Congratulations, Puget Sound staff members, for your remarkable achievements! We encourage you to send a congratulatory message (or social media post) to your colleagues and friends featured below.
Welcome from President Isiaah Crawford
Read a transcript of President Crawford's remarks.
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Special Remarks
Celebration of Retirees
Years of Service Honorees
Excellence in Action Awards
Special Remarks
Message from University Chaplain Rev. Dave Wright ’96
Message from the University of Puget Sound Board of Trustees
Read a transcript of the board's remarks.
Message from Cabinet
Dear Staff Members,
We are grateful to each and every one of you for your extraordinary dedication in service to the mission of Puget Sound. Whether supporting our students, faculty, alumni, parents, trustees, neighbors, or each other, you personify the best of this university and make everything we do possible.
We wish we could gather together in person to celebrate you and your many accomplishments, pay tribute to those who are retiring, and express our deepest gratitude for the innumerable ways in which you show up to support the campus community during these unprecedented times. Our “front-line” staff colleagues have been absolutely extraordinary in providing vital on-campus services in the midst of a global health crisis, while others who have been able to work remotely have been creative in meeting the challenges of working from afar.
Because of you, students are able to learn, our faculty is able to teach, our beautiful campus is cared for, and the legacy of this very special institution endures.
Our hats are off to you!
Sincerely,
Isiaah Crawford, Ph.D. | President
Laura Behling, Ph.D. | Provost
Sherry Mondou | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Uchenna Baker, Ph.D. | Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
Dave Beers P'11 | Vice President for University Relations
Joanna Carey Cleveland | Vice President and University Counsel and Secretary to the Board of Trustees
Shannon Carr | Interim Vice President for Enrollment
Gayle McIntosh | Vice President for Communications and Chief of Staff
Mary Elizabeth Collins ’81, P'02 | Director of the Office of the President
Message from the Staff Senate Chair
Fellow Staff Members,
I regret that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this statement of recognition is delivered on a website rather than face to face. While the cancellation of our regular in-person recognition event is far from the most pressing concern right now, it is, nonetheless, disappointing.
I truly wish we could be sitting together in the field house with our friends and colleagues, celebrating the accomplishments of the staff, eating lunch, then going home from work a few hours early. I’m even feeling a little nostalgic for the folding metal chairs.
The university depends on its staff members at every level of operations and service to students, faculty, alumni, other staff, and the community. Recently, with many staff members working from home, others on paid leave, and a skeleton crew of essential staff members remaining on campus, we have managed to keep this university running. We have been doing all of this when, at any time, we could have been paid without working and without using leave.
We have done all of this in the face of personal adversity. We have accomplished this under the storm clouds of an uncertain future for the well-being of the university. We labor and we sacrifice, sometimes to the detriment of ourselves and our own families. No website, luncheon, or words of gratitude are enough to demonstrate the thanks our staff members deserve for the work they do and high character they display every day.
It is at this moment, when many of us are faced by uncertainty and are experiencing a sense of precariousness, that we need to be compassionate to ourselves and each other. Let’s comfort each other, give ourselves and each other grace, and advocate for each other in our time of need. We, the staff of the University of Puget Sound, can get through this if we stand together and take care of each other, for we are bright, creative, caring, and resilient, and we get things done.
My time as Staff Senate chair is at a close. It has been an honor serving in the Staff Senate for three years and as its chairperson for the last several months. I encourage anyone who is interested in the well-being of staff members to get involved with the senate or one of its committees. It is an excellent way to support other staff members through service, celebration, and advocacy. I congratulate Emily Holloway in being elected as our new Staff Senate chair, and wish her the best of luck in her term.
I wish all of you, your families, and your friends health, happiness, and wellness, and hope to see you all at the next Staff Recognition Event. In person.
In solidarity,
Ben Tucker
Celebration of Retirees
We are honored to celebrate all the retirees and to recognize their dedicated service and innumerable contributions to Puget Sound. We wish you well and thank you for your many years of service!
Dan Jones started his Puget Sound career in April 2009, working as a building specialist with the Academic Building Services team. He worked in South Hall; Warner Gym; Howarth, McIntyre, and Wyatt halls; and Memorial Fieldhouse. Dan enjoyed the students and staff members that he interacted with over the years. He was known for his knowledge and expertise in carpet care throughout campus. Dan plans to retire and work on his golf game in Sun City, Ariz.
Don Kennedy retired in March 2020 after three and a half years of working at the university. Don started with us in 2016, and moved up from a campus safety officer to a lead campus safety officer. When looking back on his time with Puget Sound, Don fondly reflects on working with his staff and the students. He enjoyed watching them grow and succeed in their studies, ultimately graduating. As for Don’s next step in his journey, he and his wife have decided to set off in their motor home to explore America—a journey they’ve been wanting to do for a long time.
Mike Orechia spent 22 years at Puget Sound as the cross country/track and field coach. During his tenure, he guided 13 All-American cross country runners and 24 All-American track and field competitors. Four of the student-athletes captured NCAA titles, including Dave Davis ’00 and Dana Boyle ’02, who each won the NCAA D-III Cross Country Championship. Mike was the USTFCCCA Men's Indoor West Region Coach of the Year in 2002, 2004, and 2016. He was also the USTFCCCA West Region Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2002, and the USTFCCCA West Region Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2001 and 2006. He served on the NCAA Cross Country and Track & Field Championship Committee from 2014 to 2018. Puget Sound cross country runners earned 39 individual national All-Academic honors, and track and field competitors earned 26 individual national All-Academic honors during Mike's tenure. The teams have earned a combined 57 All-Academic Team honors.
Lori Ricigliano retired last August after more than 40 years of service to Puget Sound. She has had a lasting impact on countless numbers of students, faculty, and staff.
Lori joined Puget Sound 40 years ago and in doing so found her library home. Some of you might not know that prior to joining Puget Sound she worked in the Firestone Library at Princeton University, at two U.S. Army libraries in Germany, and at the Fort Lewis Library. We are so fortunate that she determined the military environment was not her cup of tea and came to Puget Sound in 1979. Well qualified with her master’s degree from the University of Washington and her B.A. in French from David and Elkins College, Lori joined Collins Memorial Library as its first female librarian. Enthusiastic, loyal, optimistic, capable, motivated, professional, and flexible were words that were used by former employers to describe Lori’s work ethic, and those words hold true all these years later. Lori always demonstrated passion and commitment to her work.
During her tenure at Puget Sound, Lori witnessed tremendous change in library services, from the card catalog to online access, to the development and implementation of the internet, to the provision of access to thousands of electronic resources. It might be hard for many to imagine the immense change Lori has been part of, but every step of the way she harnessed that change to enhance the student experience. She has served students and faculty members in not only theatre arts, music, African American studies, and art and art history, but in communication studies, English, and foreign languages, as well as math and science. She implemented new services and represented the university at conferences and within the Orbis Cascade Library Alliance. She served as associate director and mentored and supported staff members throughout the years. In her retirement, Lori remains active supporting the Race & Pedagogy Journal. A faculty colleague summed up Lori's contributions very well: "What probably stands out most to me over these years is [Lori's] unwavering desire to share her knowledge and helpfulness to both faculty and students, and to serve our best interests with alacrity and abundant good cheer."
Congratulations to Lori, who has served the University of Puget Sound with dedication and integrity.
John Simas began his Puget Sound career in 2000, and worked as a building specialist on the Residential Building Services team throughout his career. He worked in Todd-Phibbs, Anderson-Langdon, and Regester halls, and truly enjoyed interacting with the students living on campus. John retired from the university in January 2020, and genuinely misses the work and the friendships he shared with the Facilities Services team. John is enjoying his retirement from his home in Graham, Wash.
Patti Turner, in the course of her duties first as concessions manager in Memorial Fieldhouse, later in Catering Services, and as manager of the president’s residence, provided hospitality to the Puget Sound community for more than 35 years. Patti’s contributions to the University of Puget Sound actually go back longer than that—to the 1970s(!)—when she assisted her mom (then business manager for the Department of Athletics) in the office and helped out at the concession stand.
In 2002, Patti became manager of the president’s residence. In addition to coordinating the regular needs of any household, Patti had a hand in virtually every event that happened there, inside or outside. She assisted in hosting dozens of events at the “Pres Rez” each year for artists and authors of international renown, for colleagues from around the nation, for college presidents, for neighbors and civic leaders, for trustees and other volunteers, for students, and for our faculty and staff colleagues, as well.
A key member of the team in the Office of the President, Patti worked closely with colleagues in other departments to coordinate on-campus and off-campus events, including the annual August picnic for staff and faculty colleagues, and events for Homecoming and Family Weekend and Summer Reunion Weekend, as well.
She and Mark are looking for the perfect place to spend a few winter months, exploring beach towns in Mexico via bus and jungle trails, as well as visiting with good friends Linda and Bill King in Phoenix. “Can't say we found our perfect paradise yet, but there was definitely thrill in the hunt!” She is eager to get reacquainted with family and friends and to engaging in volunteer opportunities when life returns to normal, “whenever, wherever that may be.” She also misses us all.
Calm, funny, solid, resourceful, and just a joy to work with, Patti is remembered not only for her service to Puget Sound but for the ways she made our lives brighter.
Years of Service Honorees
Congratulations to all the staff members celebrating an anniversary at Puget Sound. We are so grateful for all the hard work and dedication of our years of service honorees. We applaud you for your commitment, service, and contributions to Puget Sound. Thank you!
35 YEARS OF SERVICE
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Todd Badham ’85, P'11 Director of Security Security Services |
30 YEARS OF SERVICE
| Holly Jones Administrative Assistant Department of Chemistry |
25 YEARS OF SERVICE
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Kathleen Campbell ’81, P'16 |
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Sean Vincent |
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Cassandra Palmore ’94 |
20 YEARS OF SERVICE
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Janet Hallman ’84 |
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Lori Johnson P'11 |
Darcie Sak |
15 YEARS OF SERVICE
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Alana Hentges |
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Mona Lawrence |
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Jimmy McMichael |
Moe Stephens |
10 YEARS OF SERVICE
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Lisa Beritich P'15 |
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Colleen Carette M.Ed.'18 |
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Martha Wilson |
| Greg Pfeiffer
Logistics Coordinator |
Jeff Thomas |
5 YEARS OF SERVICE
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Heather Bailey |
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Lisa Garrett |
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Debra Grady |
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Emily Holloway |
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Kariann Lee-Akamine ’13, M.Ed.'18 |
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Leslie Levenson |
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Larissa Ogawa ’14 |
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Betty Popenuck ’14 |
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Oscar Secrist M.Ed.'19 |
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Gregor Walz |
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Christina Chea
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Sara Coccia |
| Ryan Jack
Dining Service Manager |
Colleen Mitchell |
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Kenni Simons |
Danette Smith |
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Peter H. Stanley '09 |
Excellence in Action Awards
The Excellence in Action awards seek to honor those staff members who routinely go above and beyond the call of duty—staff members who actively seek to make a positive impact on students, staff, faculty, and the community around us.
It is humbling and remarkable to read about the heroic accomplishments of our fellow staff members. Nominations are reviewed and award recipients selected by the Staff Senate Human Resources Policies and Procedures Committee.
CLICK TO REVEAL THE WINNERS!
Nominees
Congratulations to all of the 2020 Excellence in Action Award nominees:
Sy Bean, Office of Communications
Claire Brecher, School of Occupational Therapy
Sarah Comstock, Division of Student Affairs
Adam Crowthers, Dining and Conference Services
Katy Curtis, Collins Memorial Library
Kelli Delaney M.Ed.’07, Office of Fellowships and Scholarships
Megan FinCannon, Office of Residence Life
Khalila Fordham, Counseling, Health, and Wellness Services
Janet Frostad, Office of Residence Life
Theresa Giddens, Dining and Conference Services
Janet Hallman ’84, Office of Finance and Administration
Twila Hamel, School of Occupational Therapy
Jason Hand, Athletics
Elize Hellam, Experiential Learning
Alana Hentges, Career and Employment Services
Deborah Hope, ASUPS Office
Bjorn Johnson ’18, Technology Services (We miss you, Bjorn.)
Yong Mi Lunde, Dining and Conference Services
Carol Madderra, Facilities Services
Christina McLeod, Race and Pedagogy Institute
Mandy Miller, Asian Studies Program
Larissa Ogawa ’14, Technology Services
Donelle Pearson P’18, Department of Human Resources
Roy Robinson, Office of International Programs
John Roush ’17, Dining and Conference Services
Sarah Stall, Office of Communications
Ben Tucker, Collins Memorial Library
Karissa Valine-Plaza, School of Music
Chris Vernon, Department of Philosophy
Lindsay Walker, Sound Policy Institute
Angela Weaver, Collins Memorial Library