2022 Awards for Excellence
The 2022 Awards for Excellence Ceremony was held to honor employees for their achievements in furthering the missions of the University of Arizona, recipients are nominated by colleagues and peers and selected by a panel of volunteer judges made up of staff and faculty.
This award recognizes a career of service to the University of Arizona and the community by someone who loves the UA and acts in the spirit of Billy Joe Varney.
Harry McDermott, Physician and Public Health Officer
Campus Health Services
This award recognizes a career of service to the University and the community by someone who
loves the UA and acts in the spirit of Billy Joe Varney.
Nominated by: Laura Provencher
Individual Awards are presented to approximately 9 members of the Classified and University Staff, regardless of their length of service, classification or pay grade. These awards are designed to recognize outstanding achievements.
Camille Andersen
Director, Scholarship Administration
CALS Career and Advising Services
Nominated by: Jeffrey Ratje
“Camille has, quite literally, transformed scholarship administration in CALS, taking an office with relatively low percentage of scholarships awarded to a model of efficiency and donor stewardship for the rest of the university. In virtually every critical area of scholarship administration, Camille’s efforts have moved CALS to an exemplar of how it should be done, earning kudos from the UA Foundation.”
Nina Bates
Director, Operations and Strategic Initiatives
Office of the Provost
Nominated by: Clarisa Robles Parra
“In all my interactions with Nina, she conducts herself with professionalism, integrity, and above all, kindness. These soft skill sets are not common in many administrators and make the difference between just “getting the job done” and a truly successful project where the sustainability of enduring relationships among campus partners far outlast the immediate challenges. I particularly appreciate that she’s always quick with smile and has a keen sense of humor that alleviates any tension in the room.”
Kiriann Carini
Specialist, Geographic Information Systems
Research Engagement
Nominated by: Alana Varner
Kiri is known for doing whatever it takes to achieve excellence and promote diversity. “Kiri has been a champion for creating opportunities for underserved communities. Through the geospatial seminar series she organizes, Kiri has intentionally invited women and BIPOC as speakers in the seminar series, providing a platform for role models who reflect the diversity of the University of Arizona and surrounding community. Her contributions to inclusivity, student engagement, and research support should serve as model and motivation for the University of Arizona.”
Marisa Lester
Assistant Program Director
Molecular and Cellular Biology
Nominated by: Jennifer Cubeta
“Marisa is exceptional in every way, she is the 'go to' person and the lynchpin that holds her department together. She is praised for always being “willing to go above and beyond her position to help out anywhere we need it,” adding “she is a welcoming and informed member of the team who make our visitors (typically high school students) at home. This undoubtedly has helped with not just informing our community, but also recruitment of these students to the UA.”
Brooke Beam Massani
Director, Research Support Services
Chemistry and Biochemistry
Nominated by: Craig Aspinwall
Colleagues in the Keck Center for Nano-Scale Imaging Center praise Brooke by saying, “She has expertly run and grow the facility over the past decade to the point that it now contains numerous cutting edge imaging instruments. I doubt that the Center would have flourished as it is without her leadership. Brooke has shown outstanding achievement in the workplace, improved the efficiency of the Keck Center, performed numerous outreach activities and promoted diversity.”
Natalie Olson
Business Manager
Humanities Administration
Nominated by: Erin Robbins
“The College of Humanities wouldn’t be what it is today without Natalie Olson. Her organizational dedication, resourcefulness, and canny management practices will have a lasting institutional impact for years to come. She is embodying the university’s core values of integrity, compassion, exploration, adaptation, inclusion and determination- repeatedly demonstrates outstanding achievement and makes special efforts in practicing inclusive excellence in the workplace.”
The team award is presented to a team primarily comprised of Classified University Staff and tasked with a specific project or function.
Arizona Campus Health Services Team
Nominated by: David Salafsky
"First established in 1918 to support the University during the last global pandemic, Campus Health has remained as essential as ever over the past two years during the current one. Since the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Campus Health team has worked tirelessly to protect the campus community in ways that routinely went above and beyond. The integrative services delivered by Campus Health have benefitted students, employees and the wider community at each turn since early 2020.Through teamwork, creativity and sheer strength of will, Campus Health staff have produced an exceptional list of contributions, which helped our campus weather the pandemic and protected the health and well being of so many in our community, one patient at a time.”
The Department Award recognizes a University of Arizona department for excellence in the management of its people and resources creating a culture of learning and a satisfying work environment.
University Animal Care
Nominated by: Cynthia Doane
“UAC serves over 290 principal investigators and over 2,000 research staff and students who utilize animals for research and teaching purposes. Our team of six veterinarians and 65 staff provide daily husbandry and veterinary care for over 55,000 animals housed in UArizona facilities each day of the year, including weekends and holidays, and provides emergency veterinary assistance 24 hours per day. In the past year, UAC has not only survived, it has thrived by putting empathy first, embracing employee feedback, and enacting positive change. While many had the benefit of working from home, our team came to work every day – weekends and holidays included. And miraculously, instead of accepting status quo, UAC grew and became even stronger. I am proud to be part of this team and can’t think of a more deserving department for this award.“