10 receive University Staff Recognition Awards

Ten outstanding University Staff, from departments and units across the UW–Madison campus, have been chosen for 2022 University Staff Recognition Awards. The employees received their awards at the June University Staff Congress meeting. The following profiles are summaries from nominations submitted to the selection committee.

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Steven Myers

Myers plays a key role in helping graduate students and faculty in their work to design and build new types of state-of-the-art instrumentation for chemistry-related research. This often requires highly specialized designs and construction. His outstanding grasp of machine tool operations and how to use them — creating complex, precise experimental apparatuses with unusual materials and unusual designs — form an integral part of the department’s research. Moreover, Myers is noted for having a wonderful rapport with students and faculty.

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Rowan Calyx

Calyx exemplifies a welcoming and positive culture in SJMC, continually going above and beyond in his duties to ensure a cohesive and inclusive work environment that embodies the Wisconsin Idea. This includes taking charge of a major reorganization in the department’s office space, including helping the department relocate following a flood in Vilas Hall in February 2019. Calyx has also worked with a robust administrative staff to relocate and maintain department operations, and worked with the department’s Inclusion Committee to examine a variety of issues that affect undergraduate and graduate students, curriculum, and administrative approaches.

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Vicki Werla

A conscientious employee whose co-workers admire her expertise and spirit, Werla is an exemplary technician who takes time with her animal care tasks, according to her nominator. She carries those qualities beyond the workplace. Werla serves on University Staff committees and as an alternate at University Staff Congress meetings. Werla has helped several co-workers improve workplace policies and conditions, creating real change for colleagues who consider her the sort of co-worker, friend and citizen they can be proud of.

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Angela Haugen

Haugen has been instrumental in facilitating a major change in clinic programming at the Law School over the last year. Working with administrative and clinical staff preferences and requirements, she helped in the rollout of a new application and selection process for dozens of clinical law school programs and hundreds of law student applications. Always helpful in working to find solutions, she was willing and able to take on additional responsibilities and provides service outside of her department to develop new models and systems.

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Greg Gorman

Gorman has served as Transportation Service’s lone morning dispatcher for 3½ years, having previously worked in the department as a booth operator for two years and in field services for 13 years. His innovations in the department’s computer system to track parking levels, and his quick reactions, allow potential problems to be prevented. In addition to being a source of good advice to his co-workers, Gorman always gives Transportation Services customers a satisfactory result — performing at a high level in a demanding position pleasantly and always without complaint.

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Kelly Hallmark

Hallmark is always helpful, responsive and flexible. During summer 2021, Hallmark helped set up a Project Assistant Program for law students, a challenging time to help find positions for students due to the pandemic. She was also instrumental in securing funding for students to help faculty members with their research over the summer. “Kelly is completely willing to do what was in the best interest of our students even if it created multiple headaches for her,” Hallmark’s nominator wrote. “She is one of the most helpful and responsive people I’ve worked with and is deserving of an award.”

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Chad MacWilliams

MacWilliams, Arboretum custodian since 1999, has exceptionally high standards for building care, superb attention to detail and efficiencies, and a dedication to service and teamwork. Skillfully handling construction, maintenance, mechanical and other challenges, MacWilliams applies his experience, knowledge and energy to many projects. With strong problem-solving skills, he handles the many daily, seasonal and unique situations that arise in a Visitor Center open to the public, as well as in staff offices and workspaces. While his work is often done behind the scenes, his contributions are apparent in every Arboretum building and in field projects.

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Erik Lenning

A Housing employee for nearly 20 years, Lenning is friendly, approachable and knowledgeable. A colleague who worked with Lenning on multiple projects, including building an onboarding and training binder, says, “Erik’s expertise and recommendations were implemented throughout the project, utilizing his knowledge of operations in multiple areas in Dining. His contributions are a main part of the success of the project.” Lenning, who oversees Flamingo Run in Gordon Market, organizes inventory in the food service management systems software to make the process more efficient and accurate, contributing to meeting food budget goals. Lenning shows great pride in promoting excellence, no matter how big or small the task.

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Sarina Strnad

Strnad supports faculty and staff who teach General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry, large lecture courses with between 150 and 300 students. She helps remove the administrative burden from instructors’ shoulders and was particularly supportive during the 2020-21 academic year, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced classes to go remote. Her efforts allow instructors to focus their attention on conveying course content to the students and assessing their learning. Large chemistry courses would be far less productive for the thousands of undergraduates who take them each year if it weren’t for Strnad. (Strnad recently transitioned to the role of CeO SSS STEM Advisor in the Center for Educational Opportunity.)

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David Marburger

Marburger is known for going above and beyond each day, providing students, staff and guests with with courtesy, compassion and understanding. David’s optimism is evident in his positivity every day, leading staff to follow his example. Cognizant of overall department goals, and how his performance affects those outcomes, Marburger practices great resource stewardship. Taking over ordering products and supplies following a recent vacancy, Marburger has exhibited leadership potential and composure while meeting deadlines; tracking inventory more accurately; and making ordering more efficient while reducing waste.