating a well‑structured agenda that balanced learning, reflection, and connection Ensuring an accommodating space, plentiful and thoughtfully planned meals, and a strong sense of hospitality throughout the day Adapting programming to meet staff needs while maintaining a high level of professionalism and care SaWAC also coordinated and facilitated impactful learning sessions featuring both internal staff leaders and external expertise: Dr. Bryan Sexton, Director of the ɫ��ֱ�� Center for the Advancement of Well‑Being Science (CAWS), led evidence‑based sessions focused on resilience, belonging, and connection, supported by resources from caws.dukehealth.org. Najla McClain led a session on communication clarity versus ambiguity, trust, leadership under constraints, role specialization, and iterative problem‑solving. Brandon Holmes facilitated a session on building psychological safety, increasing group awareness, active listening, creativity, and navigating complexity. William J. Falls Jr. introduced a practical communication framework—the U‑F‑O model—to reduce misinterpretation, strengthen trust, and slow reactive thinking. Heather Mountz guided a hands‑on activity demonstrating how assumptions shape workplace communication and how clarity can prevent negative or inaccurate conclusions. Through intentional planning, collaborative leadership, and unwavering commitment to staff well‑being, SaWAC delivered a retreat that I know will have a lasting positive impact on staff morale, psychological safety, and cross‑departmental connection. Their work went well above and beyond routine responsibilities and reflects the very essence of the Commitment to Excellence Award.

Staff and Workplace Advocacy Council

April 2026
I am writing to formally nominate the Staff and Workplace Advocacy Council (SaWAC) for a Commitment to Excellence Award in recognition of their outstanding performance, collaboration, and service to the ɫ��ֱ�� community through their planning and execution of the DUSON Staff Retreat held on Tuesday, March 31, 2026.

SaWAC’s work exemplifies the highest standards of excellence as outlined in the program criteria. Collectively, the council demonstrated consistent excellence in job performance, exceptional customer service, and high‑quality work product, and played a significant role in delivering a high‑impact initiative that meaningfully advanced the School’s mission, vision, and values.

The retreat was intentionally designed to foster resilience, belonging, trust, and connection among staff. SaWAC led the planning and coordination of all aspects of the event, including logistics, space planning, food and hospitality, program flow, and engagement strategies. The result was a seamless, welcoming experience that encouraged staff to be fully present; intentionally setting aside outside distractions to engage thoughtfully with colleagues and content.

Key highlights of SaWAC’s excellence include:

Creating a well‑structured agenda that balanced learning, reflection, and connection

Ensuring an accommodating space, plentiful and thoughtfully planned meals, and a strong sense of hospitality throughout the day

Adapting programming to meet staff needs while maintaining a high level of professionalism and care

SaWAC also coordinated and facilitated impactful learning sessions featuring both internal staff leaders and external expertise:

Dr. Bryan Sexton, Director of the ɫ��ֱ�� Center for the Advancement of Well‑Being Science (CAWS), led evidence‑based sessions focused on resilience, belonging, and connection, supported by resources from caws.dukehealth.org.

Najla McClain led a session on communication clarity versus ambiguity, trust, leadership under constraints, role specialization, and iterative problem‑solving.

Brandon Holmes facilitated a session on building psychological safety, increasing group awareness, active listening, creativity, and navigating complexity.

William J. Falls Jr. introduced a practical communication framework—the U‑F‑O model—to reduce misinterpretation, strengthen trust, and slow reactive thinking.

Heather Mountz guided a hands‑on activity demonstrating how assumptions shape workplace communication and how clarity can prevent negative or inaccurate conclusions.

Through intentional planning, collaborative leadership, and unwavering commitment to staff well‑being, SaWAC delivered a retreat that I know will have a lasting positive impact on staff morale, psychological safety, and cross‑departmental connection. Their work went well above and beyond routine responsibilities and reflects the very essence of the Commitment to Excellence Award.

Nominated by: Troy Pinkins

I would like to formally nominate the entire CPO Coordinator team for an Excellence Coin in recognition of their outstanding dedication, collaboration, and service. The CPO Coordinators consistently demonstrate exceptional commitment to supporting our students, faculty, and clinical partners. Their ability to navigate complex placement needs, maintain strong communication, and uphold the highest standards of professionalism has had a meaningful impact on our operations and the overall student experience. What truly sets this team apart is their unwavering teamwork. They routinely step in for one another, share knowledge generously, and approach challenges with a solutions‑focused mindset. Their collective efforts ensure that our programs run smoothly and that our students receive the high‑quality clinical experiences essential to their success. The excellence they bring to their roles each day reflects the values of our organization, and I believe they are highly deserving of this recognition.

Mia Berg, Gabby Houston, Nidhi Kumari, Cindy Luddy, Monica Meza, Silvia Vasquez

March 2026

I would like to formally nominate the entire CPO Coordinator team for an Excellence Coin in recognition of their outstanding dedication, collaboration, and service.

The CPO Coordinators consistently demonstrate exceptional commitment to supporting our students, faculty, and clinical partners. Their ability to navigate complex placement needs, maintain strong communication, and uphold the highest standards of professionalism has had a meaningful impact on our operations and the overall student experience.

What truly sets this team apart is their unwavering teamwork. They routinely step in for one another, share knowledge generously, and approach challenges with a solutions‑focused mindset. Their collective efforts ensure that our programs run smoothly and that our students receive the high‑quality clinical experiences essential to their success.

The excellence they bring to their roles each day reflects the values of our organization, and I believe they are highly deserving of this recognition.

Nominated by: Gabby Houston

I would like to nominate Steven Johansson for the Commitment to Excellence Award in recognition of his consistent demonstration of excellence in service to the ɫ��ֱ�� community. Steven is the Enrollment CRM Manager and Business Systems Analyst for the Admissions office. Because his work is often behind the scenes, we don’t always realize how impactful his contributions are for all members of the DUSON community. In the past year, I have been fortunate enough to appreciate the work that Steven does to ensure that Slate is regularly updated, maintained, and modified for each department so that applicants have a clear “checklist” of items needed for their application located in ONE place. Steven is also creating a new “Add-PGC” application in Slate and is actively exploring the possibilities for incorporating AI into admission operations. As our departments are adjusting to new steps in the admission process, we have drastically improved the pre-orientation communications into Slate for our students. These initiatives would not be possible without collaborating with Steven, because he consistently performs and produces outcomes with excellence.

Steven Johansson

March 2026

I would like to nominate Steven Johansson for the Commitment to Excellence Award in recognition of his consistent demonstration of excellence in service to the ɫ��ֱ�� community. Steven is the Enrollment CRM Manager and Business Systems Analyst for the Admissions office. Because his work is often behind the scenes, we don’t always realize how impactful his contributions are for all members of the DUSON community. In the past year, I have been fortunate enough to appreciate the work that Steven does to ensure that Slate is regularly updated, maintained, and modified for each department so that applicants have a clear “checklist” of items needed for their application located in ONE place. Steven is also creating a new “Add-PGC” application in Slate and is actively exploring the possibilities for incorporating AI into admission operations. As our departments are adjusting to new steps in the admission process, we have drastically improved the pre-orientation communications into Slate for our students. These initiatives would not be possible without collaborating with Steven, because he consistently performs and produces outcomes with excellence.

Nominated by: Jill Brennan-Cook

I would like to nominate Kelly Green for the Staff Service Award. Recently, Kelly assisted me in managing a student who was experiencing a medical crisis. Throughout the situation, Kelly was exceptionally calm, caring, and supportive. Her steady presence helped keep the environment controlled and reassured both the student and those involved. Kelly’s professionalism and compassion were evident, and her actions made a meaningful difference during a challenging moment. I am grateful for her partnership and believe she is highly deserving of this recognition.

Kelly Green

March 2026

I would like to nominate Kelly Green for the Staff Service Award. Recently, Kelly assisted me in managing a student who was experiencing a medical crisis. Throughout the situation, Kelly was exceptionally calm, caring, and supportive. Her steady presence helped keep the environment controlled and reassured both the student and those involved.

Kelly’s professionalism and compassion were evident, and her actions made a meaningful difference during a challenging moment. I am grateful for her partnership and believe she is highly deserving of this recognition.

Nominated by: Stephanie Gedzyk-Nieman

I had to just catch my breath as I received an email from Allender Lynch today. She saved my P card expense account. Due to some periodic delays in staff support and general late flow of things over the holidays, I was told imminent default was happening in 48 hours. I've been here for 20 years and this was a first and frankly, I do think part of this is due to our staff cutbacks with budget crunch. However, I made a quick reach out to see if Allender could assist with one report as I also attempted to problem solve. It turned out not to be so tricky but the key was her response to my call for help. She replied within an hour and said let me look into it. She reached the business associate and got an answer. She also jumped in and took another case and in the same day all issues cleared.  Going above and beyond in short notice was so helpful and I thank her. Further, in general work requests, she is professional, pleasant, asks for clarification and is competent! We are lucky to have her!

Allender Lynch

March 2026

I had to just catch my breath as I received an email from Allender Lynch today. She saved my P card expense account. Due to some periodic delays in staff support and general late flow of things over the holidays, I was told imminent default was happening in 48 hours. I've been here for 20 years and this was a first and frankly, I do think part of this is due to our staff cutbacks with budget crunch. However, I made a quick reach out to see if Allender could assist with one report as I also attempted to problem solve. It turned out not to be so tricky but the key was her response to my call for help. She replied within an hour and said let me look into it. She reached the business associate and got an answer. She also jumped in and took another case and in the same day all issues cleared.

Going above and beyond in short notice was so helpful and I thank her. Further, in general work requests, she is professional, pleasant, asks for clarification and is competent! We are lucky to have her!

Nominated by: Kathy Trotter

ɫ��ֱ��