Skip to content

2020 Awards of Excellence recipients announced

The University of Washington is excited to announce this year’s Awards of Excellence winners for their outstanding dedication in teaching, mentoring, public service, staff support and more.

Please take a moment to view our new website and to congratulate your colleagues on their unique and important contributions to our community.

Alumna Summa Laude Dignata Award

  • Patty Hayes, ’76, ’80, School of Nursing; Director, Public Health–Seattle & King County

David B. Thorud Leadership Award — Faculty

  • Virginia Broudy, Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Medicine; Chief of Medicine, Harborview Medical Center; Scripps Professor of Hematology

David B. Thorud Leadership Award — Staff

  • Gene Woodard, Director, Building Services, UW Facilities

Distinguished Alumni Veteran Award

  • Judge Ronald E. Cox (Ret.), ’73, School of Law; Captain, United States Army

Distinguished Librarian Award

  • Justin Wadland, Interim Director, UW Tacoma Library; Associate Dean, University Libraries

Distinguished Retiree Excellence in Community Service Award

  • Robert Roseth, Director (retired), UW News & Information

(Due to the large team recognized this year, the Distinguished Staff Award recipients are featured in their entirety at the end of the list of awards.)

Distinguished Service Award

  • Gary Oertli, ’70, ’72, ’85, President Emeritus, South Seattle College

Distinguished Teaching Award

  • Mabel Ezeonwu, Associate Professor, School of Nursing & Health Studies, UW Bothell
  • Xiaosong Li, Harry & Catherine Jaynne Boand Endowed Professor of Chemistry, Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Karin D. Martin, Assistant Professor, Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy & Governance
  • Ali Rowhani-Rahbar, Associate Professor, Epidemiology, School of Public Health
  • Ian Schnee, Senior Lecturer, Philosophy, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Alyssa Taylor, Senior Lecturer, Bioengineering, College of Engineering
  • Tanya Grace Velasquez, Senior Lecturer, Sociology, School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences, UW Tacoma

Distinguished Teaching Legacy Award

  • Jack P. Keating, Professor, Psychology, College of Arts & Science; Dean, UW Branch Campuses (posthumous)

Excellence in Teaching Award

  • Charles C. Lanfear, Graduate Staff Assistant, Sociology, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Vern Harner, Doctoral Candidate, Social Welfare School of Social Work

Marsha L. Landolt Distinguished Graduate Mentor Award

  • Manka Varghese, Professor, College of Education

President’s Medalist Award

  • Savannah Cassis, Psychology, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Fa’aumu Kaimana, Medical Anthropology & Global Health and Sociology, College of Arts & Sciences

University Faculty Lecture Award

  • Julianne Dalcanton, Professor and Chair, Astronomy, College of Arts & Sciences

Distinguished Staff Award

  • Noah Briller, MRI Technologist, Education & Quality Assurance, Radiology, UW Medical Center
  • Perry Acworth, Farm Manager, UW Farm
  • Polly Olsen (Yakama), Tribal Liaison, Burke Museum
  • Tyler Preder, Telecom Design Engineer, UW Information Technology
  • Radiological Release Response Team
    (53 awardees from the School of Medicine, Environmental Health & Safety and Harborview Medical Center)

    • Environmental Health & Safety 
      • Meli Ahumada, Assistant to the Director
      • Stephen Bahl, Safety Professional 2
      • Denise Bender, Assistant Director
      • Phil Campbell, Assistant Director
      • Cam-Ly Cao, Finance Manager
      • Joyce Chambers, Program Operations Specialist
      • Karen Crow, Outreach & Communications Specialist
      • Natalie Daranyi, Occupational Health & Safety Specialist
      • Jeff Forister, Environmental Control Technician 3
      • Doug Gallucci, Assistant Director
      • Alex Hagen, Program Operations Specialist
      • Tony Han, Biosafety Officer
      • Tracy Harvey, Lab Safety Manager
      • Taylor Heiss, Program Operations Specialist
      • Jennifer Johnson, Hospital Health Physicist
      • Amy Lim, Program Operations Specialist
      • Zara Llewellyn, Biological Safety Manager
      • Kevin Makinson, Program Operations Specialist
      • Matt Moeller, Environmental Programs Manager
      • Scott Nelson, Fire Safety & Engineering Manager
      • Raymond Noble, Program Operations Specialist / Shipping Coordinator
      • Corbin Powell, Radiation Safety Technician 2
      • Eric Stefansson, Senior Biosafety Officer
      • Mark Volkert, Program Operations Specialist
      • Eleanor Wade, Occupational Health & Safety Specialist
      • John Wallace, Industrial Hygienist 2
      • Mike Zittle, Manager of Program Operations
    • Harborview Medical Center
      • Alieu Ann, Director, Security Services
      • Timothy Fredrickson, Director
      • Ian Goodhew, Director of Government Relations
      • Pam Jorgensen, Assistant Administrator
      • Liz Kindred, Environment of Care Manager
      • John Lynch, Associate Professor
      • Esi Nkyekyer, Acting Assistant Professor
      • Mike Warren, Director of Facilities & Engineering
    • School of Medicine, Dean’s Office
      • Susan Gregg, Director, Media Relations
      • Nicole Gibran, Associate Dean
      • Tina Mankowski, Associate Vice President for Medical Affairs
      • Kim Wisecup, Manager, Space Planning & Management
      • Mike Young, Facility Coordinator
    • School of Medicine, Dept. of Comparative Medicine
      • Alan Avalos, Postdoctoral Scholar
      • Edwin Balahadia, Animal Technician 3
      • Laura Campbell, Facility Operations Specialist
      • Lesley Colby, Associate Professor
      • Cory Conner, Program Coordinator
      • Gary Fye, Program Operations Specialist
      • Sarah Harris, Research Scientist / Engineer
      • Virni Mamaril, Program Support Supervisor
      • Dean Rashid, Facility Operations Specialist
      • Rowen Razon, Animal Technician 3
      • Nick Reyes, Lecturer
      • Emily Spaulding, Research Scientist / Engineer 1
      • Rick Wells, Research Scientist