Honoring
Excellence
UH staff recognized during
2022 President’s Excellence Awards ceremony
Congratulations to the University of Houston employees recognized by President Renu Khator and their peers during the 2022 President’s Excellence Awards reception, held recently at the Hilton University of Houston Hotel. During this annual celebration, the University honored the commendable dedication and achievements of staff.
This year, the President’s Excellence Awards expanded to include the President’s Innovation Award and the President’s Community Service Award. These awardees come from across the University and play a pivotal role in fulfilling the teaching, research and service missions of the University.
The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the C.F. McElhinney Distinguished Service Award. It went to an employee who embodies the highest achievement attained by a member of the non-teaching staff.
Additionally, employees celebrating significant anniversaries with the University — some who’ve been part of the UH community for 40-plus years — received Service Awards for their faithful and enduring commitment to the University.
Scroll on to reveal this year’s honorees.
Crystal Lugo, program manager, C.T. Bauer College of Business; Lenay Johnson, director of admissions and recruitment, C.T. Bauer College of Business
Crystal Lugo, program manager, C.T. Bauer College of Business; Lenay Johnson, director of admissions and recruitment, C.T. Bauer College of Business
Trinity Rinear, director, Bonner Leaders Program, The Honors College, and guest
Trinity Rinear, director, Bonner Leaders Program, The Honors College, and guest
President’s Excellence Awards
Effective Leader
Nikki Duncan, Recruitment Manager, Human Resources
Effective Leader
Lenay Johnson, Director of Admissions and Recruitment, C.T. Bauer College of Business
Effective Leader
Tristan Sims, Program Director, Undergraduate Studies, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Administrative Service
Stacia Dunn, Assistant Director of Academic Affairs and Student Success, Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts
Administrative Service
Michelle Nodskov, Program Manager, Office of First Year Programs, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Administrative Service
Trinity Rinear, Director, Bonner Leaders Program, The Honors College
Clerical Staff
Jasmine Harrison, Development Coordinator, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Clerical Staff
Sylvia Landa, Clinic Coordinator, University Eye Institute
Clerical Staff
Jane Tragesser, Clinic Director, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
Technical/Service/Craft
Ralph Brown, Electronics Tech, Cullen College of Engineering
Technical/Service/Craft
Ivey Davis, User Services Specialist Lead, UIT Technology Services and Support
Technical/Service/Craft
Robert Dial, Electrical Tech, Cullen College of Engineering
Innovation
Bilal Trufant, Developer, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
Community Service
Stacy Halley, Senior Director, Advancement, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
C.F. McElhinney Distinguished Service Award
Maggie Mahoney, director of Global Engagement, Institute for Global Engagement, received the C.F. McElhinney Distinguished Service Award.
Recipients of this award consistently contribute at the highest level to the teaching and service objectives of our University. They are considered true leaders and role models.
Mahoney’s commitment to supporting international engagement for UH students is unparalleled. Though COVID-19 presented a truly monumental challenge, she has moved UH smoothly from bringing everyone home safely in spring 2020, to reviewing and improving the systems for student mobility, to guiding the program through a safe re-start of Learning Abroad that has UH already on track to quickly reach pre-COVID numbers.
Faculty and staff alike have praised Mahoney’s cooperative and communicative leadership and teamwork.
The true measure of her customer service orientation, however, comes from the many detailed reports and unsolicited praise given by her student alumni of UH Learning Abroad programs. They often return from abroad and share how their work with her has opened doors previously unknown or inaccessible, and how these international experiences have shaped their lives.
Maggie Mahoney, director of Global Engagement, Institute for Global Engagement
Maggie Mahoney, director of Global Engagement, Institute for Global Engagement
Maggie Mahoney and family
Maggie Mahoney and family
Maggie Mahoney and her husband, Adam Taylor
Maggie Mahoney and her husband, Adam Taylor
Service Awards
Kevin Vu , University Information Technology, 25 years at UH
Kevin Vu , University Information Technology, 25 years at UH
Karl Hearne, Neighborhood and Strategic Initiatives; Maria Avila, Campus Recreation
Karl Hearne, Neighborhood and Strategic Initiatives; Maria Avila, Campus Recreation
Vanessa Stepney, Office of Contracts and Grants
Vanessa Stepney, Office of Contracts and Grants
40+ Years
Mark Aycock
Cissy Bean
Charles Chambers
David Dawlearn
Phil Glendinning
Mary Gould
Howard Jares
M Khalili
Elwyn C. Lee
Candy Littleton
Stuart Long
Alan Pfeiffer-Traum
Mary Richards
Diane Salazar
Beatriz Vargas
Brian Walker
Caroline Watkins
Juan Zapata
35 Years
Maria Avila
Margaret Busch
Chau Bush
Dee Canfield
Kevin Draper
Gayle King
Sandra Marino-Rodriguez
Anna Spaunhorst
Vanessa Stepney
Dan Wells
30 Years
Christopher Durham
Guadalupe Garcia
Suzanne Gordon
Karen James
Katina McGhee
Douglas Mueler
Jeannie Pham
Amber Pozo
Lynn Smith
Kyle Tellez
Jason Tibbitts
Esmeralda Valdez
Fujio Watanabe
25 Years
Fatima Acevedo
Alan Austin
Fauzia Aziz Nisar
Timothy Becker
Cynthia Bielamowicz
William Blackburn
Stephen Boss
Lilia Canas
Anthony Carpenter
Randy Clark
Meredith Coleman
Isaac Davis
Emily Estill
Celia Galvan
Linda Garza
Nalan Giannukos
Porfirio Gonzales
Sharon House
John Houston
Jayakrishnan Krishnan
Vu Le
Linda Lee
Michele Luman
Ruth McCleskey
Laura Miller
Julie Nguyen
Kelly Nguyen
Tuyet Nguyen
Dan Olivarez
Dina Padovan
Kathleen Patnaude
Etna Pellman-Goldsmith
Rebecca Perez
Daphyne Pitre
Fidel Ramirez
Brenda Rhoden
John Robertson
Beverly Rymer
Baldemar Sandoval
Scott Sawyer
Michael Scott
Rayna Spencer
Diane Sylvester
Yolanda Thomas
Chad Thome
Kevin Vu
Tammy Whatley
Quinton Williams
20 Years
Michael Ahlf
Raquel Alaniz
Rosemary Aleman
Kendra Alexander
Amy Aragon
Martha Arenas
Tyrance Bailey
Griselda Barcenas
Albert Chan
Chris Cheatham
Mark Clarke
Jeff Conrad
Daniel Cordova
Dona Cornell
James Ely
Esmeralda Fisher
Beverly Garcia
Wendy Gary
Jesse Gonzalez
Darla Goodwin
Terrolyn Gunter
Karl Hearne
Laura Heidel
Todd Hulslander
Irfan Husain
Patricia Ibarra
Latoyia Jarmon-Thomas
Heidi Kennedy
Chad Kitko
Paul Klinger
Jennifer Le
Michelle Le
Lateki Lewis
Karin Livingston
Rigoberto Lovo
Jennifer Marsala
Kim Marx
Alice Mattei
Cathy Medina
Elsie Myers
Jay Neal
Amit Patel
James Pettijohn
Sandra Quinteros
Laurie Ramirez
Lisa Roberts
Brenda Robles
Mark Rosanes
Juanita Samuels
Patricia Schwerin
Pamela Simpson
Erica Sims
Jennifer Skopal
Margaret Solomon-Bird
Juanita Terrell
Vanessa Torres
Vinh Trinh
Thu Ha Van
Greg Vetter
Veronica Villalobos
Jeylan Yassin
Sakurako Yurus
Jin Zhang
Congratulations to all our honorees!
Your contributions make UH a great place to learn and work, while inspiring a community of excellence.
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