Winners of the 2013 President's Staff Recognition Awards named

As part of York U’s commitment to fostering employee engagement and recognizing excellence, each year the University celebrates the achievements of its dedicated staff through the President’s Staff Recognition Awards. This year, the Office of the President received a record number of nominations for these awards.

After careful deliberation by selection committees, York President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri is pleased to acknowledge the recipients and nominees of the 2013 President's Staff Recognition Awards.
“I always look forward to and very much enjoy the opportunity to recognize the recipients of the President’s Staff Recognition Awards,” says Shoukri. “These awards enable us to honour the outstanding efforts of our hard-working staff, whose contributions are a critical part of what makes York one of Canada’s leading universities today.”

The winners will be honoured, and their achievements celebrated, at an awards dinner in April.

The awards, recipients and nominees are as follows:

The Ronald Kent Medal

Paola Panaro, administrative assistant, Department of Earth and Space Science and Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering
The medal recognizes contribution of employees who promote and strengthen collegiality, spirit and goals of York University.

Also nominated for this award:

• Aurelia Vladuc, information analyst, Advancement Services
• Billy Chan, technical support analyst, Information Technology Services, Faculty of Education
• Breanne Whitwell, research officer, Office of the Dean, Faculty of Education
• Ellis Lau, administrative assistant, School of Information Technology, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
• Howard Hunter, laboratory technologist, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science
• Janet Friskney, research officer, Office of the Dean, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
• Jenny Pitt-Clark, communications coordinator, Communications and Public Affairs Division
• Lindsay Gonder, undergraduate program secretary, School of Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies
• Maria Mazzurco, technician - Biology Prep Room, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science
• Maria Pestrin, undergraduate program assistant, School of Kinesiology and Health Science, Faculty of Health
• Matthew George, laboratory technologist, Department Of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Science
• Rita Quagliara, undergraduate program assistant, Department of Humanities, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
• Sarah Whitaker, strategic & institutional research specialist, Office of Research Services
• Wendy Jokhoo, research ethics co-ordinator, Office of Research Ethics

The President's Leadership Award

Aldo DiMarcantonio, comptroller, Finance
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.

Also nominated for this award:

• Brad Sheeller, manager, Health Safety and Compliance, Faculty of Science
• Douglas Reid, director, Learning and Research Infrastructure, Office of the Dean, Lassonde School of Engineering
• Joan Broussard, director, Research Grants, Office of Research Services
• Louise Hartley, director, York University Psychology Clinic, Department of Psychology
• Pamela Edgecombe, director of strategic, Policy and Planning, Office of the Dean, Lassonde School of Engineering
• Robin Edmison, associate director, Marketing & Creative Services, Communications and Public Affairs Division
• Ross A. McMillan, assistant director, Student Community, Centre for Student Community & Leadership Development
• Suzanne Killick, director, Learning & Organizational Development, Learning & Organizational Development, Recruitment & PRASE
• Tim Haagsma, manager, Grounds, Fleet & Waste Management, Campus Services & Business Operations
• Yvette Munro, academic planning & strategic initiatives officer, Office of the Vice-Provost Academic

The President's Voice of York Award

Tina Reddi, academic services assistant, Science Academic Services, Faculty of Science
The Voice of York Award is given to an individual employed as a receptionist or who is a first-line-of-contact person at York University. The most important voice of York is the one that callers or visitors hear first. Tact and professionalism, particularly in handling difficult or sensitive situations, is essential to our work at York University.

Also nominated for this award:

• Alexandra Kloczko, disabilities receptionist/intake support liaison, Counselling & Disability Services
• Alicia Pinter, administrative assistant, Information and Privacy Office
• Irene Backhouse, centre coordinator, LaMarsh Centre for Child and Youth Research
• Jacqueline Angoh, graduate program assistant, Translation Program, Faculty of Graduate Studies
• John McNamara, web communications coordinator, Communications Department, Office of the Dean, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
• Leah Collison, counselling & disability liaison, Counselling & Disability Services
• Michelle Galloro, research applications coordinator, Office of Research Services
• Patricia Di Benigno, undergraduate program assistant, Department of History, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
• Rene Saint-Andre, security official, Security Services, Campus Services & Business Operations
• Sonia Cianfarani, recruitment officer, Office of Recruitment
• Tina Sposato, executive assistant, Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation

The Phyllis Clark Campus Service Award

April Nietzschmann, campus relations official, Security Services, Campus Services & Business Operations
The 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.

Also nominated for this award:

• Carlo Di Vito, custodial team leader night shift, Custodial Services, Campus Services & Business Operations
• Kevin Ould, service and repair technician, Parking Services, Campus Services Business Operations
• Lawrence Trotter, mechanic, Grounds, Fleet & Waste Management, Campus Services & Business Operations
• Thirugnanam Wigneswaran, driver/caretaker, York Apartments, Campus Services & Business Operations

The Deborah Hobson York Citizenship Award

Aaron Doupe, manager, Student Affairs, Office of Student Services,

and

Jair Kallidumbil, student relations assistant, Centre for Student Community & Leadership Development
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.

Also nominated for this award:

• Jayne Greene-Black, counsellor, Learning Disability Services
• Suzanne Park, assistant to the master, Office of the Master, Bethune College
• Vanessa Grafi, manager, Recruitment, Admissions and Student Services, Undergraduate Student Services
• Vita Lobo, administrative assistant, School of Administrative Studies, 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.