Andrew’s leadership and direction has been much appreciated throughout the academic year, namely as our team juggles a number of high-impact projects and initiatives. Andrew continually empowers members of his team and seeks their input on facets of our work. I appreciate our senior leader’s trust in our expertise!

Nominated by Clay Smith

An integral piece of P-12’s work, Caleb’s leadership and expertise has shined throughout the year. Most recently, he has gone above and beyond to prepare a multitude of components necessary for disbursement of teacher recruitment funds as well as our JLEOC Report. These major projects were made much easier thanks to Caleb! (he also knows all of the good lunch spots)

Nominated by Clay Smith

Shun’s leadership, patience, and kindness has been invaluable throughout the year as our team navigated and overcame new challenges. She was/is never too busy for clarifying questions, big or small, and invests in members of her team as people. Endlessly thankful for Shun!

Nominated by Clay Smith

Since April joined our COS Division team, our administrative efficiency and service to our affinity groups in the Safety and Internal Audit Offices has grown by leaps and bounds. Juggling multiple administrative duties for two offices within the COS division, tending to multiple affinity groups, supporting the Board of Governors CARMC, organizing systemwide campus safety trainings and conferences, staffing the Risk Review Board – April does it all! She is an invaluable member of our team and we could not function without her. She even manages to keep Fred Sellers in line :-). Thank you, April, for all you do!

Nominated by Norma Houston

Akura is the heart and soul of the President’s Office. She deftly manages a myriad of tasks for President Hans with calm efficiency and virtually instant responsiveness any time of the day or night (or weekend!). Akura also provides leadership and support to the other EAs in the organization, keeping them informed of important matters and working with our leadership team to address their concerns. Finally, Akura does a masterful job in supervising our Presidential Scholars program, giving these bright young graduates from our institutions the experience of a lifetime while providing invaluable service to our divisions. Akura, we can’t thank you enough for doing the work of 3 people expertly, efficiently, and with good humor!

Nominated by Norma Houston

Kim juggles many balls at the System Office, most of them behind the scenes, and she keeps all of them in the air. From event planning to making sure our Board members and guests are well-fed and treated with gracious hospitality, to assisting other team members with a myriad of administrative matters, Kim does it all with a cheerful attitude and warm smile. Kim never says “no.” Instead, she says, “how can I help you” and “let me take care of that for you.” And she always does! Thank you, Kim, for all you do for all of us at the System Office!

Nominated by Norma Houston

Matt Gibson has lead the Military Equivalency Project to the completion of Phase I. This has been no small task, since this has been a project that struggled to get going after the General Assembly legislation mandating a consistent approach, system – wide, to evaluating military credentials. As of this date, all institutions have entered the foundation equivalency rules into their student information systems. Matt has also lead the development of the Phase II roadmap, which will lead to a developed operations manual, training for personnel, operational oversight, and data mart integrations. This may all sound mundane, but for those who have worked in an admissions or academic advising environment, this is an achievement. What sets Matt apart is his calm approach to leading the team, which is comprised of very smart and very invested people. This project is one where one can easily miss the forest for the trees. Matt’s ability to maintain strategic direction for a project that could easily be derailed by focusing on the spokes and not the hub, is impressive. Matt sends out concise notes following each meeting which keeps everyone on track. As a general rule, many approach meetings as a place to do work. Matt set the stage that MES meeting were used to canvass what work was done since the last meeting and what work needs to be accomplished moving forward. I am more than optimistic that we will complete Phase II, and in my thirty – plus years in higher education, including times as a chief enrollment officer, Matt’s leadership is one of the finest examples of professionalism that I have ever encountered. “Project Manager” is often a very misunderstood role. As far as I am concerned, when that term is defined, Matt Gibson’s picture should be there. I am hopeful that we can recognize his contributions!

Nominated by Thomas Walker

Jack is awesome! When you encounter a problem, he does his BEST to ensure you understand the issue and steps you can take to resolve it in the future. Although I know he is swamped with work he never makes you feel rushed. His response time is fantastic. You don’t have to wait long before help is on the way. Thanks Jack! I really appreciate your assistance with my recent AV tech issues.

Nominated by Tami Chargois

Jack is always quick to respond to tickets and calls from our office. He is always helpful and willing to show and teach users on best practices for our needs. Also, he has done a great job with mentoring our new IT interns!

Nominated by Akura Fontenot

Tami’s exceptional efforts and dedication to our team and system has been evident since day one. Her hard work, camaraderie, and proficiency have not gone unnoticed. She is willing to go above and beyond and extend a helping hand, without hesitation or needing to be asked. Her positive attitude willingness to help, even in the most challenging situations, has been a source of inspiration for everyone around you. Thank you for enriching our workplace culture!

Nominated by Akura Fontenot