2024 Staff Recognition Award Recipients

Aubrey Emmons, Administrative Support Coordinator,  Redwood Coast K-16 Educational Collaborative

Benjamin Funke, Instructional Support Technician, Sculpture, Department of Art + Film

Bernie Levy, Special Education Program Coordinator, School of Education

Deserie Donae, was: Registrar of The College of Extended Education & Global Engagement now: Director of Enrollment and OLLI, The College of Extended Education & Global Engagement

Elizabeth Lujan, Student Financial Analyst, Student Financial Services

Jennifer Gomes, Lead Dispatcher/Records Manager, University Police Department

Jim Woodhead, Studio Art Technician, Department of Art + Film

Kimberly Vincent-Layton, Educational Developer, Center for Teaching & Learning

Kristen Radecsky, Senior Research Engineer, Schatz Energy Research Center

Laurie Marx, Department Coordinator, Department of Geology

Marisa "Meeka" Day, Scene Shop Technician/Scenic Painter, Department of Dance, Music & Theatre

Marissa "Mari" Holguin, Transfer Coordinator, Office of the Registrar

Stacy Becker, Community Partner Coordinator, Center for Community Based Learning

Sulaina Banks, Visit Experience Coordinator, Office of Admissions

Gillian Black, Academic Advisor, Academic & Career Advising Center

Kim Coughlin-Lamphear, Accessibility Advisor, Student Disability Resource Center

Shannon Collart, Advancement Events Coordinator, University Advancement

Kelly Fortner, Student Support Coordinator, Center for Community Based Learning

Brec Ronis, Administrative Support Coordinator, Art + Film

Kali Rothrock, CARE Services Case Manager, Office of the Dean of Students

Douglas Smith, Coordinator, Umoja Center for Pan African Student Excellence

Rene Smith, Department Coordinator, Anthropology; Geography, Environment & Spatial Analysis; World Languages & Cultures; Center for Translation & Interpretation

Peggy Stewart, Administrative Support Assistant; Environmental Studies; Environment & Community M.A.; History; International Studies; Politics; Religious Studies

Anna Thaler, Academic Advisor, Academic & Career Advising Center

Alexander Bippus
Jessica Citti
Kristina Hunt
Rob Keever
Pamela Kirschner
Samantha (Sammi) Martinez
Nora Montoya
Janeth Serrano
Laura Sullivan
Nicki Viso
Susan Wright

*This year there are 11 award recipients as there was a tie for the 10th spot.

Alexander Bippus, Indian Natural Resources Science and Engineering Program + Diversity in STEM
Alex Bippus is an asset to Cal Poly Humboldt students through their natural mentorship abilities, an asset to the INRSEP+ program, and an asset to Cal Poly Humboldt. Through one-on-one student mentoring, INRSEP+ team work, cross university collaborations, and community engagement, they have demonstrated they are truly an exemplary employee.

Jessica Citti, Learning Center
Humboldt is very fortunate to have Dr. Citti as a staff member on our campus. They approach every challenge and opportunity with great thoughtfulness, collaborative spirit, and student-centeredness that is truly amazing. Dr. Citti is a model to Humboldt students. They are kind, professional, collegial, curious, equitable, and collaborative. I believe they embody what we hope Humboldt students will become as future graduates.

Kristina Hunt, Academic and Career Advising Center
Kristina is dedicated and devoted to student success. She is a fabulous co-worker, team player and career services advocate. She is always to take on new challenges and responsibilities and does so with grace and great attitude.

Rob Keever, Dean of Students Office
Rob is an amazing colleague and champion of student support. Rob has created and started many initiatives to institutionalize and systematically change how our campus supports students. Rob is an invaluable resource and an asset to the university.

Pamela Kirschner, Office of Student Life
She is kind, optimistic, and incredibly hard working. Pam has been thrown hurdle after hurdle that she overcomes with intentional optimism while also challenging the process to ensure it best serves our students and the university.

Samantha (Sammi) Martinez, Retention through Academic Mentoring Program
Sammi channels her lived experiences as an Humboldt alumnus, STEM graduate, first-generation Native woman into a free-flowing, yet strategic style of support and guidance for each of the 25-30 mentors hired each year. She focuses on supporting, respectfully guiding and accompanying student leaders in their development as scholars and paraprofessionals. As a result, the spaces they share with peers across campus create interactions which support the students’ ongoing work towards successful navigation of the university. In addition, her insight and perspective into how RAMP can aspire to contribute to the university’s goals regarding our persistent equity gaps are crucial to the program.

Nora Montoya, Academic and Career Advising Center
Nora is dedicated to helping students achieve their academic, personal and professional goals. She is an attentive listener, caring and thoughtful career advisor. She is always willing to help with a project, brings thoughtful ideas, and is a great team player and collaborator.

Janeth Serrano, Financial Aid
Janeth is a role model of a high performing employee, working mother, community leader and mentor to many who are attracted to her servant leadership, passion and desire to make a lasting impact. She is a lovely person inside and out.

Laura Sullivan, Student Medical Services
The SHC lab COULD NOT have stayed fully operational during the pandemic, and while short-staffed, without Laura's willingness and ability to rise to the occasion and provide the necessary leadership! Laura is a true asset to the Student Health Center, to campus, and to the student patients receiving care.

Nicki Viso,Title IX & Discrimination, Harassment, & Retaliation Prevention
Nicki's particular penchant for transparency, care, and collaboration is not only worth recognition, but also a key component of increased efforts to make Cal Poly Humboldt a more safe and aware place where current and potential students can gain access to affordable, high-quality education that is responsive to the needs of a fast-changing world.

Susan Wright, Department of Biological Sciences
What stands out about Susan, is the way that she does her job. Her tone and attitude toward the students, staff, faculty and the University itself is incredibly supportive, compassionate, and positive, while her work ethic is driven and conscientious. Susan Wright is an exceptional employee of Cal Poly Humboldt! Susan has shown dedication to the students and all their efforts. She has become an invaluable asset to the department and is involved with school administrative tasks. She has proved time and time again to be reliable, caring, and knowledgeable.

To honor our Award recipients, there will be a private luncheon hosted by President Jackson and Staff Council. More details about this private event will be communicated soon with our recipients!

Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s Staff Recognition Awards process, including a very special thank you to the President’s Office staff, to each person who took time to nominate a staff member, and to our 2021/22 Staff Council members who conducted the review of all nominations. And a big shout out to our incredible Cal Poly Humboldt staff members who do outstanding work to support our campus community and continue to lift each other up each day. Thank you!

Yvonne Doble, Social Work Field Education

Marlette Grant-Jackson, Native American Center for Academic Excellence/Indian Tribal & Educational Personnel Program

Michelle Miyamoto, Learning Center

Amie Rodriquez, Testing Center

Karen Selin, MD, Student Health & Wellbeing Services
 

Michael Serrano, Facilities Management
 

Melea Smith, Youth Educational Services
 

Annette Troxel, College of Professional Studies
 

Corrina Wells, School of Education
 

Sabrina Zink, Risk Management & Safety Services

Susan Brater, Sponsored Programs Foundation

Liz Deck, Youth Educational Services

Kyle Leitzke, Academic & Career Advising

Raven Palomera, HSI Stem (not pictured)

Courtney Proctor, Academic Personnel Services (not pictured)

Betsy Rogers, Academic & Career Advising

Danielle Trapkus, Environmental Science Management & Oceanography

Jaime Tripp-Carter, Housing

Kumi Watanabe-Schock, Library

Travis Williams, Development

Travis Fleming, Facilities Management

Sei Hee Hwang, Academic & Career Advising Center

Gay Hylton, Office of Institutional Effectiveness

Molly Kresl, Clubs & Activities Office

Pedro Martinez, Facilities Management

Steve Monk, Marine Lab & Biology Department

Kelda Quintana, Academic & Career Advising Center

Debra Ryerson, Theatre, Film & Dance

Paula Tripp-Allen, Native American Center of Academic Excellence

Erika Wright, Sponsored Programs Foundation

Seth Bradley, Office of the Dean of Students

Lorna Bryant, KHSU

Leo Canez, Office of Admissions

Krista Carroll, School of Business

Loren Collins, Academic & Career Advising Center, Center for Community Based Learning

Amy Davies, Facilities Management

Izabella Gray, Contracts & Procurement

Lonyx Landry, Indian Natural Resources, Science and Engineering

Jay Schock, Financial Aid

Arianna Thobaben, Learning Center

Sarah Bacio, RAMP Coordinator, Retention

Shannon Berge, Administrative Support Coordinator, Academic & Career Advising

Ravin Craig, Assistant, Health Education

Maricela Escalante-Torres, Coordinator, Testing Center

Katlin Overeem, Coordinator, STEM Collaborative

Chris Rutter, Custodian, Facilities Management

Amanda Staack, Administrative Support, MultiCultural Center, CCAE

Elizabeth Tellez, Administrative Analyst, Housing

Kumi Watanabe-Schock, Library Services Specialist, Library

Linda Wilson, Administrative Support Coordinator, Politics & History

Shannon Childs, Athletic Trainer, Athletics

Jennifer Dyke, Director, UpwardBound

Kacie Flynn, Office Manager, Sponsored Programs Foundation

Jim Harding, Budget Analyst, College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Michael Le, Research Analyst, Institutional Research and Planning

Amy Martin, Development Coordinator, Academic and Career Advising Center

Kelly Mathson, Administrative Support Coordinator, Music

Gina Pierce, Budget Analyst, College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Sylvia Shively, Assistant Controller, Accounting

Jackie Wiedemann, Nurse Practitioner, Health Center

Jana Ashbrook, Housing & Dining Services
Stacy Becker, Center for Service Learning & Academic Internships
Mary Ann Brown, Dining Services
Travis Brunner, Office of the Registrar
Mary Comella, Chemistry Department, Physics & Astronomy Department.
Teresa Cox, Facilities Management
Mira Friedman, Health Education & Health Center
Greg Granoff, Department of Music
Jeff Robison, Facilities Maintenance
John Smith, Facilities Maintenance

Annie Bolick-Floss, Center for Service Learning & Academic Internships
Michelle Conover, Facilities Maintenance
Jeremy Davis, Housing
Anthony Desch, Fisheries & Wildlife
Kim Hall, Veterans & Enrollment Transition Services
Ward Headstrom, Institutional Research
Lisa Lewis, Telecommunications & Networking Services
Laurie Maxwell-Chamberlain, Library
Jerry Saner, Facilities Maintenance for Sustainability
Steve Tillinghast, Geology

Dan Cleaves, ITS User Support
Shannon Collart, Academic Personnel
Tyler Hooker, Physics and Astronomy
Dave Hoskins, MarineLab
Kenna Kay Hyatt, World Languages & Cultures; Native American Studies; Critical Race, Gender & Sexual Studies
Tim Kohberger, ITS User Support
Carmela Paradise, Education
Lisa Perry, College of Natural Resources & Sciences
Marty Reed, Biological Sciences
Jennifer Slye-Moore, Art

Kellie Jo Brown, Marketing & Communications
Mason Long, Desktop IT
Lewis McCrigler, Biological Sciences
Leila Moreno, Housing
Allison Oakland, Schatz Energy Research Center
Bethany Rizzardi, ITS Project Office
Julie Tucker, College of Natural Resources and Sciences
Cade Webb, ITS Specialized Apps
Colin Wingfield, Environmental Resources Engineering & Geology
Andrea Yip, Biological Sciences

Holly Freitas, Housing/Dining
Valerie Green, Registrar’s Office
Janelle Jackson, University Police Department
Beth Kabat, Shipping/Receiving
Melissa Koval, Academic Personnel Services
Glenda Rotherham, Student Financial Services
Linda Sherwood, Plant Operations
Mary Jo Sweeters, Environmental Resources Engineering
Liz Weaver, Biological Sciences
Jeanne Wielgus, Desktop IT

John Adorador, Desktop IT
Val Arizzi, Geology/Geography
Denise Giltzow, Human Resources
Romi Hitchcock-Tinseth, Admissions
Grace Kerr, Extended Education
Steve Ladwig, EOP
Cherry Ouellette, Career Center
Keith Reagan, Library
Belinda Trageser, Plant Operations
Cheryl Wheeler, Music

Jodie Baker, Academic Programs & Undergraduate Studies
Robin Bencie, Biological Sciences
Shelley Cook, Payroll
Mary Ann Evans, Contracts, Procurement and Risk Management
Leslie Farrar, Marine Lab
Sherry Jones-Deffenderfer, Academic Personnel Services
Su Karl, Learning Center
Dan Pambianco, Athletics
Linda Sabot, Plant Operations
Kate Stroup, Student Affairs

Tamar Danufsky, Wildlife Museum
Dana Deason, Advising Center
Mary Hackett, Geography
Diane Hunt, Psychology
Patti Carlson, Financial Aid
Jerri Jones, Multicultural Center
Kevin Simmons, EOP & Student Support Services
Cai Stuart-Maver, Learning Center
Susan Peck, Payroll
David Pryor, Plant Operations

Angela Brown, Institute for River Ecosystems
Richard Bruce, Department of Psychology
Donna Clark, Learning Center
Cathy David, University Library
Steve Gubanez, Housing, Maintenance Department
David Rowe, Common Management System
Andrea Schwandt-Arbogast, Web Office / Webmaster
Tracy Smith, Educational Opportunity Program / Student Support Services
Sergio Torres, Plant Operations, Custodial
Phil Zastrow, Indian Teacher & Educational Personnel Program

Adrienne Colegrove-Raymond, Student Academic Services Outreach Program
Deborah Coles, Housing & Dining Services
Michelle Dostal, College of Natural Resources & Sciences
Katherine Granfield, Fiscal Affairs
Mark Hendricks, University Computing Services
Kenneth Johnson, Housing & Dining Services
David Marshall, College of Natural Resources & Sciences
Glen Nagy, Department of Theatre, Film and Dance
Cassandra Tex, Student Disability Resource Center
Joan Van Duzer, College of Professional Studies

Mike Bradley, University Computing Services
Elizabeth Brunner, Registrar's Office
Marlette Grant-Jackson, Indian Teacher and Educational Personnel Program
Aleli Lawson, University Police
Rita Limmer, Housing
Janice McFarlan, Financial Aid Accounting
Monika Newman, Health & Physical Education
Riley Quarles, Courseware Development Center
Kevin Russell, Plant Operations
Linda Wilson, Department of History, Government & Politics

Mary Jo Bates, College of Professional Studies
Betty Braver, Student Health Center
Teri Bronder-Lewis, Department of Communication
Barb Duca, College of Natural Resources & Sciences
Kim Glory, University Police Department
Mary Greta, Academic Senate
Stephen Lee, Plant Operations
Justin Loch, College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Carolyn Dentler, Department of Anthropology/Sociology
Maggie Gainer, Research & Graduate Studies
Rick Garcia, Telecommunication & Network Services
Christi Hawkins-Smith, College of Professional Studies
David Hoskins, Marine Lab
Rebecca Kalal, Admissions
Tom Mendenhall, Library
Sandi O'Dell, Student Health Center
Mary Stuart, Y.E.S.

June Camozzi, Library
Margaret Cole, College of Natural Resources & Sciences
Tim Griggs, Plant Operations
Lisa Jackson, Information Technology Services
Lynn Johnson, Department of Health & Physical Education
Jeremy Ketelsen, Instructional Media Services
Kay Libolt, Student Life & New Student Programs
Betty Newman, Physical Services
George Pease, Forestry & Watershed
Cheryl Satter, Department of Mathematics

Valerie Andres, Associated Students
Camellia Armstrong, Housing
Anthony Baker, Department of Biological Sciences
Jim Brown, Plant Operations
Elizabeth Zo Devine, Center for Indian Community Development
Greg Granoff, Department of Music
Carol Hansen, College of Natural Resources & Sciences
Nancy Kelly, Academic Affairs
Mary Thomas, Dining Services
Cynthia Werner, Research & Graduate Studies