UK Staff Senate honors 2025 Outstanding Staff Award winners
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 13, 2026) — The University of Kentucky Staff Senate announced the recipients of the 2025 Outstanding Staff Awards, which recognize staff members who demonstrate excellence, dedication and meaningful contributions to the University of Kentucky.
The award process received an exceptional number of nominations submitted by peers, faculty and students across campus, reflecting the depth of talent and commitment among UK staff. Finalists were selected in each award category, with one recipient chosen per category.
To honor this year’s finalists and award recipients, the UK Office of the President and the Staff Senate hosted a luncheon at Spindletop Hall last month.
The following staff members were recognized as finalists and winners of the Outstanding Staff Awards:
Student-nominated Award
Finalists:
- Madeline Martin
- Becky Rhodes
- Tanya Whitehouse
- Casey Grimes
- Trevor Tierney
- Benjamin Dunn
- John Roberts
- Andy Snipes
Winner: Madeline Martin, academic coordinator, Transformative Learning
Staff-nominated award
Finalists:
- Barunava Patra
- Beth Potter
- Cheryl Songer
- Ashley Carter
- Audrey O’Gara
- Joey Barnard
- Kate Bauman
- Abby Sorrell
- Landon Borders
- Sydney Howard
Winner: Beth Potter, deputy director, Interdisciplinary Human Development Institute
Faculty-nominated Staff
Finalists:
- Paul Masterson
- Kimberly Kelly
- Charlotte Leedy
- Kaleb Grey
- Jessi Giles
- Ariel Arthur
- Abby Temple
- Aaron Mabson
- Kirsten Scoggin
- Mindy Seeberger
Winner: Paul Masterson, facilities supervisor, School of Art and Visual Studies
Overall Winner: Barunava Patra, scientist, Kentucky Tobacco Research and Development Center
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.