The York University Staff Recognition Awards are an opportunity to join President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton in acknowledging staff members who have gone above and beyond over the past year to support the success and well-being of the York community and advance the University's vision, mission and values.
"The pandemic has shown us what is possible when we come together in support of our students and the communities we serve," said Lenton. "Over the past year, staff members from across the University have stepped up to demonstrate their passion, dedication and commitment to one another and the world around us in a myriad of ways. The nominees and winners of this year's Staff Recognition Awards have gone to extraordinary lengths to help us fulfill our mission of providing a broad demographic of students with access to a high-quality, research-intensive learning environment committed to the public good, and I am delighted to have this opportunity to recognize their significant contributions to the York community."
The winners of this year's Staff Recognition Awards will be honoured at an event at a later date.
This year's recipients and nominees are:
Gary Brewer Award
This award is presented annually to a non-academic employee of York University who has shown tremendous promise for assuming a leadership role at the University, is known for their innovative and meaningful contributions to the effectiveness of their unit and has significantly contributed to the University's commitment to excellence. The award recognizes and encourages early-career professionals who have demonstrated significant promise of leadership in their career.
Winner: Almey Tse Soriano, graduate studies manager, Lassonde School of Engineering
The other staff members nominated for this award are:
- Anda Petro, experiential education coordinator, Office of Student & Academic Services
- David Kwok, associate director, Entrepreneurship, Innovation York
- Daniel Becker, educational designer and developer, Information Technology Services, Faculty of Education
- Melissa Falotico, program and administrative assistant (floater), Operations, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
Deborah Hobson York Citizenship Award
This award recognizes employees who have demonstrated a high level of service to students and who promote York's spirit in terms of creativity, innovation and redefining the possible in service to the University community.
Winner: James Robertson, writing centre coordinator, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
The other staff members nominated for this award are:
- Mavis Griffin, undergraduate program assistant, Department of Equity Studies, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
- Susy Ribeiro, advising coordinator, Academic Services, Faculty of Science
- Savinder Saraf, administrative coordinator, Department of Communication & Media Studies, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
Phyllis Clark Campus Service Award
This award is presented annually to a non-academic employee of York University who has made exemplary contributions to the operations of either of York's campuses in terms of efficiency, cleanliness, safety, security and/or other campus or plant services.
Winner: Jonathan Cevallos, facilities manager, Faculty of Science, Office of the Dean
The other staff members nominated for this award are:
- Mary Rizzo, administrative and program coordinator, Accounting Specialization, Schulich School of Business
- Marcos Vinas, Custodian, facilities services, Property Management
President's Voice of York Award
The Voice of York Award is given to an individual who is a first line-of-contact person at York University. The most important voice of York is the one who makes the first contact with a visitor or a community member. Compassion and professionalism, particularly in handling difficult or sensitive situations, is essential to our work at York University.
Winner: Jennifer Malisani, undergraduate administrative assistant, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health
The other staff members nominated for this award are:
- Kuowei Lee, graduate program assistant, Department of Cinema & Media Arts, School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design
- Mary Lynn Belmonte, administrative assistant, Teaching Commons
- Mary Bettio, assistant director, Client Relations, Registrarial Services
- Frances Sanna, undergraduate program secretary, School of Administrative Studies, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
The President's Leadership Award
The President's Leadership Award recognizes contributions that go beyond the published requirements of a position and performance levels that foster a high level of professionalism and usually extend beyond an individual department into the University community at large.
Winner: Annette Boodram, equity, diversity and inclusion officer, Office of the Vice-President Equity, People & Culture
The other staff members nominated for this award are:
- Brad Sheeller, director, Safety and Business Operations, Office of the Dean, Faculty of Science
- Jennifer Ankrett, executive director, Strategy & Administration, Office of the Dean, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
- Sanish Samuel, comptroller, Department of Finance
- Matthew Murray, manager, Resources and Planning, School of Nursing, Faculty of Health
Harriet Lewis Team Award for Service Excellence
This award recognizes a team's excellence in service and support to students, faculty, course directors, staff and/or other service users and its promotion of the York spirit in terms of imagination, creativity, innovation and redefining the possible in service to York's community (internal or external).
Winner: University Information Technology's (UIT) Client Services Team
- Costin Ciuclaru, manager
- Leonard Chow, assistant manager
- Masi Benawa, service desk technician
- Dennis Nada, service desk technician
- Amin Al Buskan, problem analyst
- Samira Salhan, problem analyst
- Ian Huang, technical analyst
- Khalid Mahmood, technical analyst
- Steve Klein, technical analyst
- Paul Crabbe, technical analyst
- Nancy Chiu, technical analyst
- Theresa M. Loftus, customer care specialist
- Irene Chu, bilingual switchboard operator
The other staff members nominated for this award are:
- Property Management Group of Facilities Services
- Cinema & Media Arts Production Area Equipment Room Team
- Teaching Commons
- Strategic & Institutional Research Initiatives
- Human Resources, Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
- Spring 2020 Convocation Team
- Marketing & Communications Unit, Athletics
Ronald Kent Medal
The medal recognizes the contributions of employees who promote and strengthen collegiality, values, and goals of York University.
Winner: Tammy Astrafallie, student success and academic advisor, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
The other staff members nominated for this award are:
- Steven Chen, system administrator, Department of Mathematics & Statistics, Faculty of Science
- Josie Sansonetti, administrative coordinator, Department of Languages, Literatures & Linguistics, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
- Rose Ciddio, senior student relations coordinator, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
For more information on each of the awards and past recipients, visit the President's Staff Recognition Awards website.
This story was originally featured in YFile, York University's community newsletter.
