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.

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.”

Two outstanding employees were recognized with Exceptional Classified Employee awards at the 2020 Opening Day event.

The annual event, held online this year due to COVID-19, is always held the week before fall term classes begin as a way to help employees get ready for the coming academic year.

This year’s recipients were Library Paraprofessional Connor Cantrell and Emergency Program Manager Jeff Kaliner.

Connor Cantrell, Library Paraprofessional 4

Connor Cantrell has worked as a Library Paraprofessional in Cannell Library for almost two years.

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.  

Other observations from nominators include:

• “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.” 
• “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.”  

Jeffrey Kaliner, Emergency Program Manager

Jeff Kaliner joined Clark College as its Emergency Program Manager in 2018. While his position part of Security and Safety, Kaliner’s work is felt across the college community. Former Interim President Sandra Fowler-Hill wrote, “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.”

Other observations made by Kaliner’s nominators include:

• “Without Kaliner’s guidance and planning, Clark College would have struggled to maintain business operations during COVID-19 while adhering to the Governor’s Directives.”
• “Kaliner’s relationships with the Clark County Public Health Department and Clark County Emergency Management have led to a coordinated response to the pandemic.”
• “Kaliner kept the college informed regularly on the challenges as well as the progress the Incident Management Team was making concerning quickly changing directives and facts about the coronavirus.”
• “Kaliner revised the college’s Emergency Operations Plan, which was approved by Executive Cabinet in February of 2020.”

About the Exceptional Classified Employee Award

Established in 1997, this annual award recognizes two classified staff who have demonstrated exemplary work performance, outstanding service to the college, a positive and cooperative spirit, and special achievements or contributions to the college community. (Classified staff is a category of Washington State employees; the majority of non-faculty employees at Clark College are classified.) To be eligible for the award, an employee must have been nominated for the quarterly Classified Staff Excellence Award in the past academic year. Award recipients are presented with certificates and, thanks to the generous support of the Clark College Foundation, cash awards during public recognition ceremonies each year.

The other finalists for the 2019-2020 awards were:

• Rick Bartz, IT Support Technician 2, Information Technology Services 
• Lameleanique (Meleani) Bates, Program Manager A, Career Services
• Emily Castle, Secretary Supervisor, Transitional Studies Division  
• Chris Chaffin, Program Coordinator, Student Tutoring Services 
• John Condit, Media Technician Lead, Event Services 
• Dan Ellertson, Retail Clerk Lead, Bookstore 
• Margaret (Peg) Estes, Program Specialist 3, Credential Evaluations 
• Neil Fykerud, Program Specialist 2, Transitional Studies Division 
• Kate Ireland, Program Specialist 2, Teaching & Learning Center 
• ITS GROUP NOMINATION, which includes: 
  • Darin Rathbone, IT Customer Support – Journey 
  • Brian Riechman, IT Customer Support – Journey 
  • Vadim Boligar, IT Customer Support – Journey 
  • Lucy Shao, IT Customer Support – Journey 
  • Jim Meek, IT Customer Support – Journey 
  • Joyce Ho, IT Customer Support – Journey 
  • Dennis Davis, Entry – IT Customer Support 
  • Foster Nostrand, Senior/Specialist – IT Admin 
  • David Sims, IT Support Technician 2 
  • Brandon Johnson, IT Support Technician 2 
• Brandon Johnson, IT Support Technician 2, Information Technology Services 
• Charla Kimball, Fiscal Technician Supervisor, Accounting Services 
• Silvia Marinova, Program Specialist 2, Transitional Studies Division 
• Mira Olenin, Program Specialist 2, Financial Aid 
• Cathy Reynolds, Fiscal Analyst 3, Office of Instruction 
• Thao Schmidt, Human Resources Consultant 3, Human Resources 
• Brenda Shular, Procurement & Supply Specialist 2, Purchasing and Central Services 
• Mike Silva, IT Support Technician 2, Information Technology Services 
• Mitch Sott, Engineering Technician 3, Workforce, Professional, & Technical Education 
• Jenny Stone, Program Coordinator, e-Learning 
• Bryton Williams, Administrative Assistant 3, Business & Health Services 

Congratulations to Jessica Beach, recipient of the 2017 Fall Quarter Classified Staff Excellence Award!

Jessica Beach is Secretary Senior for Transitional Studies. Jessica is described as someone who is committed, efficient, kind, respectful, timely, and responsible, and who provides outstanding customer service. One nominator said, “Jessica is an optimistic and enthusiastic team member, and she’s not only good at collaborating, but she also makes it fun. The work environment is made better by Jessica’s presence: She creates a welcoming and productive work space here, and this helps everyone else do their job more easily.”

Being an active member of the college community, Jessica regularly participates on committees, serves in leadership roles, and takes advantage of a variety of professional development opportunities so that she can improve her skills as a supervisor. Jessica not only cares for her own training needs, but also the needs of her staff. Her nominator said, “Jessica ensures that she and her staff have the resources and training needed to meet the needs of everyone who seeks their assistance.”

Jessica supervises a classified Program Assistant, two part-time program assistants, and up to eight student employees, both in a computer lab and at a very busy reception desk. She takes her role as a supervisor very seriously. Her goal is to help her staff members to perform their jobs well, to grow professionally, and to work within the WPEA contract and the law. She voluntarily attends trainings to increase her skills as a supervisor and her understanding of labor law.

One of her direct reports states that, “Jessica is very knowledgeable! She is patient in her training and shows appreciation for a job well done.” Another says, “Jessica does a great job of keeping the team moving toward our goals, maintaining a productive work environment.”

Below are comments from Jessica’s colleagues:

• “Over the past year, Jessica has taken on the role of BEECH’s primary administrator for EvaluationKit, the online software for student evaluations. In this role, she set up 284 classes to be evaluated in 2016-17. The process is very complex and the data needed to be entered perfectly in order for the nearly 6,000 students in these 284 classes to be able to complete and submit their evaluations. Jessica has done an excellent job with EvaluationKit and I find that with her overseeing it for the BEECH Unit, I never have to worry about this contractual part of the faculty evaluation process being completed correctly and on-time.”
• “Jessica has been a joy to work with because she is always available to answer questions and clarify a process (no matter how many times I ask). She responds quickly to emails and phone calls. Also, she is always available if I just stop by with a question. All my interactions with Jessica have been pleasant and helpful. I am able to focus on my job because she provides such wonderful support. She is amazing and truly a collaborative partner in Transitional Studies.”
• “Jessica is always willing to help me navigate the paperwork involved with attending conferences, ordering supplies. She is very professional and timely and knows what she is doing.”
• “Jessica has been an essential resource for me as a new faculty member in Transitional Studies. Her support and assistance have been excellent, and I have found her to be VERY timely in responding to my many questions. I’m happy to have her!”
• “I value Jessica’s input at staff meetings and her willingness to volunteer. I enjoy her sense of humor when she is attempting to rehome furniture and other equipment.”

Congratulations, as well, to all nominees for the Fall 2017 Quarter Classified Staff Excellence Award:

Amanda Brown is the Library and Archives Para 3 at Cannell Library and is described as a dependable colleague who is instrumental in inventing ways to make the student experience better. Brown started at Clark College as a work-study student assistant and loved the community so much that she decided to stay at Clark College. Brown was eventually promoted to part-time work leader and then full-time Circulation and Summit Borrowing Technician; shortly after, supervisor duties were added to her position.

Comments about Brown include:

• “She always has great ideas and shares those ideas in efforts to make the library and Clark College even greater places to be. Amanda is truly an asset to the Clark College community.”
• “Amanda is consistently a go-to person. She is respected immensely by faculty, staff, students and the public. Anytime someone has an issue or needs to learn how to do a task, they ask Amanda. She’s easy to work with, she is a great listener, and values the opinions of others.”
•  “The students feel at ease as Amanda is approachable and warmly welcomes everyone to Cannell Library and Clark College.”

Heidi Eckman, Fiscal Technician Supervisor, and Amy Fankhauser, Secretary Senior, both work at the Bookstore. Both Eckman and Fankhauser were nominated on the same nomination form and are described as having infectious spirits that customers value. With staffing changes, Eckman and Fankhauser have stepped up tremendously, and their nominator calls them “rock stars!”

Other comments about Eckman and Fankhauser include:

• “They have helped ensure scheduling for cashiers goes smoothly.”
• “Even during the crazy times, they were very creative in finding ways to help students and faculty. Whether it is helping students with questions from other departments or covering for a sick co-worker, they were there.”

Audrea Hagen is Secretary Senior for Mathematics and is described as an incredible asset to the department as well as calm, welcoming, cheerful, and responds with diligence and grace. When the division chair, John Mitchell, suggested to the Math department that Hagen be nominated, the response was a flood of supportive emails and testimonials to the value she provides to the math division.

Many praised Hagen’s creative efficiency. Nominators said, “We especially commend her ability to stay focused and productive on strategic tasks, while at the same time being a calm, welcoming, cheerful presence to the many students who need her help,” said the nomination. “Audrea has to serve a large volume of students, faculty, and staff every day. She always offers exceptionally thoughtful, patient, and supportive service. A particular strength is working calmly with students who angry or upset. Her calm, helpful demeanor has helped defuse potentially difficult situations.”

Hagen’s nominators said, “We know that asking Audrea a question about anything will result in our getting a prompt answer. If she doesn’t have the answer, she researches until she finds our answer.” Here are some testimonials to that effect:

• “Audrea displays an exceptional work ethic juggling large, strategic tasks such as tracking the math division budget, setting up new instructors with all that they need, keeping our division supplies stocked and finding ways to streamline and improve the workings of our large division.”
• John Mitchell wrote, “As a new division chair I was impressed with her diligence in her work, her knowledge of college systems and procedures, and her willingness to help me with the many questions I had as I started out. She was invaluable in helping me adjust to my new role.”
• “Audrea has exceptional communication skills. She takes clear, concise meeting minutes that capture the spirit of the discussion. She articulates college policy and procedure in understandable terms when the division has questions. She has a remarkable ability to make complicated concepts clear and has unlimited patience for explaining. Because of her ability to really listen, she can quickly respond to our needs. This is a notable, and sometimes rare, characteristic that is very much appreciated by her division.”

Heather King is the Administrative Services Manager B for Business and Health Sciences and is described as someone who shows a consistently high level of service to the students, the public, the community, and coworkers. King is said to work tremendously hard to keep on top of all the administrative needs of the unit. Her nominator said, “She keeps the unit abreast of meetings and opportunities, and from an instructor’s point of view, things seem to go smoothly and I know that she is responsible for doing the administrative duties that give the unit a sense of direction and stability. She always is available to help with any question I have and she has the answer.”

Other comments about King include:

• “She is always smiling and has a composed demeanor.”
• “Her communication skills are professional and helpful.”

Jennifer Lea is Administrative Assistant 3 for the Business Division and is described as someone who is helpful and displays a collaborative attitude. Her nominator said, “Everyone in the business division thinks so highly of her and have expressed gratitude to her for all she does on their behalf.” Lea ensures that students feel welcomed and supported in addition to making sure new adjuncts have what they need to contribute to student success.

Other comments about Lea include:

• “Jennifer makes sure that every faculty member in the division is aware of his or her schedule, book orders, travel requests, and all other details in a timely manner.”
• “Jennifer has taken on helping the Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) to take off.”
• “She makes sure to follow up with every faculty member to make sure they have submitted whatever they need to submit—syllabi, book orders, travel requests, etc. She is instrumental in orienting new adjuncts.”

 

Photo: Clark College/Jenny Shadley

Congratulations to David Sims, recipient of the 2017 Winter Quarter Classified Staff Excellence Award.

Sims is an Information Tech Specialist 4 for the IT Service Center and has 35 years with Clark College. He is described as someone who goes “far beyond the call of duty, giving our customers one on one personal attention when they have high severity issues with technology.”

Sims is described as being someone who embraces goals and assists in transitions to improve ITS and the larger college community. His nominator wrote, “David in the past year has stepped up as the technical lead of the service center group, taking on vastly different responsibilities than he has had over the past 35 years and he has absolutely flourished and become a vital leader of the group. His performance and dedication to the college is absolutely the foundation of his worth ethic; he is deeply rooted in making sure the campus faculty and staff have the tools they need to support our students.”

Being “extremely skilled in process and procedure,” Sims is able to provide solutions be the “rock” of his team, especially over the past year. Sims takes on the tough tasks and creatively produces unique solutions to challenges. For instance, “the service center was tasked with bringing in over 200 mobile devices for Windpws 10 upgrades, and David took this task and planned it out, created documentation, and ran scenarios before we went live. He came up with unique ways to make the Win 10 transition for our mobile laptop customers as easy and with the least impact as possible. David also trained all of the other technicians. This made our piece of the Windows 10 upgrade go extremely smooth, and his work ethic to get over 200 devices migrated to Win 10 was nothing short of amazing.”

Congratulations as well to this winter quarter’s other nominees:

Lorraine Browne Leedy is the Faculty Development Program Specialist at the Teaching and Learning Center. In her role, Leedy organizes many training opportunities for the faculty and staff. She is described as someone who is “very efficient in executing her responsibilities” and is “an excellent customer-service ambassador who is willing to listen to someone in need and help.” She is respectful to the faculty, staff and anyone who needs her services. Leedy’s nominator describes her as a good communicator, someone who pays close attention to detail, a leader, respectful and someone who maintains a pleasing personality.

Reesa McAllister is a Secretary Senior for the Computer Technology (CTEC) Division and is described as someone who has an “exemplary” work performance. McAllister is “precise, thorough and efficient in her work” and will not only learn new skills, but goes “above and beyond by teaching her colleagues” in these areas as well. McAllister’s nominator states, “Faculty count on her and she goes out of her way to assist everyone coming into the unit office, calling on the phone, or emailing with questions and concerns. If Reesa does not know how to answer a question, she seeks out that answer. She does not stop there, however! She then shares that information with others’ in the unit who will benefit from having that information as well.” McAllister is someone who is honest, organized, and “should be noted for her flexibility and willingness to contribute to the transition with a secretary retiring and being replaced in the past couple of quarters.” She is “confident to take on tasks and responsibilities,” provides “excellent support,” and “engages throughout the campus and across units for the betterment of her division, unit and the college.”

Kate Poffenroth works as a Program Coordinator for Disability Support Services (DSS). Poffenroth’s nominator describes her as “an excellent, long-term employee who stands out in terms of her superb reliability and efficiency.” Poffenroth is said to be someone who is “extraordinary in terms of her ability to multi-task” and “arrives at the office with energy, enthusiasm, and a great sense of humor that she shares with every person that she sees that day.” Poffenroth often tracks “hundreds of details that require high-level processing” and understands the importance of being accurate in her reporting. DSS is in the process of implementing a new software and “Kate … has been a quick, sharp learner, as she easily adopts new software processes and encourages others to make necessary changes.” Poffenroth’s nominator overall describes her as someone who is grounded in student-entered principles, concise, encourages others, and “builds collegial cohesion and teamwork.”

Tia Schmidt is an Administrative Assistant in the Nursing Department and “has been providing excellent service for many years” and “is the glue that keeps the nursing program going.” Schmidt is described as “smart and efficient” and “demonstrates her commitment to the college and to students by attending every pinning ceremony to cheer the student’s success and to support the staff who present.” Schmidt is quick to offer “assistance, suggestions, ideas, and empathy, all of which serve to facilitate problem resolution and encourage collaboration. She is respectful and models professional behavior and demeanor.” Through challenges, Schmidt approaches her work with a “realistic, yet optimistic viewpoint” and “is a believer in pro-action versus reaction.” Schmidt assists her group and helps them “deal with many new changes in both ACEN criteria and state regulations.” In assisting, “Tia created resource notebooks for each of us so we would have these references at our fingertips as we moved forward with the adjustment process.” Each day Schmidt “arrives at work she is cheerful, positive and ready to ‘tackle’ whatever task or responsibility we will face throughout the day.” Nominators said, “I see her as very positive about the college and committed to doing all she can to be part of its successful future” and that “her work demonstrates the highest quality both in terms of quality, but also integrity. Tia is an excellent communicator both verbally and in writing. She coordinates several monthly team meetings, stays accurate and timely with minutes and remains calm when meetings become stressful or chaotic.  She consistently exhibits calmness and respect for fellow workers and students.”

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to Carmen Roman, recipient of the 2016 Fall Quarter Classified Staff Excellence Award!

Roman is a Program Specialist 2 for the Advising Services department. She is someone who is described by her nominators as “giving a consistent high-level of service to the students, the public, the community and to co-workers.”

Nominators had the following to say about Roman:

“Carmen’s unique ability to adjust to all modes and levels of communication is unmatched … It is quite common for students from all walks of life and experiences to applaud this extra attention Carmen gives them during advising sessions. A recent example was relayed from the BMED department on how a student who met with Carmen spoke highly of her to the BMED department head and said that if it wasn’t for the encouragement she received from Carmen, she may have given up on her aspirations to work in the medical field.”

“Carmen is a consummate professional who combines her advising expertise with genuine care and concern for the best interests of students and of the college. She works actively and diligently to learn about and to provide information about all corners of the campus (important dates, instructional departments, program requirements, pre-reqs, assessment, financial aid, etc., etc.). She exemplifies the team approach that is necessary for effective delivery of student services. Knowing that students often “don’t know what they don’t know,” Carmen seeks to provide the most relevant pieces of information with the understanding that students’ needs change and evolve as they progress through their programs of study. She is outstanding at giving the right service, in the right manner, at the right time – all with seemingly limitless patience and kindness.”

Congratulations as well to this quarter’s other nominees:

Lorraine Browne Leedy is the Faculty Development Program Specialist at the Teaching and Learning Center. Many in the college community are aware of Lorraine’s “high-quality work” and she “seems to always be able to lend a hand when called upon–she consistently finds time to help her coworkers.” Browne Leedy displays creativity and superior communication skills that are invaluable when planning and delivering many professional development activities each year. Her ability to plan, organize and manage events is why she is considered a key member of any new training initiative. Browne Leedy is described as a “valued college employee, excellent team member, subject matter expert, superior communicator, and terrific example of a high-performing employee.”

Kay Martinez works as a Custodian in the Custodial Services Department. Nominators describe Martinez as someone who works hard and always maintains a positive attitude. Though Martinez works tremendously hard to keep the STEM building looking its best, she always takes a moment to be courteous and to greet faculty, staff and students. Many view her as someone who is excellent at her job, has a strong work ethic, and will go out of her way to assist others. In fact, “Kay’s excellent work ethic and affability” come up in conversations with STEM faculty and staff. A nominator stated that Kay’s “dedication to Clark College should serve as a model for others.”

Hanna Maxwell is a Student Recruitment Specialist for the Enrollment Services Department and is described as an “essential” on the team. Maxwell is seen as someone who provides the best in customer service to students, parents, college partners, and community members while keeping a smile and positive attitude. A nominator stated, “no matter what the issue, she brings a determination to answer questions and find solutions in an accessible way.” Another wrote that she “brings a supreme level of care to her presentation and style. She has explained to hundreds, if not thousands, of students over her six months at Clark the benefits of a college education, and has helped many take the first step to changing their lives.”

Hannah Erickson is a Communications Specialist in the Communications and Marketing Department, but many know her as “the voice of Clark.” Being a steward of the voice requires masterful storytelling, openness, honesty, a caring nature, and the ability to be real and informative–all of which a nominator says Erickson represents. Erickson’s role can be challenging at times, but she always goes above and beyond and brings a “high level of integrity and dedication to her work.” One of her colleagues describes her as the “go-to for all things problem-solving. She is my sounding board from interpersonal work relationships, to navigating a project, to just finding the right word to make an email sound the way I want. She takes my ideas and makes them real with her great writing. I am happy to have her as my collaborator on all the things I do here at Clark.”

Tia Schmidt is an Administrative Assistant in the Nursing Department and sees things from an optimistic viewpoint. Her nominators describe her as “professional, respectful, thoughtful, mindful, and intentional in the way she approaches her job and her coworkers.” Unfailingly polite is how many view Schmidt’s interactions with faculty, staff and students, and she always seems to keep her eye on “the big picture.” A nominator wrote, “I have called on Tia repeatedly for assistance with a wide variety of needs/problems/challenges, and each time she has come through with information, guidance, resources, clarification, and direct help. She doesn’t complain or ask for any special acknowledgement–she just does her job to the best of her ability every day.”

Mitch Sott works in WPTE as a Maintenance Mechanic and is described as “indispensable” to the department–someone who “goes above and beyond the call of duty” to accomplish tasks. Students know Sott and the question isn’t, “What has Mitch fixed for us?” but rather, “What hasn’t he fixed for us?” Sott is described as positive role model, friendly, and a valuable asset to Clark College.  Nominators said his incredible work ethic is something for them to aspire to. “When we need something done, Mitch spends the time discussing it with us so that he knows exactly what we want and is able to accommodate our needs.”

Photo: Clark College/Jenny Shadley

Congratulations to Vanessa Meyer, recipient of the 2015 Fall Quarter Classified Staff Excellence Award.

Meyer is the Secretary Senior in the Behavioral and Social Sciences unit, and is the sole support for both divisions, which encompasses 10 departments, 21 full-time faculty, and 35 adjunct faculty. Vanessa was nominated with input from 23 Clark employees.

Meyer is described by her nominators as “friendly, helpful, efficient, knowledgeable, innovative and committed.” She is known to be a natural collaborator who lends her talents and skill sets to develop strategies that can replace outdated modalities and allow departments to function smoothly.

Nominators commend Meyer for treating everyone with the utmost respect and taking on challenges with humor and grace. As one colleague describes it, “I’ve worked with Vanessa Meyer for over 10 years and her exemplary work ethic has always impressed me. She’s organized, knowledgeable, and very efficient. She effectively meets the goals that are set for her, and completes all tasks in a timely manner. It appears that nothing is beyond her ability to accomplish.”

Congratulations as well to this quarter’s other nominees:

Linda Healy works as Program Support Supervisor for Advising Services and is called the “glue that keeps the office together.” Linda is a caring and compassionate leader who leads by example and is the first to support new projects and initiatives. She engages colleagues and staff in sometimes difficult but important conversations; addresses challenges instead of ignoring them, and is a firm believer in continuous improvement. Healy acts as liaison between departments because she is highly respected and well-liked by her fellow colleagues. As one nominator explains it, “She has a way of bringing people together to get a job done. Linda isn’t just a cooperative spirit, she is the spirit of compassion and good will and she is a pleasure to work with.”

Dan Simonson works for Facilities Services as a Maintenance Mechanic, and is described as an “outstanding team leader for Facilities.” He has a strong work ethic; is committed to whatever job he is assigned to; is never without his tools, and is always willing to help when he can. His nominators admire the quality of his work; his calm, steady demeanor, and find his cost-saving suggestions helpful. Simonson is considered to be efficient, knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with. One nominator wrote, “He has a kind heart and it shows in his everyday interactions with everyone.”

As Maintenance Mechanic in Manufacturing Technology, Mitch Sott is termed “Resident Mr. Fix It” in the bakery. He is accessible and responsive to their needs, and deemed “indispensable” to the department. Sott is known for quality work and a consistently quick turnaround time for projects. He has saved the department money by being creative and willing to tackle anything asked of him. The tag line in the bakery is “Don’t throw it out, call Mitch. If he can’t fix it, he’ll make a new one.” Sott’s work is not only functional, but also artistic. He is always pleasant and friendly, and he makes his customers feel valued.

 

Congratulations to Thor Tesdale, recipient of the 2015 Summer Quarter Classified Staff Excellence Award!

Thor Tesdale is a Maintenance Mechanic in Facilities Services and has been with Clark College for more than 15 years.

Nominated with input from 10 Clark employees, Tesdale is described as someone who is “always smiling and willing to problem-solve.” One of his nominators remarked, “One of the things I admire most about Thor is his respect for all individuals. Thor’s personality is inclusive and he desires to work together to achieve the necessary job-related outcomes.”

Another nominator wrote, “His energy and enthusiasm are contagious. He creates a positive work climate.”

Other characteristics attributed to Tesdale’s outstanding work performance include responsiveness, collaboration, efficiency, creativity and communications skills. Nominators describe a colleague who responds promptly to all phone and email messages, is always on time for scheduled meetings, and makes sure all involved individuals understand the decisions that have been made. They say his communication skills are critical to making sure jobs are completed correctly and on time. As one nominator explains, “Even when deadlines loom and tensions mount, Thor’s calm and respectful personality is a beneficial addition to Facilities Services.”

Also nominated this quarter was:

Guisela Eberle

Eberle is a Human Resource Consultant at Clark College and was highly commended by her nominator for her “exceptional service.”

Her nominator explains, “Guisela has met with me numerous times during this past spring and summer to help me understand, and appropriately fill out, the many complex health and retirement forms necessary for my successful retirement from Clark. She has been unfailingly patient, knowledgeable and helpful to me during these many meetings. In my experience, she is outstanding for her willingness to meet with me, sit patiently while I ask questions, and to answer all the questions until I understand. I have been very impressed with her and always leave her office with a smile on my face, which is nearly miraculous, given the complexity of the issues involved.”

 

 

Congratulations to Marianne Luther, recipient of the 2015 Spring Quarter Classified Staff Excellence Award!

Marianne Luther is the secretary senior for the Counseling and Health Center and is on the “front line” for walk-in students in crisis.

Luther is described as “wonderfully calm, friendly, supportive, and compassionate to all students visiting the center.” She patiently speaks with students to find out what they need; researches resources and provides directions to services on campus and in the community.

Luther has independently transformed the CHC lobby, adding free herbal tea, calming posters, positive thoughts that can be torn off, puzzles, coloring books, and create-a-poem magnets. On her own initiative she created a “chill out” room where students can call crisis lines when counselors are unavailable.

Luther maintains a positive attitude and is very respectful and courteous to those around her by placing the needs of others in front of her own. One of her colleagues describe her as “by far one of the best administrative assistants I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Her warm demeanor, can-do attitude, compassionate tone, and friendly sense of humor have made her a huge asset to the Counseling and Health Center.”

Also nominated this quarter were:

Vanessa Meyer

“Vanessa Meyer was recently promoted to secretary senior in the Behavioral and Social Sciences Department, and has done everything needed to keep the place organized. She takes care of lockers, printers, and paper and ink cartridges as well as maintaining the mail room and keeping it free of clutter. She goes the extra mile to keep the break room tidy. Everything she does is orderly. When help is needed, Meyer takes prompt action and even delivers letters and books to faculty members who are less frequently physically present. The most important thing about her great customer service is her cheerful attitude. Vanessa displays a high degree of courtesy to her colleagues and others look forward to her services. Above all, this employee is polite and shows courtesy to the students, faculty and staff.”

Gail N. Robinson

“eLearning’s secretary senior, Gail N. Robinson, is a real cheerleader for success and will do anything to help all of her coworkers be successful in their jobs. Gail takes pride in making everyone around her shine. When she sees a need she finds a way to help in any way she can. She considers each person’s contributions and wisely considers all pieces for the best outcomes – she is very good at bridging gaps between biases and services. She respectfully communicates and advocates for those she supports. This is evident by the way she identifies events and opportunities for the eLearning staff, our Dean and other departments in the CLASS unit to reach out to and to support the college community. It is amazing how she organizes her time to accommodate so many staff so successfully. It is a privilege, to state the least, to have Gail as an eLearning team member.”

Thor Tesdale

“Thor Tesdale works for Facilities Services at CCW, as Maintenance Mechanic 2 and Painter. When Thor looks at a job, rather than saying it can’t be done, he helps figure out ways to make it happen; and make it happen within financial limitations. He prioritizes jobs so that the most pressing deadlines are met first and schedules his work to minimize disruptions to students, faculty and staff. He also helps other co-workers complete tasks not related to his typical responsibilities. Thor is a team player! Many employees that work in facilities are not highly visible but their work impacts the college community is such a positive way. Thor is one of these people. His attention to detail is to be commended.”

Lynn VanHoomissen

“A former graduate of Clark College, Lynn VanHoomissen has worked in the Security Department as a parking checker, security officer, emergency communications operator, and currently as the program support supervisor. Lynn has always shown a dedication to the college and the Security Department. Recently Lynn assisted the Portland Police Bureau Crisis Negotiation and Southwest Washington Regional Crisis Negotiation Teams in a joint training session. In recognition of the contributions, the negotiation teams presented the college with a framed Certificate of Appreciation. She is a member of the College Council, and a member of several committees, including On and Off Boarding and 25 Live. Lynn is also responsible for establishing the ‘Bring Your Child to School Day’ ID card, and participation in the initiation of the Whistle Program for students.”