When it comes to getting the job done, these Penn staffers reach star heights and beyond. Introduced in 1999, the University’s Models of Excellence program honors and celebrates outstanding staff member achievements.

A committee of Penn leaders selected the award winners from among 215 staff members, who were nominated by peers, colleagues and managers. Winners demonstrate the following excellence criteria: supportive practices, procedures, and policies; innovative and proactive leadership; extraordinary service to key constituencies; substantial cost-effectiveness; and exemplary relationship building within and/or outside of the immediate organization. Extremely noteworthy contributions receive Honorable Mention.

With so many stars in Penn’s constellation, it’s hard not to get inspired.

2003 Models of Excellence honorees

Helen Anderson, senior director of computing and educational technology services in the Engineering School, for providing innovative leadership during the creation, piloting, roll-out and marketing of “Blackboard Courseinfo,” a Web-based course management system that has been adopted by a large percentage of the faculty.

Counseling and Psychological Services Postvention Team in the Office of the Vice Provost for University Life for providing outstanding support services to Penn students following the events of 9/11 and multiple tragedies impacting the campus. The team includes William Alexander, deputy director; Katharine Berg, staff social worker; Aurora Casta, staff psychiatrist; Elan Cohen, staff psychologist; Mitchell Cohen, staff psychologist; Betsy Conston, coordinator, Social Work Training Program; Christine Davis, administrative assistant; Michele Downie, psychologist and coordinator, Groups Program; Margaret Fichter, coordinator, Eating Disorder Program; Allan Goldberg, associate director; Meeta Kumar, psychologist and coordinator of outreach; Eric Levin, staff psychologist; Marilia Marien, coordinator, Psychology Practicum Training; Beth Mark, staff psychiatrist; Kenneth Meehan, staff social worker; Ella Ray, staff psychologist; Pamela Rootenberg, staff psychiatrist; Ilene C. Rosenstein, director; Marilyn Silberberg, social worker; Ann Steel, staff psychiatrist; and Bradley Wolgast, staff psychologist.

Martin Luther King Jr. Symposium Committee for developing expanded programming that inspired faculty, students and staff to make King’s birthday celebration a “day on, not a day off.” The committee includes: Malcolm Bonner, director, McNair Scholars Program; Jeremy Brochin, director, Penn Hillel, Office of the Chaplain; Glenn Bryan, assistant vice president and director, Office of City and Community Relations; Max-Henri Covil, program coordinator, Office of the Chaplain; Erin G. Cross, associate director, Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center; Valerie De Cruz, director, Greenfield Intercultural Center; James Gardner, senior staff writer, Office of the President; Anita Gelburd, assistant to the deputy provost, William Gipson, University chaplain, Felicia Green, project coordinator, Office of Government, Community and Public Affairs; Valerie Johnson, assistant to the director, Office of City and Community Relations; Mary O’Rourke LeCates, administrative coordinator, Office of the Chaplain; Jack B. Lewis, associate director, Admissions and Recruitment, School of Social Work; Luz Marin, administrative coordinator, Women’s Studies Program and Alice Paul Center for Research on Women and Gender; Jacqueline Posey, news officer, Office of University Communications; Machamma Quinichett, associate director, African American Resource Center; Afi Roberson, staff assistant, African American Resource Center; Pamela Robinson, associate director, Office of College Houses; Rodney V. Robinson, assistant director, Student Life Programs; Isabel Sampson-Mapp, associate director, Faculty, Staff and Alumni Volunteer Services, Center for Community Partnerships; and Leah Smith, director of communications, Vice Provost for University Life.

Honorable Mention award winners

Ben Financials Team for extraordinary collaboration with end users during the process to upgrade Penn’s Web-based financial management system, resulting in effective new products, frequent and clear communication about changes, self-directed online training and easy access to support. They are: Kalyani Balasubramanian, senior programmer analyst, Administrative Information Technologies, ISC; Roxanne Bataitis, associate director, Financial Systems, Office of the Comptroller; Stuart Benoff, senior programmer analyst, Administrative Information Technologies, ISC; Alaknanda Bhaumik, senior systems analyst/programmer, Administrative Information Technologies, ISC; Tessa Bocage, senior IT project leader, Administrative Information Technologies, ISC; Timothy Bouffard, programmer, Administrative Information Technologies, ISC; William Branan, senior systems analyst, Administrative Information Technologies, ISC; Janice L. Brown, financial systems support specialist, Office of the Comptroller; M. Suzanne Burke, system administrator, Office of the Comptroller; Marion Campbell, IT tech director, Program Manager, Administrative Information Technologies, ISC; David Curran, systems analyst, Administrative Information Technologies, ISC; Gregory Dick, systems programmer, Systems Engineering/Operations, ISC; Christopher Edelstein, IT senior project leader, Systems Engineering/Operations, ISC; Kahin Farah, database administrator, Systems Engineering/Operations, ISC; Faina Goldman, programmer/analyst, Administrative Information Technologies, ISC; Karen Higgins, business operations manager, Purchasing Services; Vira Homick, project manager, Purchasing Services; Renee Jordan, senior systems analyst, Administrative Information Technologies, ISC; Edda Katz, director, Communications Group, Communications, Data Administration and Information Security, ISC; Bob Lee, IT project leader, Office of the Comptroller; Jeffrey Linso, director of IT support, Office of the Comptroller; Ralph Maier, associate director, Purchasing Services; Kevin McBride, financial analyst, Office of the Comptroller; Barbara Murray, manager, Financial Training Department; Robert Palmer, systems programmer, Systems Engineering/Operations, ISC; Brent Parker, senior training specialist, Financial Training Department, Division of Finance; William Ramirez, IT technical director, Systems Engineering/Operations, ISC; Colleen Reardon, procurement specialist, Purchasing Services; James Riley, business administrator, Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics; Deborah Schmidt, purchasing system administrator, Purchasing Services; Laural Seebadri, senior systems analyst, Administrative Information Technologies, ISC; Daniel Sheehan, IT director, Database Administration, Systems Engineering/Operations, ISC; J. Stephen Stines, IT senior director, Office of the Comptroller; John Jianzhu Tong, senior database administrator, Systems Engineering/Operations, ISC; Cheryl Walker, manager, Accounts Payable, Office of the Comptroller; Paul Weidner, director, Financial Training Department.

Career Coaching at Penn in Human Resources’ Division of Learning and Education for developing a Career Coaching initiative to proactively address the University’s talent retention goals and staff members’ career management interests. They are: Joseph T. Cooney, associate director; Terri Dziomba, administrative coordinator; Beverly Edwards, executive director; Kuan R. Evans, customer service assistant; Gale Gibbons, career coach.

College Academic Advising Team in the College of Arts and Sciences for creatively streamlining and enhancing academic support available through the College advising system by moving from a four advisors to a one advisor per College career design, and connecting students with advisors through their College Houses. They are: Flora Campos Cornfield, assistant dean for advising and study abroad; Janice Curington, assistant dean for advising and minority affairs; Hocine Fetni, assistant dean for advising; Godlove Fonjweng, assistant dean for advising; Diane Frey, director of academic services; Srilata Gangulee, assistant dean for advising; Alice van Buren Kelley, assistant director and assistant dean for advising; Niel McDowell, assistant dean for advising; Guna Mundheim, assistant dean for advising; D.E. Lorraine Sterritt, dean of freshmen and director of academic advising; Margaret Mary Thomas, administrative assistant; Paul F. Watson, assistant dean for advising; and Barbara Woodford, administrative assistant.

Office of International Programs in the Office of the Provost for their initiative and proactive response following the events of 9/11, which included providing immediate support, one-on-one contact, and frequent communication with Penn’s 6,000 foreign students and faculty on campus, 400 plus students studying abroad, and their parents. They are: Shalini Dev Bhutani, director, International Student and Scholar Services; Renee Boroughs, advisor, International Student and Scholar Services; Donna M. Butler, overseas program manager, Undergraduate Study Abroad; Lisa Felix, advisor, International Student and Scholar Services; James S. Fine, senior advisor, International Student and Scholar Services; Donald F. Fry Jr., IT support specialist; Sheila Kelly Gaarder, advisor, International Student and Scholar Services; Geoffrey E. Gee, director, Undergraduate Study Abroad; Martha Hanson, business services assistant; Marcia W. Henisz, overseas program manager, Undergraduate Study Abroad; Inge Herman, overseas program manager, Undergraduate Study Abroad; Alan Johnson, SEVIS coordinator/immigration specialist, International Student and Scholar Services; Ping Loveland, office administrative assistant; Patricia C. Martin, senior overseas program manager, Undergraduate Study Abroad; Traci Martin, resources coordinator, International Student and Scholar Services; Elva Power, administrative coordinator; Joyce M. Randolph, executive director; Emily Sheesley, resources coordinator; Julie Shuttleworth, business manager, Office of the Provost; Shyrmaine Sin, international scholar specialist, International Student and Scholar Services; January Stayton, admissions coordinator, Undergraduate Study Abroad; Kuntal Shah Warwick, advisor, International Student and Scholar Services.

Stephanie Waldman, administrative assistant in the Department of Medicine’s Hematology-Oncology Division, for extraordinary, personal and compassionate attention to the cancer patients that seek care from the Hematology-Oncology Division of the University of Pennsylvania Health System.

For more information about this program, visit www.hr.upenn.edu/quality/models or contact Marilyn Kraut, director of Quality of Worklife Programs, at kraut@hr.upenn.edu or 215-898-0380.