Winners of the 2014 President's Staff Recognition Awards named

As part of York University’s commitment to fostering employee engagement and recognizing excellence, each year the University celebrates the achievements of its dedicated staff. This year, the Office of the President received many submissions for the awards. After careful deliberation by selection committees, York President and Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri is pleased to acknowledge the recipients and nominees of the 2014 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 on April 30.

The awards, recipients and nominees are as follows:

The Ronald Kent Medal

Maria Mazzurco, undergraduate laboratory technician, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science

This medal recognizes contribution of employees who promote and strengthen collegiality, spirit and goals of York University.

Also nominated for this award:

1. Ellis Lau, administrative assistant, School of Information Technology, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies;
2. Janet Friskney, research officer, Office of the Dean, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies;
3. Jessica Perkins, student financial services coordinator, Academic & Student Financial Services;
4. Josephine d'Souza, undergraduate program assistant, Department of Social Science, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies;
5. Mohammed Bhimani, senior information systems specialist, eServices Office, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies;
6. Vicky Artamonov, client service representative and secretary, Sport & Recreation;
7. Wendy Jokhoo, research ethics coordinator, Office of Research Ethics.

The Deborah Hobson York Citizenship Award

Jayne Greene-Black, disability counsellor/educator/career specialist, Learning Disability Services

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:

1. Susan Pogue, career counsellor, Career Centre;
2. Ulya Yigit, director of computing, Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, Lassonde School of Engineering.

The President's Leadership Award

Noël Badiou, executive director, Centre for Human Rights

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:

1. Brad Sheeller, manager, Health Safety and Compliance, Faculty of Science;
2. David Phipps, executive director, Office of Research Services;
3. Glenna Oleksinski, administrative officer, Faculty of Health;
4. Magda Szaki, executive officer, Schulich School of Business;
5. Robert Everett, assistant secretary, University Secretariat;
6. Ross McMillan, assistant director, Centre for Student Community & Leadership Development;
7. Sarah Cantrell, executive director, Office of Institutional Planning & Analysis and PRASE program;
8. Sheelagh Atkinson, manager, Events and Ceremonials, Community & Alumni Relations;
9. Suzanne Killick, director, Learning & Organizational Development, Recruitment and PRASE.

The President's Voice of York Award

Alicia Pinter, administrative assistant, Information & Privacy Office

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:

1. Belawati Husain, administrative secretary, Office of the Dean, Schulich School of Business;
2. Shelby Vavra, administrative assistant, Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing program, Faculty of Education;
3. Yassin A. Handouleh, assessor, Transfer Credit and Degree Audit, Academic & Student Financial Services.

The Phyllis Clark Campus Service Award

David Timmins, senior security official, Security Services, Campus Services & Business Operations

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.

Also nominated for this award:

1. Michael Cumberbatch, grounds maintenance team leader, Grounds, Fleet & Waste Management, Campus Services & Business Operations;
2. Oretha Boyd, custodian, Custodial Services, Campus Services & Business Operations.

The Harriet Lewis Team Award for Service Excellence

The Office of Student Community Relations:

• Debbie Hansen, director, Student Relations, Office of Student Community Relations;
• Alfred Ene, dispute resolution adviser, Office of Student Community Relations;
• Marcelle Mullings, dispute resolution adviser, Office of Student Community Relations;
• Carolyn Cannon, critical incidents coordinator/dispute adviser, Office of Student Community Relations;
• Alexandra Kloczko, administrative assistant, Office of Student Community Relations.

This award recognizes team’s excellence in service and support to students, faculty, staff and/or other service users and promote the York spirit in terms of imagination, creativity, innovation and redefining the possible in service to York’s community (internal or external)

Also nominated for this award:

1. Lassonde Student Welcome & Support Centre
   • Zeripha Moses, undergraduate program assistant, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, Lassonde School of Engineering
   • Stefanie Caputo, undergraduate program secretary, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, Lassonde School of Engineering
   • Lauren Hall, academic services coordinator, Office of the Dean, Lassonde School of Engineering
   • Rachel Ricer, academic adviser, Office of the Dean, Lassonde School of Engineering
   • Marvin James, co-op coordinator, Office of the Dean, Lassonde School of Engineering
   • Hema Nair, manager, Student Advising, Office of the Dean, Lassonde School of Engineering
   • Gayathry Wright, manager, Student Engagement & Retention, Office of the Dean, Lassonde School of Engineering

2. Research and Professional Development
   • Mirella Nestor, manager, Professional Development, Research and Professional Development, Faculty of Education
   • Geetha Glover, registration coordinator, Research and Professional Development, Faculty of Education
   • Maria Thomas, administrative secretary to Associate Dean, Research and Professional Development, Faculty of Education
   • Selena Spencer, registration assistant, Research and Professional Development, Faculty of Education
   • Tanveer Bhimani, registration and special programs assistant, Research and Professional Development, Faculty of Education
   • Rosa Fortura, registration assistant, Research and Professional Development, Faculty of Education
   • Robbie Sanderson, liaison assistant, Research and Professional Development, Faculty of Education
   • Melissa Cliffe, information assistant, Research and Professional Development, Faculty of Education
   • Nadia Thompson, administrative secretary, Research and Professional Development, Faculty of Education

3. Welcome Wagon
   • Courtney Mallam-Raybould, coordinator, Print & New Media, Student Recruitment, Admissions & Applicant Relations, Glendon Campus
   • Elodie Li Chor Bun, communications assistant, Student Recruitment, Admissions & Applicant Relations, Glendon Campus
   • Jessica Perkins, coordinator, Student Financial Services
   • Cristina Bregar, manager Academic Planning and Enrolment, Academic and Student Financial Services, Glendon Campus
   • David Ip Yam, manager, Student Affairs, Office of the Student Services, Glendon Campus
   • Andrea Goren, senior recruitment officer, Student Recruitment, Admissions & Applicant Relations, Glendon Campus

For more information on each of the awards and past recipients, please visit the President's Staff Recognition Awards website.