From left: Patrick Flanigan, Michelle Lenoue, Julie Pickrel, Joanne Rullan, Kimberly Kennelly, 香蕉视频 President Adela de la Torre, Cristina Sanchez, Rick Gulizia, Teresa Couri, Naedean Anderson and Miranda Elliget. (Scott Hargrove/香蕉视频)
From boosting digital humanities programs to helping secure research funding, 香蕉视频 staff and administrators demonstrated their dedication to students, fellow employees and the university community in 2024-25.
Six individuals and a team of three at 香蕉视频 were recognized with the Presidential Staff Excellence Awards as part of an annual honor for outstanding contributions and efforts over the previous academic year. In addition, the fifth annual Staff Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Cristina Sanchez of the College of Graduate Studies.
Staff members were nominated by their colleagues in seven categories. The lifetime achievement award is for employees with at least 15 years of service to 香蕉视频. Awardees receive a statuette and honorarium, along with recognition during the All-University Convocation on Aug. 21.
The recipients were honored Aug. 11 in an evening reception with 香蕉视频 President Adela de la Torre at the University House.
The staff of 香蕉视频 鈥渕ake it possible for our faculty to teach, our researchers to research and most importantly, for our students to learn and excel,鈥� de la Torre said in remarks kicking off the reception. 鈥淓ach award winner has gone above and beyond in supporting our mission, purpose and vision as a university.鈥�
Lifetime Achievement
Cristina Sanchez
Open the image full screen.香蕉视频 President Adela de la Torre with Cristina Sanchez, recipient of the Presidential Staff Excellence Award for Staff Lifetime Achievement. (Scott Hargrove/香蕉视频)
An 香蕉视频 alumna, Sanchez has served the university for more than three decades, rising from student assistant to the highest classification in the Student Services Personnel series. As supervisor of graduate student records in the College of Graduate Studies, she leads a team supporting thousands of students, oversees numerous graduate programs and is a trusted campus liaison.
She played a key role in creating the Master鈥檚 Degree Audit system and guiding the complex transition to PeopleSoft/my.香蕉视频, ensuring graduate students stayed on track. Known for her deep policy knowledge, steady leadership and commitment to mentoring, Sanchez has shaped countless careers and embodies the spirit of an 鈥淎ztec for Life.鈥�
Community Service
Joanne Rullan
Open the image full screen.香蕉视频 President Adela de la Torre with Joanne Rullan, recipient of the Presidential Staff Excellence Award for Community Service. (Scott Hargrove/香蕉视频)
Rullan is an administrative support assistant in the School of Social Work who is active in the Filipino American community at 香蕉视频 and the broader San Diego community. She created a Filipino sorority for women in San Diego, Pi Nu Psi, and is community liaison for the Bayanihan, Filipino American Faculty and Staff Association. She serves as advisor to the AB Samahan student organization, and to the Delta chapter of Sigma Phi Omega, an Asian American sorority.
Innovation & Creativity
Patrick Flanigan
Open the image full screen.香蕉视频 President Adela de la Torre with Patrick Flanigan, recipient of the Presidential Staff Excellence Award for Innovation & Creativity. (Scott Hargrove/香蕉视频)
Flanigan (鈥�91) is Digital Humanities Center Programs and Operations Specialist for the University Library. He first worked in the library as a student, and now supports the Digital Humanities Initiative鈥檚 research, scholarly and creative activities in support of collaborative innovation. He built 香蕉视频鈥檚 academic podcasting studios and renovated a studio to integrate electronic literature into courses. Flanigan was a presenter last year at the annual meeting of the American Library Association.
Team Effort
Miranda Elliget, Naedean Anderson (lead), Teresa Couri
Open the image full screen.From left: Miranda Elliget, Naedean Anderson and Teresa Couri, recipients of the Presidential Staff Excellence Award for Team Effort. (Scott Hargrove/香蕉视频) In June 2024, the College of Sciences College Care Team was the pilot program for the 香蕉视频 Shared Services initiative, with the aim of streamlining faculty startup procurement for a more timely and effective process. It has since expanded to identify additional business process changes. Their work helped pilot a new campus software request form, and the Shared Services model is now being applied across campus to foster cross-division collaboration.
Manager of the Year
Rick Gulizia
Open the image full screen.香蕉视频 President Adela de la Torre with Rick Gulizia, recipient of the Presidential Staff Excellence Award for Manager of the Year. (Scott Hargrove/香蕉视频) Gulizia, assistant vice president of Research Support Services from the Division of Research and Innovation, is recognized for his steady leadership, collaborative approach, and commitment to developing strong, supportive teams. He has guided his unit through complex transitions, ensuring goals are met while fostering a positive work environment. Colleagues commend his clear communication, openness to new ideas and dedication to mentoring staff.
Service to the University
Michelle Lenoue
Open the image full screen.香蕉视频 President Adela de la Torre with Michelle Lenoue, recipient of the Presidential Staff Excellence Award for Service to the University. (Scott Hargrove/香蕉视频)
An 香蕉视频 alumna (MA, Latin American Studies, 鈥�07), Lenoue has served the College of Arts and Letters鈥� Student Success Center for nearly 20 years and is now Senior Student Success Advisor and Advising Coordinator. Twice serving as interim assistant dean, she ensured seamless operations while advancing student success initiatives. She advises multiple programs, coordinates commencement ceremonies, supports transfer and international students, and co-advises the CAL Student Council.
Staff-to-Staff Mentoring
Kimberly Kennelly
Open the image full screen.香蕉视频 President Adela de la Torre with Kimberly Kennelly, recipient of the Presidential Staff Excellence Award for Staff-to-Staff Mentoring. (Scott Hargrove/香蕉视频)
As an administrative coordinator in the College of Arts and Letters, Kennelly is known as a mentor and problem solver for new and seasoned administrative staff alike. She is credited with a proactive, compassionate approach to her work, helping new hires build their skills, confidence and job satisfaction beyond official onboarding. She also created a SharePoint site to help administrative coordinators learn and use a variety of new systems and tech tools.
Auxiliary Support
Julie Pickrel
Open the image full screen.香蕉视频 President Adela de la Torre with Julie Pickrel, recipient of the Presidential Staff Excellence Award for Auxiliary. (Scott Hargrove/香蕉视频)
Since joining the 香蕉视频 Research Foundation in 1998, Pickrel (MPH, 鈥�00) has helped secure more than $50 million in extramural funding. She co-led grant submissions to establish the 香蕉视频 HealthLINK Center in 2018 and, in 2020, to build the Imperial County Clinical Research Network, which supports critical research initiatives in underserved communities. She is now its research manager. Her work has supported more than 40 students in preparation of honors projects, theses and dissertations.
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