2023 Staff Appreciation Award Winners

Lisa Hollinger, Assistant Director of Marketing and Outreach in the College of Information

In her relatively short time at UNT, Lisa Hollinger has made a tremendous impact in the College of Information. Each day she brings an abundance of enthusiasm, energy and pride to her role. She has built a network of contacts across colleges and divisions to promote collaboration, earning her a stellar reputation among students, faculty and staff as a responsive and reliable communicator. Additionally, Lisa has fostered a thriving community of donors, forged relationships with industry professionals and strengthened engagement with alumni through initiatives such as the Dr. Yvonne J. Chandler Scholarship Mentorship program. Whether it’s taking the time to give flowers to a coworker who lost a loved one or mailing a thank you card and gift to an invited guest speaker, Lisa exemplifies the generous and caring spirit of our university.

Laila Reis, Program Project Coordinator in the Honors College

Even in the most difficult circumstances, Laila Reis goes the extra mile to ensure students have what they need to succeed. She takes on tasks with an aptitude for logistics, organization and focus. She sees all students inherently worthy of great counsel and exceeds expectations in offering guidance on their academic and career plans. Such a commitment has been evident in her recruitment of McNair Scholars. From calming the fears of first-generation McNair Scholars who are apprehensive about taking the GRE to dining with students to help them cultivate the art of adult dialogue, Laila demonstrates through her actions that she truly cares for students. Even if a student doesn’t qualify for admission to the McNair Scholars program, Laila takes time to offer them advice on their academic journey and encourages them to believe in themselves. Servant leadership is at the heart of everything she does.

Scott Windham, Police Officer in the UNT Police Department

Scott Windham puts UNT community members first in all he does. No matter the task, he begins from a place of respect as he offers his guidance, always maintaining others’ dignity. Whether he’s calming a raucous crowd, comforting someone who’s just been in an accident or explaining the parameters of free speech, he operates with kindness and intention, seeking to serve the wider community by ensuring that all interests are protected. He takes care with every person he encounters to address their needs while also recognizing that there are so many competing needs that making everyone happy is just not always possible. Officer Windham is so committed to serving UNT that he came out of retirement because the university needed him, and he continues to give 100%.

Zach Yeager, Academic Counselor in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

“Zach helped me with so much more than I’d asked.” “Always a super sweet person to talk to.” “I know when I leave the call I won’t be lost at the end. He always takes care of me.” These are just a few of the positive comments students have made about Zach Yeager during his more than five years as a CLASS academic counselor. Zach also serves as liaison to the International Studies Program, where many of his advisees refer to him as “the GOAT” — the greatest of all time. He works tirelessly to ensure students feel confident in their career tracks by effectively listening and suggesting specific courses or a plan of action to help them achieve their goals. Students frequently request Zach by name because of his dedication to making education accessible for everyone he encounters.

Chris Foster, Assistant Vice President of Student Accounting

Chris Foster embodies the spirit of collaborative innovation at UNT. He frequently partners with the Division of Digital Strategy and Innovation to provide state-of-the-art service, and his caring, creative and collaborative attitude puts students at the center of every joint project. With DSI, Chris developed two fully online Coursera programs, worked with corporate partnerships for tuition benefits, created Canvas messaging for financial aid support and completed a variety of other new and innovative projects. He consistently evaluates processes to ensure there is space to pilot new technology, programs or initiatives. He cares deeply for UNT students, understands the important role that digital innovation plays in their success and is always ready to think through challenges to ensure a positive experience for UNT’s online students.

Neely Shirey, Facilities Senior Project Manager in the Division of Finance and Administration 

Neely Shirey goes to great lengths to ensure UNT's classrooms are designed and funded with modern digitization in mind. Thanks to her skillful efforts, UNT students enjoy hyflex, hybrid and overall adaptable learning environments that ensure they can connect physical and digital resources, ultimately leading to more access to education and the art and science of learning. She has made numerous contributions to the work that fuels digital transformation at UNT, and her eagerness to work with divisions across campus ensures that the technology and construction elements of UNT’s learning spaces are designed and implemented in harmony with one another, empowering students to benefit from her efforts.

Abraham John, Assistant Vice President of Administrative IT Services in the Division of Digital Strategy and Innovation

Within his team and throughout the UNT community, Abraham John is known for doing whatever it takes to get a job done right, often devoting long hours to deal with unexpected outages or troubleshoot an issue that might lead to downtime for any UNT systems. His AITS team recently launched a revamped tech support services page at techsupport.unt.edu that ushered in a new era of easy-to-use, one-click tech help for students, faculty and staff. Currently, Abraham is overseeing UNT's major multimillion-dollar Wi-Fi refresh and expansion project. He not only leads the largest IT team on campus, but also teaches a course on IT to undergraduates in the college of business. His leadership has provided career growth for his team and created strong promotional pathways for emerging leaders.

Sampath Pamidimukkala, Assistant Dean of Strategy, Technology and Marketing for the College of Merchandising, Hospitality and Tourism

In his short time as dean, Sampath Pamidimukkala has implemented several successful marketing and recruitment strategies, using data analytics to evaluate the college’s progress. Sampath’s data-driven leadership ensures his team is meeting the college’s mission, vision and purpose, growing enrollment by working closely with units from across campus such as Admissions, DSI and the Welcome Center. His ability to encourage his team to reach their highest potential is remarkable. He maintains high expectations but leads with a caring, mentoring mindset that empowers people to accomplish their shared and individual goals — practices that result in a team that gets things done and feels good about it. Sampath has established his presence across campus, and everyone he works with respects his input and his commitment to being a UNT Eagle.

Joanna Hussey, Senior Executive Assistant to the Provost

Joanna Hussey dedicates herself to being a source of support and institutional knowledge for UNT’s many executive administrative assistants to the deans and vice provosts. One of the most important ways she does this is by promoting training and professional development, encouraging them to pursue opportunities like workshops and conferences. For the deans’ assistants’ group, she invites speakers to their monthly meetings so they can learn more about UNT, and she recently led their book club discussion of Atomic Habits. Joanna also championed the reclassification of the senior administrative coordinators who support both vice provosts and deans to executive assistants. She takes a personal touch in her mentorship, offering everything from a listening ear during challenging times to a hug and a high-five to celebrate a birthday or promotion.

Angela Millican, Student and Program Director for the Toulouse Graduate School

Angela Millican’s more than 31 years of service to UNT have been marked by dedication, leadership and mentorship. In her many roles, she has risen to the top as a resource for others. Her willingness to assist coworkers and graduate students, and the fact that people from all over the university come to her for assistance and guidance, exemplify her commitment to exploring new challenges and supporting the UNT community in any way possible. Angela has dedicated her career to improving every aspect of the UNT experience for students. While creating and ensuring efficient procedures, Angela's heart for quality customer service is always at the forefront. Her passion for her work and for the university is evident, but even more inspiring is her passion for improving the lives of everyone around her.

Ana White, Assistant Director of Advising for New College

Ana White has been with UNT since 2006, and mentorship captures her unique brand of collegial leadership. Ana took a risk and accepted a leadership role in a new academic unit a year ago with the opportunity to create the culture. Advising had been overlooked, the advisors were overworked and frustrated and there were almost no documented procedures or clear expectations. With the combination of her extensive experience, her commitment to excellence and her willingness to work hard and advocate for her team, Ana has built an environment where her advisors feel supported and valued. Grounded in her people-first philosophy, she is capable of upholding UNT policies and requirements while ensuring that each student she interacts with feels heard and cared for. UNT is a better version of itself every day because of Ana White.

Cindy Clark, Administrative Coordinator in the Department of Physics

Cindy Clark has brought a fresh and positive perspective to the physics department since she joined the team in June 2021. As an administrative specialist, she learned UNT purchasing requirements, streamlined the purchasing process and proactively sought out new skills to share with others. She continued to spread her wings after being promoted to administrative coordinator, instituting monthly meetings with faculty and improving payroll and finance processes with her attention to detail and stellar communication skills. She pays special attention to students, helping them solve their payroll issues and secure well-earned raises. Cindy transcends her job description with an unmatched resourcefulness, asking questions, doing research and finding creative solutions to better support staff, faculty and students. Her ability to quickly learn job duties and excel in them makes her a tremendous asset to the department.

Cody Faucett, Skilled Craft Technician in the Facilities Sign Shop

Sign making, design, manufacturing and fabrication are niche skills that are often undervalued. They’re also the skills that make Cody Faucett an irreplaceable member of the Facilities Maintenance Sign Shop team. A UNT alum, Cody uses his knowledge of the university and his wide range of skills and experience, which includes IT in an educational setting, to improve processes and procedures in his department. He is adaptable, detail-oriented and “as reliable as the sun,” with quick critical thinking skills that have helped to solve problems and boost efficiency for his colleagues. It’s not unusual for him to come in to work in the morning with a creative solution to a problem his team encountered the previous day. With a positive attitude and exceptional customer service skills, Cody is a rising star who makes his whole department shine.

Toni Sorsdal, Compliance Analyst for University Integrity & Compliance

Toni works to make everyone she interacts with feel cared about, whether they come to her wanting to make a report or just need someone to talk to. She has had difficult conversations well past what many would be willing to, just to help someone understand a situation and know they are being heard. Whenever Toni is working a project, she keeps her team up to date and helps them work together more efficiently. Whether she meets you on the sidewalk or passes you in the office, she is quick to ask how you’re doing and how your day is going — and she genuinely wants to hear about it. She is a ray of sunshine, as engaging and caring with our community partners as she is with her UNT colleagues.

Ryan O’Shaughnessy, Scientific Instructional Technician for Biological Sciences in the College of Science

Ryan O’Shaughnessy makes sure research projects are cared for whether rain, shine — or ice. Because experimental researchers depend on lab equipment and facilities, the equipment and facilities maintenance Ryan provides for experimental research is vital. His vast knowledge and capacity to serve a variety of researchers make him invaluable to the college. When ice storms hit, he checks on researchers’ needs and will come to campus to initiate preventative and maintenance processes to protect researchers’ work. When equipment failures or electrical outages occur at off hours, Ryan arrives with a smile and an easygoing demeanor. Despite the heavy workload, he serves the research community in a collaborative, thoughtful, caring and intelligent way. He is solution-driven and resourceful, aware of fiscal limitations and employs creative thinking to make sure researchers’ needs are met.

Wendy Risdon, Senior Director of the Division Budget and Operations for the College of Science

Ethical leadership comes naturally to Wendy Risdon. She models exceptional behavior by simply promoting a culture of integrity and accountability through her daily interactions. Wendy inspires the people she interacts with as she leads by example, tackling tasks and challenges enthusiastically and going above and beyond what is expected. When asked to assist in a compliance discussion, Wendy volunteered her expertise and much-needed support to provide knowledge and guidance that was invaluable to the University Integrity and Compliance team. Most importantly, Wendy is dedicated to making UNT’s ethical culture a priority and UNT a better place through her commitment to doing the right thing, even when no one is looking.

Danielle Champagne, Assistant Director of Financial Wellness in the Student Money Management Center

During a time when financial inequality is one of the biggest challenges facing students pursuing a college degree, Danielle Champagne has made an exceptional impact on the lives of UNT students. In the last academic year, she led the Student Money Management Center’s coaching services team that conducted 1,094 personal sessions with students who represented all classification, ethnicity and college affiliations. Sessions were conducted online, in person and by phone. She also managed the center's 2021-22 emergency loan program, which helped 679 students facing unanticipated or emergency expenses stay enrolled at UNT. All the students reported that they could more easily focus on their academics because their financial concerns were addressed by the emergency assistance. Danielle’s selflessness and dedication to students has been crucial in helping them solve their financial struggles and bolster UNT’s retention efforts.

Jared Countryman, Computer Lab Manager in Academic Technologies

Jared Countryman is a man of the people. As a lab manager, he serves at least 25,000 students each year. He is known in his department for being caring and empathetic and going above and beyond to ensure the success of his team. He uses these same qualities to develop the skills and preparedness of his employees, making sure to establish a personal connection with each one of them. As a manager of student employees, he strives to promote student engagement. He makes it possible for students to learn and benefit from being great employees by helping them get accustomed to a work schedule, make professional connections, understand their job responsibilities and craft the perfect resume. Jared’s generous and understanding nature makes him a favorite among staff and students.

LeAndra Dinicole, Student Employment Coordinator in the UNT Career Center

LeAndra Dinicola is the person everyone turns to when they need help. But the members of the UNT community who benefit the most from her caring nature are our students. LeAndra works one on one with every student to help them find on-campus employment, taking the time to get to know them and develop a meaningful relationship so every student has a chance to land the job they really want. She asks them about their major, reviews their resume, discusses what they want and need in an on-campus position and evaluates their Handshake account to ensure they are as professional as possible. LeAndra has met with more than 350 students and has an 89% hire rate. Her unceasing dedication to the success of UNT’s students has helped many of them further their careers.

Heather Guerrero, Application Support Manager in Enrollment Systems

Heather Guerrero is committed to every student’s success from the very first step they take toward UNT: the admissions process. Her primary role is to provide and manage systems support and design solutions for UNT Admissions. She coordinates with Admissions, the Registrar’s office, ITSS and other departments across UNT to ensure the right tools and processes are in place to provide the best service to incoming students. She is always looking for ways to improve the application experience for prospective students. Heather demonstrates for her team the importance of teamwork and cooperation, not just through the way she does her job, but also through the values she emphasizes. Her calm demeanor and ability to manage any challenge thrown at her is an inspiration to her colleagues.

Yunju Langran, Senior Student Success Coordinator in International Affairs

During her more than 15-year career at UNT, Yunju Langran has directly contributed to the success of thousands of students — particularly international students. Through her caring nature and gracious personality, Yunju cultivates strong relationships with students and their families, providing a safe and comfortable environment in which students can grow and find their place at UNT. She dedicates countless hours to students, from advising on U.S. tax filing documentation to giving tips for getting involved in campus life and lending a listening ear when a student is struggling. Years after graduation, former students travel to campus just to see her and thank her for the difference she made in their lives, for helping them feel at home when they first arrived on campus and for her encouragement, support and thoughtful guidance.

Experiences at UNT at Frisco

Better Together. That’s the core value the Experiences at UNT Frisco team demonstrates with their passion for making students feel at home and poised for success. Rooted in the strategic goal of growing the new branch campus in Frisco, this team includes collaborators from Admissions, DSI, DSA-UNT at Frisco and New College. Separately and as a group, they’ve invested countless hours to ensure students have quality experiences from their first touchpoint with the university to commencement. They worked together to identify shared values that guide their shared work, making decisions about recruiting events, orientations and First Flight Week. They do warm hand-offs and walk students from one person to the next. This group of unsung heroes collegially (but persistently) advocates for additional resources and services for the students and faculty they serve in Frisco. They understand working through values and carry that passion through their interactions with our students.

Multicultural Center and Program for Counseling Diverse Students

The teams in the Multicultural Center and the Program for Counseling Diverse Students have built a collaborative relationship across their respective divisions with the common goal of providing safe and affirming spaces for students of color. Their partnership centers trust, wellness and student engagement to serve UNT’s diverse community. They have provided various services and support to students, especially mental health services that aim to meet students where they are, encourage their sense of belonging and cultivate a growth mindset. This not only destigmatizes mental health within student communities but also normalizes the importance of holistic wellbeing. Their work has produced results that increase their respective teams’ productivity and efficiency, boost morale, improve customer service and support retention.

President’s List Certificate Team

Each semester, students who achieve a 4.0 GPA make the President’s List and receive a certificate, which has historically been printed and mailed. Approximately 10,000-12,000 students earn this distinction every year, but every year — for reasons beyond UNT’s control — around 1,500 of these certificates never make it to the student. Not only was this costly to the university, but it was also extremely disappointing to students. Jamie Moreno, senior administrative coordinator in the Office of Provost, teamed up with Diana Bergeman, executive assistant in the college of business, to develop a process to send these certificates electronically, saving UNT approximately $50,000 a year. They sent the first digital certificates in spring 2022. Jamie and Diana are a perfect example of how important interdepartmental relationships are to our university: their collaborative effort to increase productivity and efficiency saved an immense amount of time, effort and resources.

Work Control

Work Control collaborates every day with faculty, staff and students across the university, deploying resources wherever necessary and completing work that is invaluable to every single person at UNT. They are continuously in contact with building representatives from all different departments, communicating updates about current work orders, scheduled and unforeseen outages, construction that could affect operations and any other facilities-related news that is vital for keeping the campus running smoothly. During an average month, this team processes more than 3,000 work orders, and they do it amid many other requests that require their attention. Despite their heavy workload, they never fail to participate in spirit events and take every opportunity to celebrate someone or mark an occasion. They continually encourage Facilities to get involved in team-building activities such as decorating and dressing up for holidays and events.

UNT Spirit Award