Congratulations to Lucy Mackintosh, Library and Archives Paraprofessional, Access Services. Lucy is the recipient of the Winter 2024 Classified Staff Excellence Award.

Excerpts from Lucy’s nomination:

“Lucy is dedicated to making our college a more diverse and inclusive place. She is currently in the B.U.I.L.D. (Broadening Understanding, Intercultural Leadership and Development) program, and she is bringing those ideas into her job as a library technician and student employee supervisor. Lucy leads discussions and reflections on inequality in libraries as part of a training program for our student employees. She also applies these ideas in her everyday work. Lucy advocates for fair policies and decision making in Access Services. Her passion for diversity and inclusion is making a real impact in how we actually do things here.”

“Lucy’s contributions to the college community are most evident in her role as the supervisor of the library’s work study student employees. Lucy exemplifies a level of dedication and compassion that significantly enhances the experience for our students. Her leadership in fostering a positive and inclusive environment for our student employees is truly commendable. Lucy’s exceptional coaching skills shine through as she demonstrates a keen understanding of each student’s unique strengths and challenges. She not only motivates them to perform at their best but also ensures they feel valued and supported in their roles. Lucy’s empathetic approach creates a space where our student employees are comfortable being themselves, fostering a sense of belonging within the college community. She is an invaluable asset to the library and our institution.”

A student employee who is supervised by Lucy wrote: “Lucy is the star of the workplace when it comes to work spirit. Always offering to lend a hand whenever possible, even though inconvenient, and with a smile on her face, Lucy’s consistently positive spirit is inspiring. Always encouraging us student-workers to achieve high proficiency in our tasks by keeping us accountable with training, she still never forgets to be personable. The difference between her and other bosses that I have had is that she has always made me

feel like a human. I’m not just another worker-bee for her, zooming across the library with endless book shelving. I can remember multiple occasions during training where she would take time out of her busy schedule to just check in to see if I had any questions or feelings. She strives in her position of managing all student employees at the Cannell Library because she takes the energy to get to know us as people.”

We would also like to acknowledge the contributions of the other nominees:

• Jami Crawford, IT Customer Support, IT Services
• Adrianne Langit, IT Customer Service Technician, IT Services
• Karina Sanchez, Program Specialist 3, Financial Aid
• DJ Scates, Tenure Support Supervisor, Office of Instruction
• Jessica Wehrman, Program Specialist 2, Enrollment Services

About the Classified Staff Awards

Established in 2005, the Classified Staff Excellence Award recognizes classified staff who have demonstrated exemplary work performance, a positive and cooperative spirit, special achievements, or contributions to the college community, and supports individual and organizational diversity and inclusion. Through the support of the Clark College Foundation, the recipient will receive a $400 cash award.

Nominees must be a current classified employee who has been in their current position for more than six months. Award recipients will not be eligible for another award for three years. Visit the Clark College Employee Recognition page to learn more about this award and other ways to acknowledge the value and dedication of our staff and faculty.

A history of Classified Award recipients

2023: Manda Levie (winter), Cheryl Davenport (spring), Heather King (summer), Andra Spencer (fall)

2022: Chris Chaffin (winter), Svitlana Havrylyuk (spring), Christopher Layfield (summer), Papel Popov (fall)

2021: Jennifer Shadley (winter), Damon Grady (spring), Jordan De Van (summer), Denise Rotellini (fall)

2020: Jennifer Stone (winter), Silvia Marinova (spring), Connor Cantrell (summer), Pedro Hernandez (fall)

2019: Sarah Seyller (winter), Amanda Brown (spring), Heather Adams (summer), Bryton Williams (fall)

2018: Eben Ayers (winter), Shelly Williams (spring), Sherry Smith (summer), Ian Beckett (fall)

2017: David Sims (winter), Aleksandr Anisimov (spring), Rebecca (Becky) Udwary (summer), Jessica Beach (fall)

2016: Judy Healy (spring), Joanne Emel (summer), Carmen Roman (fall)

2015: Jeri Kemmer (winter), Marianne Luther (spring), Thor Tesdale (summer), Vanessa Meyer (fall)

2014: Janice Taylor (winter), Sally Demos (spring), Derald Richards (summer), Heather White (fall)

2013: Scott Black (winter), Tim Pliska (spring), Gayle Lee (summer), Jessica Bateman (fall)

2012: Audra Rowton (winter), Debra Robinson (spring), Kira Freed (summer), Catherine Keane (fall)

2011: Carey Wolley (winter), Marci Wedemeyer (spring), Debra Hentz (summer), Tonya Potter (fall)

2010: Beverly Brosius (winter), Ian Thomas (spring), Naomi Kay (summer), Scott Coffie (fall)

2009: Denise Rotellina (winter), Glenda Cunningham (spring), Scott Root (summer), Lindsey Walling (fall)

2008: Vicki Presley (winter), Francisco Ramos-Medrano (spring), Susan Muir (summer), Amy Waite (fall)

2007: Susan Harding (winter), Mark Owsley (spring), Samantha Lelo (summer), Paul Caggianese (fall)

2006: Nell Gladson (winter), Joy Horning (spring), Lynn Schinzing (summer), Ann Hansen (fall)

2005: Lucy Shao (fall)

A warm congratulations to Andra Spencer, Equity Professional Development Program Manager from the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, as the recipient of the Fall 2023 Classified Staff Excellence Award.

Excerpts from Andra’s nomination:

“Andra’s passion for equity and education is contagious. She dove into creating a PPI training on recognizing and disrupting antisemitism this summer and introduced many to a body of knowledge previously undiscussed at the college. Her sessions at Teaching and Learning Days and Fall Faculty Focus were packed and received overwhelmingly positive feedback and demands for a part two!”

“Equity is at the center of everything Andra does. Recognizing a gap in knowledge at the college, Andra spent time over the summer doing intense research on antisemitism and how to disrupt it, and developed a training for both Teaching and Learning Days and Fall Faculty Focus that was presented to PACKED rooms! Andra also developed training on creating inclusive learning environments, bringing her teaching expertise into her role here at ODEI and developing training specifically targeted to faculty, something that ODEI hasn’t done before.”

“Andra is well connected throughout the college – attending every event she can and volunteering to help out in any way. She collaborates with others on the team to execute projects and is always one of the first people there to set up and one of the last to leave after cleaning up. Her cooperative spirit is evident in her leadership on the Teaching and Learning Days Committee, the NWREC planning team, the O-Squad, Level Up, and many other cross-college initiatives.”

We also would like to acknowledge the contributions of the other nominees:

• Becky Lindsay, Program Specialist II, Dental Hygiene
• Nichole Maruca, Program Specialist II, Enrollment Services
• Shelly Williams, Program Coordinator, Fine Art Division
• Tani McBeth, Technical Training Consultant, eLearning
• Teresa (Terry) Haye, Program Manager A, BASTE Bachelor of Teacher Education

About the Classified Staff Awards

The Classified Staff Excellence Award was established in 2005 and recognizes classified staff who have demonstrated exemplary work performance, a positive and cooperative spirit, special achievements or contributions to the college community, and supports individual and organizational diversity and inclusion. Through the support of the Clark College Foundation, the recipient will receive a $400 cash award.

Nominees must be a current classified employee who has been in their current position for more than six months. Award recipients will not be eligible to receive another award for three years.

Visit the Clark College Employee Recognition page to learn more about this award and other ways to acknowledge the value and dedication of our staff and faculty.

Clark College employees gathered on September 18 to kick off the 2023-24 academic year during Opening Day festivities at O’Connell Sports Center. During the event, the following staff members were recognized for their service to the college.

Years of Service Awards

Brad Avakian, vice president of human resources, presented the years of service awards to employees with 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 years of service by reading their names. Employees with service more than 25 years were invited to come to the front to receive certificates. All years of service awards also come with monetary compensation based on the number of years served.

5 years:

Foundation: Dan Palow

Human Resources: Carrie Ann Gallagher

Information Technology Services: Yaremy Clara

Instruction: Kyle Anderson, Michiko Anderson, Bryan Blehm, Gabriele Canazzi, Jennifer Capell, Virginia Davidson, James Demartini, Charlotte Derkacht, Jason Eversman, Tyler Frank, Monte Gantka, Dr. Douglas Harris, Shawn Henderson, Christina Howard, Nami Inoue, Rachel Irvin, Ryan Jeannet, Dr. Soohyon Ji, Dr. Alan Koenig, Sarah Kuzera, Martha Lewis, Robert Long, Lucas Martin, Petra Redinger, Samuel Robinson, Christina Smith, Brogan Sullivan, Heidi Summers, Elizabeth Van Buecken, Katarina Wallis, Dr. Michelle Walty, Patricia Witherspoon

NWACC: Alexandra Young

Operations: Zhong Chai, Cody Claassen, Kevin Damore, Bradley Hansen, Bellamy Holt, Jeffrey Kaliner, Daniel Lane, Christopher Layfield, Lindsey Mckim, Julia Perdue, Seumas Ross, Katlyn Simpson, William Thompson

Student Affairs: Jorge Argueta, Yuliya Demyanyuk, Kimberly Forbes, Tisha Pasquinelli, Torin Tashima, Carley Willis

10 years:

Instruction: Dr. Roberto Anitori, David Benedicktus, Sascha Blocker, Bruce Elgort, Melanie Hendry, Grant Hottle, Garrett Hoyt, Deborah Jack, Chad Laughlin, Kenneth Luchini, Michael Ludwig, Sarah Luther, Dr. Nick Macias, Dr. Mika Maruyama, Natalie Miles, Deane Morrison, Kelly Pfeifer, Kristin Sherwood, Dawn Steele, Janice Taylor, Adriana Thomas, Caleb White, Beth Wulf

ODEI: Degundrea Harris

Operations: Eben Ayers, Julie Donovan, Tanya Kerr, Johann Langley, Everett Yu

Student Affairs: Kimberly Blahnik, Jessica Hash, Kevin Thomas

15 years:

Instruction: Robert Abrahamson, Sheldon Atwell, Scott Bailey, Angie Bailey, Marci Bohac, Rebecca Boyer, Tammy Boyer, Tony Chennault, Cheryl Davenport, Michael England, Jason Herz, Dr. Philip Jones, Timothy Kent, Dr. Shon Kraley, Michelle Mallory, Kaye Manchester, Ruby Moore, Erika Nava, Ying Nollette, Michiyo Okuhara, Archer Parr, Joshua Patrick, George Salos, Nicoleta Sharp, Suzanne Southerland, Jennifer Ward, Kristin Woitte

Operations: Vickie Malcolm, Richard Nevis, Jennifer Shadley

Student Affairs: Marla Derrick, Dr. Sabine Falkenberg, Michelle Mussen

20 years:

Information Technology Services: Alan Logsdon

Operations: Brandi Roberts

Instruction: Aaron Campbell, Lisa Conway, Jill Darley-Vanis, Deena Godwin, Karina Gress, Dwight Hughes, Lynne Nolan, Sherry Smith, Samuel Triebs, Wayne Utehs

25 years:

Instruction: Grace Anukam, Dr. Marylynne Diggs, Mary Evens, Christine Krug, Kathleen Mitchell, Douglas Smith, Mitchell Sott, Jeanette Steinmueller

35 years:

Instruction: Dr. Kelly Fielding

Operations: Jonni Hattershide

Exceptional Faculty Awards

The award honorees were announced at Commencement in June and were honored at Opening Day.

Exceptional Classified Staff Award

Exceptional Administrative Exempt Award

Lora Whitfield Social Equity Award

After Dr. Edwards handed Ezekial his award, shook his hand, and led the staff in clapping, she said, “I am thankful to each of you. I am pleased to see our colleagues recognized for their tremendous work. Congratulations to all our award winners and our employees who have demonstrated their dedication to Clark College over the years.”

Congratulations to Cheryl Davenport, Library and Archives Paraprofessional 4, recipient of the spring 2023 Classified Staff Excellence Award. 

Excerpts from Cheryl’s nomination:

“Cheryl Davenport has worked at Clark for over 15 years and is the epitome of an excellent employee. As the only cataloger at Clark, Cheryl is responsible for maintaining our online catalog, including all of the Library’s catalog records, while also maintaining and preserving the condition our print book collection.”

“She values people more than tasks. Cheryl also provides a high level of service to students and patrons which takes precedence over phone and email, staff conversations, and meetings.”

“Cheryl worked to find a more inclusive and unbiased set of subject headings for library books and materials. She did this by soliciting input from Library staff and faculty, attending online presentations on this topic, and conducting her own research. Cheryl found a solution, advocated for its implantation and got approval from everyone in the Library. Clark Library now uses Homosaurus, an international linked vocabulary of LGBTQIA+ terms in the Library’s online catalog, which helps ensure the bibliographic records are using subject headings that represent the inclusive terminology used by the LGBTQIA+ community to describe themselves instead of using vocabulary created by the Librarians of Congress from many decades ago.”

We would also like to acknowledge the contributions of the other nominees:  

• Brandi Roberts, Communications Officer, Security & Safety Services 
• Carl Budrecki, Custodian, Custodial Services 
• David Chase, Custodian, Custodial Services 
• Eliezer Gonzalez-Roman, Program Specialist, Veterans Resource Center 
• Jennifer Lea, Program Specialist, Business Division 
• Jerrika Lightley, Fiscal Specialist, Student Life 
• Jonni Hattershide, Program Support Supervisor, Production Printing 
• Karmel Baldwin, Program Specialist, Enrollment Services 
• Sandra Bush, Program Coordinator, Enrollment Services 
• Tisha Pasquinelli, Program Specialist, Financial Aid 
• Tracy Eyler, Early Childhood Specialist, Child & Family Services 

About the Classified Staff Awards

Established in 2005, the Classified Staff Excellence Award recognizes classified staff who have demonstrated exemplary work performance, a positive and cooperative spirit, special achievements or contributions to the college community, and supports individual and organizational diversity and inclusion. Through the support of the Clark College Foundation, the recipient will receive a $400 cash award which will be presented at Opening Day before the start of fall quarter each year. 

Nominees must be a current classified employee who has been in their current position for more than six months. Award recipients will not be eligible to receive another award for a period of three years. 

Visit the Clark College Employee Recognition page to learn more about this award and other ways to acknowledge the value and dedication of our staff and faculty. 

Congratulations to Manda (Jacqueline) Levie, Interim Unit Operations Manager, Social Sciences and Fine Arts, recipient of the 2023 Winter Quarter Classified Staff Excellence Award!

We would also like to acknowledge the contributions of the other nominees.

Nominees:

• Alberto Clara-Urbina – Information Security Admin, IT Services
• Angela Childers – Program Support Supervisor, Disability Support Services
• Angela Dawson – Nursing Program Support Supervisor, Nursing
• Cheryl Davenport – Cataloging Specialist, Technical Services, Library
• Jeanette Steinmueller – Accounting and Business Tutor, Tutoring Services
• Jillian Taylor-Valdez – Early Childhood Specialist, Child and Family Services
• Katia Quintero – Student Success Coach, Office of Diversity Equity and Inclusion
• Lindsey McKim – Campus Security Officer, Security and Safety
• Marla Derrick – Program Coordinator, Athletics
• Tracy Eyler – Early Childhood Program Support Specialist, Child and Family Services
• Vickie Malcolm – Custodian, Facilities Services

Manda (Jacqueline) Levie, Interim Unit Operations Manager, Social Sciences and Fine Arts

“Manda is accurate and precise, timely, and helpful in her written communication (emails, documents, phone messages). She consistently asks pertinent follow up questions and thinks through scenario options when making decisions and implementing actions.” – a staff member

• Manda has been a valued Clark College employee since 2013.
• She continually demonstrates competency in using Clark Campus software with her ability to find directions, tips, and workarounds for software issues (CTCLINK, Excel, etc.).
• She’s always quick to recommend/refer questions she can’t answer to other competent individuals on campus. She’s developed relationships and knowledge about campus expertise, because of her volunteer and committee work, and because she’s taken a LOT of Clark courses from instructors in several disciplines.

Alberto Clara-Urbina, IT Services

“Just imagine, if there were more employees in the work-place like Alberto! Alberto goes above and beyond in many ways in his job. He is very detailed oriented and hardworking. He has a busy work schedule by default working in IT, and makes a priority to be available to discuss important compliance and regulatory items that need to be addressed. Alberto contacted Risk Management to bring a risk GAP to our attention, which, in itself, was not easy.” – a staff member

• Alberto has been a valued Clark College employee since 2020.
• A lot of our interaction deals with compliance. Alberto manages to maintain a positive attitude and a sense of humor, which can be challenging to do when faced with complexities of his job. It’s his willingness to work collaboratively that really enhances a positive work environment.
• He’s respectful in asking questions to inquire to include other team members that might be impacted by policies and regulations. I enjoy collaborating with Alberto and I am grateful for him being a part of the Clark College Community!

Angela Childers, Disability Support Services

“Angela is motivated to provide excellent access to students with disabilities as she creatively finds ways to schedule in person sign language interpreters, interpreters for Zoom classes, live captioning, and more!” – a staff member

• Angela has been a valued Clark College employee since 2017.
• Angela works tirelessly to advocate on improving the pay for the interpreters so they make a fair wage to industry standards and our students can have quality ASL interpretation. Angela also brings a willingness to adjust practices, be flexible, and change the way we offer services to equitably meet the needs of both students and staff interpreters.
• Works to provide interpreters to all open campus events during a national shortage of ASL interpreters, thereby fostering an inclusive environment for deaf and hard-of-hearing members of campus and community.

Angela Dawson, Nursing

“Angela is highly organized, detail oriented and efficient. She is involved in almost every aspect of the program. She supports students, staff and faculty, and she does it so well, that sometimes you don’t even know what she is doing, you just know that everything is running smoothly.” – a faculty member

• Angela has been a valued Clark College employee since 2016.
•  Angela has the best attitude. Although she has listened to my frustrations a time or two, she has a way about her that never lets you sink into unhealthy complaining. She is a model of true grace under pressure and is always happy to lend a hand.
• She is a leading force in improving organization and record keeping for accreditation purposes. Overall, Angela is a wealth of knowledge. When you need to know something she is your go to person,  and when she doesn’t know something, she knows where to direct you.

Cheryl Davenport, Library

“She works very hard to make sure that the library materials that are purchased for Clark students are added to the library catalog and easy discoverable by them. She also has a friendly demeanor that encourages colleagues to stop by, chat, and check in” – a faculty member

• Cheryl has been a valued Clark College employee since 2000.
• Books are not light and her willingness to use her strength to transport books home and back to the library shows her commitment to her work.
• When Cheryl needs input from the librarians regarding the library catalog,  she attends reference meetings to explain what she needs, listens to what librarians think and moves forward with our librarian input.

Jeanette Steinmueller, Tutoring Services

“Jeanette has created homework help guides for the entire accounting sequence to help students through every single quarter, through every curriculum and every publication change. She diligently updates and works through ALL of the homework and course series for each class so that she is prepared to support the students in each program.” – a staff member

• Jeanette has been a valued Clark College employee since 1998.
• Jeanette regularly finds text and programing errors in the materials and has worked with the instructors and publishers to get these issues corrected prior to classes beginning, reducing a great deal of frustration and stress for students and faculty.
• One student, Justin Jenks, that graduated years ago, went on to WSU-V and is now gainfully employed in our own community was recently chosen by the Vancouver Business Journal as “Accomplished and Under 40” dedicated his award to Jeanette and stated during his speech, “There is one person who has been on my mind a lot today, it’s Jeanette Steinmueller. She was just such a huge influence on my life. Not just because I got a great job because I became an accountant, but because she advocated for my success. She was there early, she stayed late for me, and she was there for thousands of students.”

Jillian Taylor-Valdez, Child and Family Services

“She is very good at communicating with other coworkers and always tries to keep the communication open and honest.” – a staff member

• Jillian has been a valued Clark College employee since 2020.
• Jillian cares about equity and care for other coworkers.
• Jillian has a positive attitude and is always inviting and welcoming to all.

Katia Quintero, Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI)

“Katia is an outstanding coach and often goes the extra mile to support students, ODEI events and plays an instrumental role in helping to plan, implement and facilitate Noche de Familia” – a staff member

• Katia has been a valued Clark College employee since 2022.
• Katia is always demonstrating support for all students and is consistent with providing support for student groups that include students of color, queer and students with a disability. She is warm and welcoming to all students and is an advocate for Latinx students.
• Katia works with many different departments on campus when working to support students. She walks students to departments, sits in appointments if the student requests, and communicates with others on campus to make sure the student is helped and is able to access the necessary resources.

Lindsey McKim, Security and Safety Services

“Lindsey McKim exceeds expectations in the role of Clark College Columbia Tech Center Campus Security Officer for the Department of Security & Safety Services. As a crucial entity here at CTC campus, Lindsey’s role adapts to change in a soothing and calm manner with ease. She also demonstrates that she works well under pressure with a positive attitude and is detail-oriented; especially when it comes to the safety of others. Lindsey goes beyond the call of duty by inquiring and following up on additional responsibilities. It has been a pleasure working with Lindsey. I feel safe coming to campus knowing that she is looking out for the safety of students, staff, and others.” – a staff member

• Lindsey has been a valued Clark College employee since 2018.
• She has made herself a valuable member of the Security/Safety Department, and Clark College. Lindsey’s “can do” attitude has made her someone that the campus community can rely on. Lindsey’s unwavering desire for self-reflection, and self-improvement, are unparalleled.
• In 2022, Lindsey was one of two officers selected to represent Clark at a “Women in Law Enforcement” conference. Her primary contribution related to this conference was that she brought some of the lessons and important “takeaways” from the conference back to our department, so that her peers could take advantage of the education she received.

Marla Derrick, Athletics

“Marla goes above and beyond for the Athletic Department and Clark College students. She has practiced the Clark Care’s commitments during her entire career by regularly walking students or new coaches to offices around campus, greeting people on campus, and knowing students, staff, and community members by name” – a staff member

• Marla has been a valued Clark College employee since 2008.
• Marla’s known by Clark College athletes as the team mom because she cares that they succeed at Clark. She has been known to give food to students who need a snack and she takes the time to listen to them talk about their lives.
• With all the time and care that Marla dedicates to the Athletic Department, it might be surprising that she also takes the time to be on campus committees, volunteer for things like ushering for the theatre department, and enjoys some fun times building bonds with the students by participating in intramural events like staff vs student softball or dodgeball games.

Tracy Eyler, Child and Family Studies

“Tracy is always looking for a way to improve her work and support others in their work. Her sense of team is exceptional. Through change, unknowns, being short staffed, navigating a pandemic, and being present on campus this entire time, Tracy has provided consistency and leadership in this role of program support”- a staff member

• Tracy has been a valued Clark College employee since 2004.
• Tracy has been in the front line of service at Child Family Services and has demonstrated professionalism, dedication, organization, and taking initiative to make sure processes were in the best interests of the program and for children.
• Tracy covered shifts when there was no one available to fill in. With her program support team, she makes sure that schedules and classrooms are covered and has done this with reduced staffing.

Vickie Malcolm, Facilities Services

“Vickie always brings and friendly face early in the morning, when we are arriving to campus. She makes sure the rooms are clean and ready for classes.”- a staff member

• Vickie has been a valued Clark College employee since 2007.
• Vickie helps students find their lost and found items, helps students that are confused or lost in the hallways find classes, or finds someone to help them. This promotes a very positive building atmosphere. She is cheerful and helpful and that attitude is contagious.
• Goes above and beyond her job of cleaning to also helping the students and staff, and greets people warmly.

On September 12, Clark College employees came together to celebrate the start of the 2022-23 academic year, with its first in-person Opening Day since 2019. President Edwards said that although she has been at Clark College for over 2 years, this was the first in-person opening day celebration, and she was loving it!

A video introducing executive cabinet members featured Chris Layfield driving each member around campus with Oswald (Clark College’s penguin mascot). They shared why they work at Clark College and even had a little fun sharing their favorite songs in a short sing-along with Chris and Oswald.

President Edwards presented the progress of the equity-centered strategic plan. To learn more about the process and where we are, visit: https://www.clark.edu/about/governance/strategic_plan/index.php

Based on the institutional priorities and the equity-centered strategic plan, the president’s work plan will guide her efforts into 2023. President Edwards also gave an update on Boschma Farms.

“We are very close to having the design of the building, which will house 5 general purpose classrooms, student support spaces, offices, conference rooms, and of course our advanced manufacturing, high bay area. The facility is smaller than we planned, but we’re still able to accommodate the courses and programs,” she shared.

A new initiative at the college, Clark Cares, was unveiled with a video (https://youtu.be/iPbuvj3ZIVs). It featured some of the things staff can and currently do to show our students we care about them and their Clark experience.

Brad Avakian, vice president of human resources, presented the years of service awards to employees with 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 years by reading their names. Employees with service over 25 years were invited to come to the front to receive their certificates. All years of service awards also come with monetary compensation based on the number of years served.

The 30 Year employees honored were: Tina Barsotti, George Cole, Tracy Nehnevaj, Kristeen Nichols, and at 35 Years: Mark Owsley.

Exceptional Faculty Awards

The award honorees were announced at Commencement in June and were honored at Opening Day.

Kathrine Anastasi, libraries, was honored for her work at Larch Corrections to research, develop, and supply the best materials for their library.  

Dr. Amy Castellano, phlebotomy, was honored for her work in the classroom supporting and respecting students, her attention to the wellbeing of her students, and her commitment to students understanding the subjects she was teaching.   

Steven Clark, biology, was honored for his work in the classroom, creating deep interest in biology, openness to learn from his students, and acknowledging their work in meaningful ways.

Erielle Lamb, surveying & geomatics, was honored for her work in the classroom, letting students make mistakes, making complicated calculations fun and interesting, and sharing stories so that students could relate the schoolwork to their planned career. 

Luanne Lundberg, career & academic prep, honored for her work making math understandable even for students with learning disabilities, instilling confidence in her students that would break them out of poverty. She also developed a pathway from CAP to MTH in 2016. She was a co-leader in the collaboration with the math department to develop outcomes and curriculum and kept us student-focused.

Gail Robinson, English, was honored for the extra help she offers her students in and out of the classroom, building their confidence in writing and offering specific, concrete feedback so that her student’s writing skills can grow.

Annual Exceptional Classified Staff Awards

Chris Layfield receiving his award.

Chris Layfield, Admin Services Manager in Security and Safety, was honored for his service to all those who pass through the doors of Gaiser Hall, often guiding them physically to where they need to go or contacting a department or person they need to talk to. Students often have come back to the desk to comment on how Chris’ help is what made them stay at Clark. He has served on hiring committees, the Security and Safety Committee, and the Social Equity Committee and is a WPEA steward,

Jessica Sanders, Program Support Supervisor in Transitional Studies was honored for her work in supporting students and faculty. Her extensive knowledge of Transitional Studies, and providing supplies to students, and finding new ways to do this during the pandemic has been instrumental to students and colleagues. Her exemplary service to students who often speak English as a second language is done with respect and care. She supplies faculty with valuable recruitment and inclusion data to help them better serve their students.

Exceptional Administrative-Exempt Award

Alyssa Voyles, Associate Director of Employee Equity, Outreach, and Engagement in the Office of Diversity and Equity, was honored for her work in coordinating events, stepping in to help the ODEI team, adding new workshops, supporting others through co-facilitating of workshops, and her dedication to equity. She also has been instrumental in working beyond her team by stepping in as interim director of communications in Communications and Marketing, serving on the Boschma Farms team, and helping staff form Employee Resource Groups (ERG) to help build a stronger community and sense of belonging to Clark College

Lora Whitfield Social Equity Award

Christina Smith and Cydney Topping worked together to create and co-lead the Anti-Racism Faculty Learning Community (FLC) in the English Department. This FLC is based on cutting-edge research on anti-racism and culturally responsive teaching. Their research, conducted in the Fall term and implemented in Winter and Spring, is at the highest levels of data-informed education. 

While faculty are the intended recipients of this service they provide, students will be the true beneficiaries. In following their leads, implementing the strategies they are sharing, and continuing our own growth as faculty, the field of English Studies, including rhetoric and composition, will overcome centuries of implicit bias and colonial mindset that faculty in English have felt duty bound to uphold in the service of other programs, despite our qualms about the inequities of “Standard Written English” as a marker of academic achievement. 

Opening Day at Clark

The event included refreshments provided by iQ Credit Union, Welcome Week shirts, Clark Cares buttons, and information from the “O Squad.” Additionally, there was an opportunity to have employee photos taken and visit with colleagues. The Clark College Foundation also provided lunch from Big Town Hero and Kona Ice at the Anderson Fountain.

Opening Day is part of a multi-day orientation and training for faculty organized by the Clark College Teaching and Learning Center (TLC). The Keynote address was given on Tuesday, September 13, by Melissa Williams, Policy Associate/ Interim Director for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, and Clark College alumnus.

Photos: Jenny Shadley/Clark College
More photos from this event can be found on Flickr.

Congratulations to Chris Chaffin, Program Support Supervisor, Student Tutoring Services recipient of the 2022 Winter Quarter Classified Staff Excellence Award!

Chris Chaffin, Program Support Supervisor, Student Tutoring Services

“Chris takes incredible leadership and pride in his work and it shows in his always welcoming, upbeat, enthusiastic greeting he provides to everyone that comes through the door.” – a staff member

We would also like to acknowledge the contributions of the other nominees.

• Beverly Brosius – Program Specialist, Enrollment Services
• Chris Layfield – Administrative Services Manager, Security and Safety Services
• Jessica Sanders – Program Support Supervisor, Transitional Studies Division
• Lisa Hasart – Procurement & Supply Specialist, Purchasing and Central Services
• Pavel Popov – IT Support Technician, Library
• Phary Cox – Program Specialist, Veteran’s Resource Center
• Stacy Watne – Custodian, Custodial Services

Beverly Brosius – Program Specialist, Enrollment Services

“[Beverly] is the ‘voice’ of the newly created One Stop and there couldn’t have been a more perfect person there to be the first person students encounter when coming onto campus. Bev has the ability to greet a guest or student of Clark with her cheerful hellos and provide an immediate sense of belonging. Alex single handedly supports the entire campus for Canvas. Canvas is our lifeline to the students and Alex keeps us alive.” – a staff member

• Beverly has been a valued Clark College employee since 1998. 
• She ensures that whoever she is assisting gets the right answer. Beverly works with guests and/or students and tracks the answer down, and in many cases, walks with the guest/student to the next department. This shows her dedication to high-quality customer service.
• Beverly does an amazing job communicating with students and provides clear communication, answers, and a friendly attitude to all her college colleagues.

Phary Cox – Program Specialist, Veteran’s Resource Center

“Phary’s strong communication and collaborative skills have served the department well over the last 6 months. Without a director or other long-standing team members she ensured the VRC was upbeat, productive, and efficient. She worked with the VA work student students and kept them productive to ensure our veteran students were not affected by the personnel situation in the VRC. She also reached out to the VA to renew work study student contracts so that the VRC could continue to serve veteran students.” – a staff member

• Phary has been a valued Clark College employee since 2021. 
• During a big staffing transition period in the Veteran’s Resources Center, Phary learned her duties at the college, completed training to assist with her role, and served the VA students and others. She did this all with a friendly and encouraging attitude.
• She is always available to talk with students and staff despite the VRC not always being physically open for walk-ins. She has been committed to clear, timely, and consistent communication to students, providing excellent customer service.

Lisa Hasart – Procurement & Supply Specialist, Purchasing & Central Services

 “Lisa is one of those people working quietly behind the scenes to make things easy for others.” – a faculty member

• Lisa has been a valued Clark College employee since 1989. 
• Lisa is a dedicated, hard-working employee who has spent her time at the college updating processes and forms in purchasing. She has significantly impacted and eased the workload for others at the college.
• Lisa has conducted many trainings at the college and presents sometimes challenging topics with professionalism and patience.

Chris Layfield – Administrative Services Manager, Security and Safety Services

“In addition to Chris’ “regular duties” that require him to work closely with a cross section of the institution on a daily basis, he also serves as the Co-Chief Steward for the WPEA. IN this role, he responds to the needs of his fellow staff members and advocates for their benefit.” – a staff member

• Chris Layfield has been a valued Clark College employee since 2017. 
• Chris came into his role in the Safety and Security Department a few years ago. He realized right away that the paper-heavy department needed some assistance to improve the department’s efficiency. Through his hard work and dedication, Chris was able to update the department’s record-keeping system to digital records. He has also created training to instruct his department staff on the new processes and software.
• Chris shows a strong dedication to the college and often goes beyond his traditional job duties. He has served on various committees across the college, including the Recovery Management Team and Social Equity Advisory Council. He is also an active Union Steward for the WPEA. 

Pavel Popov – IT Support Technician, Libraries

“Pavel Popov has provided outstanding service to the Clark College community for the past 15 years.

As an IT Support Tech 2, he consistently and competently performs his work responsibilities. His subject matter expertise, innovative ideas, and professionalism make the Library website and online system run smoothly and efficiently.” – a staff member

• Pavel has been a valued Clark College employee since 2007. 
• He responds rapidly to any questions, service disruptions, or other requests (even monitoring and responding to things during his off-hours) to ensure our systems are up and running 24/7.
• Pavel’s high level of customer service to the students, public, and community often goes unnoticed outside the Library because his work is performed behind the scenes. However, many of the college’s tools, such as online research resources, impact much of the community.

Jessica Sanders – Program Support Supervisor, Transitional Studies Division

 “Jessica is absolutely wonderful in every way! She’s ALWAYS kind, friendly, respectful, helpful, and competent – whether you’re asking for help or asking a question for the first time or the 50th! She has a wonderfully positive attitude, and is always polite and professional in her emails, always managing to respond very swiftly to emails and other queries.” – a faculty member

• Jessica has been a valued Clark College employee since 2011. 
• Jessica is often the first point of contact for many who reach out to the Transitional Studies Division. She always responds with a positive attitude and remains calm and cool in high-stress and sometimes challenging situations. 
• Jessica possesses the ability to develop creative solutions to solve problems. Gives quality attention to detail while executing projects. She is always ready to help coworkers and every student that comes into the office.
• The Transitional Studies Division works with one of the most diverse student populations, English language learners. Most of the students in this department are adjusting to vast cultural traditions and customs. Jessica always ensures that the students feel supported and often tells them, “I’m glad you’re here” and “You’re going to have a great time at Clark College.”

Stacy Watne – Custodian, Custodial Services

“Over the past two years, Stacy has, at times, been the only person in Gaiser Hall. She has been a friendly face to students and staff. Stacy welcomes everyone she sees, offers support to students when she can. Stacy goes above her custodial duties to be welcoming to students and help connect them to staff in enrollment, cashiering, financial aid and more.” – a staff member

• Stacy has been a valued Clark College employee since 2009. 
• Stacy goes above and beyond her custodial duties and, at times, has been found in Gaiser Hall assisting students and even walking them to the correct department they are searching for.
• Stacy always maintains an optimistic attitude and a friendly smile. This kind gesture creates a welcoming and positive campus community for anyone she crosses paths with at the college.

Congratulations to Damon Grady, Campus Security Sergeant, Security and Safety Services, recipient of the 2021 Spring Quarter Classified Staff Excellence Award!  

Damon Grady has been with Clark College’s Security and Safety Department since 1997. He served as a Campus Security Officer for 20 years before being promoted to the sergeant’s rank in January of 2018. Comments about Grady include: 

• “He frequently takes after-hours calls and adjusts his shifts so that his people get the support they need. Managing the schedule for 17 people, half of whom are part-time, to provide 24-hour coverage is a difficult and complicated endeavor.”  
• “Damon has gone beyond his role. When he noticed the decrease in on-campus staff presences, he purposefully expanded his knowledge on all the student-facing services and learned how they work to best support Clark students so he would be prepared to answer students’ questions during the COVID-19 pandemic.”  
• “Damon works closely with his subordinates to ensure they have the training and guidance necessary to be successful in their respective roles.” 
• “Damon responded to a medical call that involved a person with a life-threatening injury. He was quick to respond while properly assessing the situation and keeping those involved safe and calm until EMS arrived.”  

Congratulations as well to the other Spring 2021 nominees: 

• Christy Lewis- Fiscal Technician, Accounting Services 
• Jennifer King- Program Specialist, Financial Aid 
• Jordan De Van- Program Specialist, Enrollment Services 
• Kayla Escott- Program Manager, Financial Aid 
• Malissa Pierce- Program Specialist, Transitional Studies Division 

Christy Lewis 

Christy Lewis is a Fiscal Technician in Accounting Services. Comments from her nomination include: 

• “Christy has served on the ACE Scholarship Committee multiple times, helping to give funds to college members and their families to help make higher education possible.” 
• “When Accounting converted to a new system, Christy kept a positive attitude and learned to work through the bumps and challenges of change.”   
• “Christy works with customers to help them understand their accounting-related issues, no matter who they are or their level of understanding.” 
• “Christy always treats all people with respect and kindness when serving them and working through their request and issues.” 

Jennifer King 

Jennifer King is a Program Specialist in the Office of Financial Aid. Comments from her nomination include:  

• “Jen awards more than 600 students with emergency funds, each term. This spring term, Jen awarded additional funds to students, which means she made 1200 awards. Jen agreed to this overwhelming task in the midst of preparing financial aid packages for fall term—an enormous undertaking. When we have a student who has a significant emergency, Jen works quickly to award that student immediately.”  
• “Jen manages multiple tasks, serves on committees, and prioritizes people first in the work that she does. She leads with kindness and a smile and is always a pleasure to work with.” 
• “Weekly, she commits significant time and energy to meet the emergent needs of students during an uncertain and stressful time.” 

• “Jen’s commitment to creating an effective, efficient program has made a difference to hundreds of student emergency-grant recipients, many of whom report being homeless or at risk of homelessness.” 

Jordan De Van 

Jordan De Van is a Program Specialist in Enrollment Services. Comments from her nomination include: 

• “Jordan has one of the strongest senses of customer service and how it should be demonstrated. She not only responds quickly to inquiries from students and other departments, she responds happily despite her busy workload.”  
• “Jordan is always helpful and understanding when assisting others outside of her department. Instead of rushing through issues that arise with tracking student grades in the database system, she takes the time to investigate, and assists instructors to better prepare them if the issue were to arise again in the future.” 
• “Jordan’s knowledge, expertise and sense of humor always makes working with her a pleasure.” 
• “She assists each individual in a way that they can understand the steps of the process and provides them with direction that helps them along further in the process—all with a smile on her face.” 

Kayla Escott 

Kayla Escott is a Program Manager in the Office of Financial Aid. Comments from her nomination include: 

• “Every task that Kayla approaches is done with the student’s best interest in mind. She goes above and beyond in all aspects of her position, whether that is intentionally meeting one-on-one with the staff she oversees, taking time to schedule an in-depth appointment with a student, or leading numerous project efforts within our office. Every project she tackles is done efficiently and thoroughly in spite of tight deadlines and competing priorities.”  
• “Kayla provides outstanding customer service, both directly and indirectly. She intentionally takes time to meet with students in unique and challenging situations. Beyond this, she ensures that any students who interact with the Financial Aid office receive excellent customer service by equipping front desk staff with effective tools to do so.”   
• “To encourage comradery and team spirit, Kayla initiated a virtual ‘Spirit Week’ for staff to help keep team spirits and communication up while working remotely.” 
• “Kayla has always shown a strong commitment to equity in all aspects of her work. One example is how she recently began working with Disability Support Services to convert all Financial Aid documents to a format that is accessible for students using reader devices. 

Malissa Pierce 

Malissa Pierce is a Program Specialist in Transitional Studies. Comments from her nomination include: 

• “Malissa had grown the Open Doors program within one year from 10 students to almost 40. She is trying to volunteer with the Vancouver School District Truancy Board so she can understand her students’ needs better.”  
• “Malissa actively engages in campus diversity strategies; supports recruitment, retention, completion efforts of students from diverse backgrounds, participates in equitable hiring practices for Transitional Studies department, and Malissa is learning Spanish so she can better support our Spanish-speaking students.”  
• “Malissa is a great communicator and works across multiple departments on campus to make sure that every department has the right information and has the opportunity to discuss with her if they need further clarification.” 
• “Malissa loves working one-on-one with her students. She is constantly reaching out to other departments for assistance in making her students’ college experience as smooth as possible.” 

About the Classified Staff Excellence Award

The Classified Staff Excellence Award was established in 2005 and recognizes classified staff who have demonstrated exemplary work performance, outstanding customer service, a positive and cooperative spirit and special achievements or contributions to the college community. Through the support of the Clark College Foundation, the recipient will receive a $400 cash award.  

Congratulations to Jenny Shadley, Graphic Designer, Communications and Marketing, recipient of the 2021 Winter Quarter Classified Staff Excellence Award!

Jenny Shadley “is committed to serving students and demonstrates her passion through her daily work to ensure student voices are amplified.”

Other comments about Shadley:

• “Jenny worked on Guided Pathways from its inception.”
• “She is an active participant at the college in professional development and other committees and brings her holistic approach and her passion for equity to everything she does.”
• “Jenny has redesigned the Get Started landing page for prospective students with the student experience in mind, making it far more functional, user-friendly and attractive for users.”
• “When COVID-19 created scheduling concerns for some of her colleagues, Jenny was the first person to swoop in and offer to tackle projects to help.”

We would also like to acknowledge the contributions of the other nominees:

• Damon Grady – Security Sergeant, Safety & Security
• Darci Feider – Program Coordinator, Student Life

Damon Grady, Security Sergeant, Safety & Security

“As a long-term employee, Damon has watched Clark evolve and always lends a kind ear to those who are confused or frustrated and quite often offers calming insight based upon his experiences at the college.”

Other comments about Grady:

• “Damon has been with Clark College’s Security and Safety Department since November of 1997 and served as a Campus Security Officer for 20 years before being promoted to the Sergeant in January 2018.”
• “Damon’s supervisory position requires him to be available to his staff 24/7 and he often adjust his schedule to best support the needs of others and is recognized as a mentor across the campus.”
• “As a member of the security team, Damon has contact with the entire college community and takes the time to listen in the hopes of understanding the needs and resolution for each person he speaks with.”
• “Damon is aware that each interaction with a student or potential student is important, and he always puts his best foot forward to make sure their initial interaction at Clark College is a positive encounter.”

Darci Feider, Program Coordinator, Student Life

“Darci led and organized the Thanksgiving dinners sent out to 170 students and their families by the Penguin Pantry in November 2020. She is passionate about helping our Clark students and community, in every way she can.”

Other comments about Feider:

• “Darci coordinates dozens of programs and clubs that would not function nearly as smoothly without her, especially during remote operations.”
• “Darci shows up every day ready to work with a smile on her face, no matter what the day may have in store for her.”
• “Darci is kind, compassionate, and takes the time to work through projects with patience and support for others.”
• “Students benefit from Darci’s contributions—whether that is through assistance with the Penguin Pantry, help with Archer Gallery and Clark Art Talks programming, or working with any number of things across campus. She is devoted to making an equitable and accessible community at Clark.”

Congratulations to Connor Cantrell, Library & Archives Paraprofessional 4, Libraries, recipient of the 2020 Summer Quarter Classified Staff Excellence Award! 

One nominator wrote, “Connor has helped the library become a welcoming and inclusive place by making improvements to services, procedures, and processes. The training Connor has done with employees has helped them use equity-based critical thinking when responding to complaints and/or observing biased based incidents.” 

When the college shifted to remote operations, Cantrell established new interlibrary loan (ILL) processes to accommodate the need to work from home. She used her organizational skills to ensure all necessary staff had access to digital paperwork when needed and worked with each employee to make sure they had adequate support and the essential tools to perform their work during remote operations.  

One colleague wrote: “Connor has shown outstanding customer service by listening to library patrons and adjusting normal procedures as needed to ensure each patron has the support to succeed. She worked with students to make sure they could register when they had fines and extended due dates when they required items longer for assignments. 

“Connor’s dedication to ensuring our students have the best Clark College experience is one of the things that makes her a remarkable asset to the library. She listens to students when they are upset, confused, angry, and defeated and ensures that students are connected to needed resources.”  

Another comment said: “Connor often leads by example and is always willing to offer a helping hand. Her ability to connect with people and provide clear communication while ensuring staff and patrons feel heard are some of her best attributes. Connor’s history of rising above and stepping into challenging issues while providing others the tools and knowledge to succeed and grow contributes to the best parts of the Clark Community.” 

Congratulations, as well, to all nominees for the 2020 Summer Quarter Classified Staff Excellence Award (excerpts of their nomination forms included): 

Chris Chaffin, Program Coordinator, Student Tutoring Services 

“Chris has exceeded every expectation. His role has shifted with increased responsibility and duties because of his abilities and his passion for excellence in everything he does. Chris has made it his personal mission to not only excel at his tasks but also to cushion others from being stretched too thin. He works independently and proactively and does everything in his power to solve all problems that come his way, including always looking ahead and problem-solving for the next step. This is no small feat and speaks highly of his ability to prioritize complex problems and situations. Chris is highly active in many aspects of college life, dedicated to social equity on this campus, and is an advocate for all employees and students that seek his council. He always makes time to make everyone feel heard and valued. He faithfully attends speaker luncheons, trainings, festivals, and other events whenever he can. He regularly donates to college initiatives such as the Backpack Program, Foundation, Penguin Pantry, and more. He is also regularly asked to serve on hiring committees and councils. He bravely accepted the task of being a speaker for the Queer Student Luncheon and bared his soul to all in attendance regarding his struggles, fears, and triumphs. Chris gives of his time, money, heart, and spirit on a daily basis.” 

Dan Ellertson, Retail Clerk Lead, Bookstore 

“Dan is a valued leadership team member at the Clark College Bookstore. His strong work ethic is consistently and clearly demonstrated on a daily basis. He performs his job with forethought, professionalism and accuracy. Dan’s positive attitude and his willingness to go above and beyond is apparent in all his interactions. There are days when he is pulled left and right; he deals with each situation, good or bad, with the highest degree of professionalism and a positive attitude. In his work, Dan looks for ways to improve efficiencies for the bookstore. Due to COVID-19, the bookstore changed their business model to serve students more efficiently while maintaining a high level of customer service. Dan collaborated with Web Services and management to implement an appointment tool, to schedule individual appointments for students to come into the bookstore for limited services, such as prepaid book pickup. Dan also has the innate ability to prevent difficult situations from intensifying. When a difficult situation arises with a customer, he de-escalates it by listening to their concern, communicating to them in a considerate manner, empathizing with them, and working with them to find a resolution. Dan is well respected, admired, and appreciated by fellow employees.”  

Jeff Kaliner, Program Specialist 3, Security & Safety Services 

“Since his hiring in August of 2018, Jeff has taken on leadership roles in unanticipated events such as free speech activities and a potential measles outbreak in Clark County. Beginning in March of 2020, Jeff’s knowledge, skills and abilities were tested as he was tasked with leading the college’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Jeff identified the potential for the disease to reach pandemic levels early and convinced college leadership to enter into a planning phase. Jeff revised the college’s Emergency Operations Plan.  

“It might be an understatement to call COVID-19 a ‘special project’ but it certainly presented a unique set of challenges for Clark College. For an institution unaccustomed to managing an emergency of this size and complexity, COVID-19 could have been a completely destabilizing event. Fortunately, the College has Jeff Kaliner as our Emergency Program Manager – precisely the right person at the right time to lead us through this crisis. 

“Former Interim President Sandra Fowler-Hill had this to say about Jeff, : ‘Jeff performed exemplary in managing several crises confronting the college last year. I was very impressed as I saw him quickly rise to the challenge of the COVID-19 crisis. All of his experience and skills were an asset in managing the college community safely through the crisis and onto recovery.’” 

Charla Kimball, Fiscal Technician Supervisor, Accounting Services 

“Charla is always available and ready to help. It is often difficult for international students to admit that they are having financial difficulty. It can be difficult for some cultures to ask for help. Charla always has the students’ best interests at the forefront and always manages to be kind and understanding. Students often feel relieved and encouraged after speaking with her. She always goes beyond the task, offers alternative suggestions or new ideas on how to improve processes, and always follows-up when issues do not get resolved immediately. Charla has demonstrated exemplary work performance.  

“A student wrote: ‘Financing college studies is never easy and as a member in this department, she has been instrumental in delivering her duties, understanding, patient, and also prompt in answering questions of any concerns. Despite remote operations and workload, I personally have been helped by Charla in different circumstances making me feel safe and comfortable in seeking advice from her.”