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UW announces 2023 Awards of Excellence recipients 

UW President Ana Mari Cauce and Provost Mark Richards are delighted to announce the recipients of the 53rd annual University of Washington Awards of Excellence! The awards honor outstanding alumni, faculty, staff, students and retirees who contribute to the richness and diversity of our University community. 

53RD ANNUAL AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE

The winners were honored on June 8, 2023, at the Katharyn Alvord Gerlich Theater in Meany Hall. The president and provost hosted a one-hour ceremony, followed by a reception with hors d’oeuvres, desserts and a chance to connect and celebrate with the UW community. 

2023 award recipients:

Alumna Summa Laude Dignata

  • Marilynne Robinson (she/her), ’68, ’77

David B. Thorud Leadership Awards

  • Jennifer Brackett (she/her), Assistant Administrator, Ambulatory Clinics, UW Medical Center; Lead, COVID-19 Testing and Vaccine Distribution, UW Medicine
  • Mike Townsend (he/him), Associate Professor, School of Law; Secretary of the Faculty, Faculty Senate

Distinguished Alumni Veteran Award

  • Michael Kilmer (he/him), ’01, ’04, School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences, UW Tacoma and School of Social Work; Director/CEO, Veterans Affairs Eastern Colorado Health Care System

Distinguished Contributions to Lifelong Learning Award

  • Sam Sharar (he/him), Professor Emeritus, Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine, UW Medicine

Distinguished Librarian Award

  • Jackie Belanger (she/her), Director of Assessment and Planning, University Libraries

Distinguished Service Award

  • Desert Scholarship Patrons Committee

Distinguished Staff Award

Career Achievement
  • Michael Kirk Morris (he/him), Program Support Supervisor II, Moving Services, UW Facilities
Collaboration
  • Steven V. Roberts (he/him), Assistant Director, Mailing Services, Creative Communications, UW Finance
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
  • Chloe Rose Dolese Mandeville (she/her), Assistant Director for Diversity & Access, Undergraduate Student Services, Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering
Impact
  • Gennifer Merrihew (she/her), Research Scientist III, MacCoss Lab, Genome Sciences, School of Medicine
Innovation
  • Husky Coronavirus Testing Team
    • Zack Acker (he/him), Manager of Program Operations, Genome Sciences, Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine
    • Julia Catherine Bennett (she/her), Graduate Research Assistant, Allergy and Infectious Diseases, UW Medicine; Graduate Student, Epidemiology, School of Public Health
    • Sabrina Best (she/her), Research Scientist/Engineer I, Advanced Technology Lab, Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine
    • Amanda Morgan Casto (she/her), Acting Assistant Professor, Allergy and Infectious Diseases, UW Medicine
    • Christian Frazar (he/him), Lead Research Scientist, Genome Sciences, School of Medicine
    • Luis Gamboa (he/him), Research Scientist II, Advanced Technology Lab, Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine
    • Sarah Heidl (she/her), Research Scientist, Advanced Technology Lab, Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine
    • Natalie K. Lo (she/her), Director of Program Operations, Allergy and Infectious Diseases, UW Medicine
    • Kyle Luiten (he/him), Research Consultant, Allergy and Infectious Diseases, UW Medicine
    • Kathryn McCaffrey (she/her), Research Coordinator, Genome Sciences, Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine
    • Evan McDermot (he/him), Research Scientist/Engineer II, Advanced Technology Lab, Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine
    • Devon McDonald (she/her), Research Coordinator, Allergy and Infectious Diseases, UW Medicine
    • Jordan Opsahl (she/her), Research Supervisor, Advanced Technology Lab, Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine
    • Brian Pfau (he/him), Research Analyst, Advanced Technology Lab, Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine
    • David Reinhart (he/him), Senior Software Engineer, Genome Sciences, Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine
    • Leslie Rodriguez-Salas (she/her), Research Supervisor/RSE II, Advanced Technology Lab, Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine
    • Erica Ryke (she/her), Sequencing Lead and Research Scientist/Engineer III, Genome Sciences, School of Medicine
    • Sanjay Srivatsan (he/him), Postdoctoral Fellow, Genome Sciences, School of Medicine
    • Caitlin Wolf (she/her), Program Manager, Allergy and Infectious Diseases, UW Medicine
    • Tessa Wright (she/they), Research Coordinator, Allergy and Infectious Diseases, UW Medicine

Distinguished Teaching Awards

  • Ellen Bayer (she/her), Associate Professor, Culture, Arts and Communication, School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, UW Tacoma
  • Anjulie Ganti (she/her), Associate Teaching Professor, Health Systems and Population Health, School of Public Health; Associate Director of Experiential Learning, School of Public Health
  • Marieka Klawitter (she/her), Professor, Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy & Governance
  • Yusuf Pisan (he/him), Associate Teaching Professor, Computing & Software Systems, School of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics, UW Bothell
  • Regina Yung Lee (she/her), Associate Teaching Professor, Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Elli Theobald (she/her), Assistant Teaching Professor, Biology, College of Arts & Sciences

Distinguished Teaching Awards for Teams

  • Global Scholars Program Team, UW Bothell
    • Natalia Dyba (she/her), Director, Global Initiatives, Office of Connected Learning, Academic Affairs
    • Ben Gardner (he/him), Associate Professor, School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences
    • Ron Krabill (he/him), Professor, School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences
    • Eva Navarijo (she/her), Director, Student Services & Advising, School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences
    • Sarah Melissa Ramirez (she/her), Co-Director, Global Scholars Program, School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences
  • Pharmacy Team
    • Jennifer Chang (she/her), Clinical Associate Professor, School of Pharmacy
    • Claudia (Seohyun) Choi (she/her), Assistant Teaching Professor, Clinical Practice, School of Pharmacy
    • Karan Dawson (she/her), Clinical Associate Professor Emeritus, School of Pharmacy
    • Jennie Do (she/her), Clinical Assistant Professor, School of Pharmacy
    • Leigh Ann Mike (she/her), Clinical Associate Professor, School of Pharmacy

Distinguished Teaching Legacy Award

  • John C. Berg (he/him), Rehnberg Professor, Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering

Excellence in Global Engagement Award

  • Faisal Hossain (he/him), John R. Kiely Endowed Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering

Excellence in Teaching Awards

  • Ryan Goehrung (he/him), Doctoral Candidate, Political Science, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Theresa Gozzo (she/her), Doctoral Candidate, Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences

Marsha L. Landolt Distinguished Graduate Mentor Award

  • Priti Ramamurthy (she/her), Professor, Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies, College of Arts & Sciences

Outstanding Public Service Award

  • Connie C. So (she/her), Teaching Professor, American Ethnic Studies, College of Arts & Sciences; Faculty Associate, Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies, College of Arts & Sciences

University Faculty Lecture Award

  • Valerie Daggett (she/her), David and Nancy Auth Endowed Professor, Bioengineering, College of Engineering & UW Medicine