Professional News

Staff Senate Presents Outstanding Staff Awards

of
Melanie Foster
Brenda Heete
Deire Foxx

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 24, 2017) ― Recently, 55 University of Kentucky staff members were honored by their colleges and divisions during the 2017 Outstanding Staff Awards (OSA) recognition ceremony. This was the eighth year for the event sponsored by the UK Staff Senate and the UK President's Office.

UK Provost Tim Tracy, UK Board of Trustees Staff Representative Dave Melanson, University Senate Chair Katherine McCormick, Student Government Association Vice President Elizabeth Foster, Staff Senate Chair Jon Gent, other campus leaders, colleagues and family were on hand to congratulate some of the university’s finest.

“UK is defined by its people, and the Outstanding Staff Awards program illustrates the high-level commitment and exceptional talent our staff have to advance the mission of the University of Kentucky,” President Capilouto said.

“This year, the Staff Senate wanted to show more people they were valued. We wanted to recognize more people for a fantastic job done,” Gent said.Our three new awards are driven by nominations from either staff, faculty or students. We are delighted to recognize both a job well done, as well as say thank you to those that took the time to recognize them.”

Outstanding Staff Award/Student Recognition Winner: Brenda Heeter, Mechanical Engineering

Student Recognition Finalists: 

  • Taylor Blair, Visitor Center
  • Kathy Collins, College of Nursing
  • Hannah LeGris, Lewis Honors College
  • Rebecca Serrano, College of Health Sciences

Oustanding Staff Award/Faculty Recognition Winner: Melanie Foster, Physical Plant Division

Faculty Recognition Finalists:

  • Camille Harmon, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Eva Hicks, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Nicole Keenan, College of Pharmacy
  • Devin Klaserner, College of Arts and Sciences

Outstanding Staff Award/Social Media Award Winner: Deire Foxx, Gatton College of Business and Economics

Social Media Award Finalists:

  • Meredith Houlihan, College of Health Sciences
  • Rebecca Kegebein, Gatton College of Business and Economics

The following 55 OSA winners were all referred by their respective work units as their most deserving employees of 2016-17: 

  • Mike Adams, College of Arts and Sciences; 
  • Michele Bailey, Human Resources; 
  • Katie Bishop, UK HealthCare;
  • James Boxx, College of Dentistry;
  • Jacqueline Burke, College of Arts and Sciences;
  • Bryan Cassill, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment; 
  • Lynsay Christensen, Gatton College of Business and Economics;
  • Harlie Collins, College of Communication and Information;
  • Ros Collins, UK HealthCare;
  • Jessica Collins, UK HealthCare;
  • Rachel Combs, Libraries; 
  • Allyson Cooper, College of Dentistry;
  • Jamie Creech, Kentucky Transportation Center;
  • Heather Crump, College of Dentistry;
  • Gewn Curtis, Libraries;
  • Leslie Cutshaw, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment; 
  • Jennifer Doerge, College of Engineering;
  • Liliana Drucker, College of Arts and Sciences;
  • Julie Elder, UK HealthCare;
  • Elizabeth Fannin, EVPHA Information Technology;
  • Kevin Garland, College of Nursing;
  • Sharon Goins, College of Health Sciences;
  • Jeaune Hadl, Human Resources;
  • Paula Halcomb, UK HealthCare;
  • Catherine Hayden, College of Communication and Information;
  • Kimberly Heersche, Human Resources;
  • Kathleen Hertz, College of Dentistry;
  • Edward Hutchens, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment; 
  • Kathy Isaacs, UK HealthCare;
  • Tennille Johnson, UK HealthCare;
  • Brian Lauer, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment; 
  • Ann Leed, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment; 
  • Stephen Leedy, EVPHA Information Technology;
  • Tomeia Luke, College of Law;
  • Samantha Mancuso, UK HealthCare;
  • Debbie Martin, Human Resources;
  • Jessica Milner, Accounting and Financial Reporting Services;
  • Tiffany Morgan, EVPHA Information Technology; 
  • Daniel Naas, Libraries;
  • Chizimuzo Okoli, UK HealthCare; 
  • Andrea Perkins, UK College of Public Health; 
  • Wayne Pettit, UK Center for Applied Energy Research; 
  • Anissa Radford, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment; 
  • Alan Rideout, UK Art Museum; 
  • Ashley Ritchie, College of Law; 
  • April Robinson-Harvey, College of Fine Arts; 
  • Charley Saleeby, UK HealthCare; 
  • Zachary Smith, College of Law; 
  • Diana Spring, UK HealthCare; 
  • Madhusudan Srinivasan, College of Arts and Sciences; 
  • Glenn Steketee, EVPHA Information Technology; 
  • Lucy Tepper, Gatton College of Business and Economics; 
  • Janene Toelle, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment; 
  • Jamie Ward, College of Medicine; and 
  • Billy Workman, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.