Distinguished Employee Leadership and Team Award (DELTA)

Nominations for 2024 are now closed.

The Distinguished Employee Leadership and Team Award (DELTA) annually recognizes System Office employees and teams for their exceptional accomplishments, service and dedication to the University. Since the 2008 inauguration of DELTA, 290 System Office employees have been recognized as DELTA award recipients.

The number of individual and project team awards is dependent upon the number of outstanding nominees and the budget available. At a minimum, one academic professional employee, one civil service employee, and one project team will be awarded each year. All awards will not be granted unless there is a full slate of candidates that meet the DELTA award criteria.

Individuals receiving the award will be presented with a glass trophy, certificate and one-time cash award of $1,500. Members of a project team receiving the team award will also receive a glass trophy, certificate and equally share a one-time cash award at a maximum of $5,000, not to exceed $1,500 per person. Recipients will be honored at an annual award event in the spring.

Objectives

Recognize that the System Offices provides important contributions to the University.
Demonstrate that outstanding performance is recognized and nurtured at the University.
Encourage continued superior performance and leadership from employees.
Recognize that our short term may be challenging and that it will require innovation, continued dedication and strong performance of our employees to shape our future.

For More Details

Please visit the DELTA Project Team Award and DELTA Individual Award pages for details on eligibility, nomination procedures, and nomination forms. Questions about the DELTA program can be directed to DeltaAward@uillinois.edu.

Delta Selection Committee

Each year, the DELTA Selection Committee, comprised of System Office leaders along with representatives the award winners from the previous year, meet to select new recipients. Joy Brownridge, Training and Development Specialist for System Human Resource Services, serves as the program coordinator. The 2024 Selection Committee is:

Kelly Block, Senior Associate Vice President, Administrative Information Technology Services
Sarah Gantz, Senior Assistant Vice President, Office of the Executive Vice President and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Kyle Harfst, Associate Vice President, Office of the Vice President for Economic Development and Innovation
Nikita Hutchings, Coordinator of Accounts Receivable Operations, University Bursar (2023 Team Award Recipient)
Anne Larimore, Associate Director, University Accounting and Financial Reporting (2023 Individual Award Recipient)
Jami Painter, Senior Associate Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, System Human Resource Services
Benjamin Sands, Office Support Specialist, Office for Planning and Budgeting (2023 Individual Award Recipient)
Theresa Thomas, Advocacy & Community Relations Coordinator, Office of the Vice President for External Relations & Communications

Delta Award Recipients

View the past DELTA Recipients:

2024

Individual Award	Heather Jones, Office of Technology Management (Urbana-Champaign)
Individual Award	Scott Pinkerton, University Bursar
Individual Award	Jay Simpson, System Purchasing & Support Services
Team Award "Leases and Subscription-Based Information Technology Arrangements Accounting and Reporting"	Keri Canaday, Procurement Operations Courtney Englehardt, University Accounting and Financial Reporting Michael Godsell, University Accounting and Financial Reporting Samuel Hall, University Accounting and Financial Reporting Danielle Stoner, University Accounting and Financial Reporting
Team Award "Sponsor Billing Portal Implementation"	Muna Bist, University Bursar Steven Branch, Administrative Information Technology Services Erin Herrick, University Bursar Brian Schoudel, Administrative Information Technology Services Timothy Vruwink, Administrative Information Technology Services

2023

Individual Award - Academic Professional	Anne Larimore
Individual Award - Civil Service	Benjamin Sands
Team Award "Student Contact Center - University Bursar"	Dwane Hamby Nikita Hutchings Jane Hwang Chelsea Lessor Elise Maxwell Scott Pinkerton Joseph Shroyer

2022

Individual Award - Academic Professional	Angela Burton
Individual Award - Civil Service	Roger Fredenhagen
Team Award "Office of University Audits COVID Special Project"	Carla Edgecombe Jessica Hoppe Kevin Jones Nerissa Montojo-Andres Jill Verdeyen

2021

Individual Award - Office of the Executive Vice President & VP for Academic Affairs	Sonja Bean
Individual Award - Office of Technology Management Urbana-Champaign	Bradley Edwards
Individual Award - University Accounting & Financial Reporting	Kasey Wilken
Special COVID-19 Response Award - Administrative Information Technology Services	Christina Molitor
Special COVID-19 Response Award - System Human Resource Services	Melissa McMullen
Team Award "I-Share Migration Project Team - CARLI"	Deborah Campbell Christopher Delis Gordon Fellows Jessica Gibson Denise Green Kristine Hammerstrand Amy Maroso	Jennifer Masciadrelli Todd Pavlik Christopher Saunders Theodore Schwitzner Nicole Swanson Bradley Woodruff
Team Award "Service Activity Project Team, System Government Costing"	Hend Abdelfattah André Britten Judah Farha Brittney Gehrt Maureen Johnson	Anne Marshall Chelsa Moore Jennifer Otto Tyler Wilson

2020

Individual Award - Academic Professional	Susan Cotter
Individual Award - Civil Service	Jenny Li
Team Award "Ethics Training Learning Management System"	Jannah Coon Xueqin (Susan) Li Anthony Kerber Traci Rolf	Jean Schaffner Brian Schoudel Leigh Volpert

2019

Individual Award - Academic Professional	Robyn Velazquez
Individual Award - Civil Service	Rebecca Hand
Team Award "Biennial Inventory"	David Byers Jim Caputo Kavin Chan Amanda Hemming Brenda Hixson Magdalena Jach Pramod Joshi	Dan Lapp Judy LeBaugh Lori Pelmore Juana Rodriguez Melissa Rubik Vince Wiley

Please see the 2019 DELTA Recipients Summaries for further information.

2018

Individual Award - Academic Professional	Jan Dennis
Individual Award - Civil Service	Graciela Peña
Team Award "University Payroll & Benefits Call Center"	Laura Barnett Verna Chatman Brenda Hixson Blanca Lorenzo	Ruth Marquez Dennis McGiles Amy Sass Susan Strickler

Please see the 2018 DELTA Recipients Summaries for further information.

2017

Non-Supervisor Award	Russell Chalfant Ellen Foran Paul McGuire	Michele Unser Daniel Wesley Julia Zamora
Supervisor Award	Katrina Lopez Jamie McCracken	Karen Quinlan Brent West

Please see the 2017 DELTA Recipients Summaries for further information.

2016

Non-Supervisor Award

Mark S. Anderson
Shannon F. Dwyer

Tadi Kumar
Kunal R. Shah

Supervisor Award

Daniel Pelayo
Arlene L. Shorter

Mary White

Team Award

"One ID/One Password"

Stephen M. Barker
Todd Bickers
Cynthia Cobb
Deborah L. Coggins
Jared M. Crowe
Susan H. Flanagin
Daryl Fritchey

Eric George Matthew Hansen
Peter Herrig
Jun Huang
Michael E. Keck
Marla McKinney
Stacey Neil
Mark E. Pollard

Rod Schaefer
Patrick E. Schlehuber
Michael Sharp
Suzanne Elise Zelle
Butch Zunich
Christina Vann

Please see the 2016 DELTA Recipients Summaries for further information.

2015

Non-Supervisor Award

Karen Deering
Carla Kuzian

Debbie Peterson
Elizabeth Schleef

Supervisor Award

Marc Carlton

Barb Welge

Team Award

"UIC Purchasing iBuy"

Mary Cooke
Kevin Fair
Rosemary Fowler

Liliana Gutierrez
Julia Kilgore
Aaron Rosenthal

Malgorzata Stanko
Nicole Williams

Please see the 2015 DELTA Recipients Summaries for further information.

2014

Non-Supervisor Award

Ellie Burnette
Kelsey McCoy

William Seemann
Joann Walker

Andrew Sestak
Mikel D. Storm

Supervisor Award

Jeff Weaver

Team Award

"FOIA Process Consolidation Project"

Ginny Hudak-David

Melanie Kuehn

Kathleen McCarthy

Please see the 2014 DELTA Recipients Summaries for further information.

2013

Non-Supervisor Award	Kayci Bohlen	Vicki Clements	Kelvin Touchette
Supervisor Award	Laura Curtis	Angela Foster	Ron Miner
Team Award "Share the Vision"	Tracy Hunter Heather Jones	Nicole Nair	Donna Wilm
Team Award "Financial Literacy Bowl"	Pamela Devitt Cesar Diaz Catalina Hernandez	Kathryn Kirrish Karen McFarlin John Palmatier	Earleen Peters Lindsay Peters JoDee Walsh

Please see the 2013 DELTA Recipients Summaries for further information.

2012

Civil Service Award

Lynn Spencer

Academic Professional Award

Amanda Akers
Janet Ayers

Kevin Fair
Kathy Sullivan

Shih-Yu Tsai

Team Award

"Outreach Informational Sessions"

Zac Becker
Carole Devaney
Susan Vergara
Annie Buford-Harris

Gayle Dunahee
Jennifer Steiling
Deanna Boyer

Please see the 2012 DELTA Recipients Summaries for further information.

2011

Civil Service Award

Linda Oliveria

Academic Professional Award

Kim Britton
Mary Malcolm

Matt Wolfersberger
Kristine Campbell

Kathy Prouty

Team Award

"OBFS Customer Service"

Natasha Bever
Jami McCracken
Joseph Shroyer
James Burgdorf

Anabel Perez
Shayla Strickland
David Greenleaf
Tina Ramey

Melody Wheeler
Dwane Hamby
Alice Seaton

Please see the 2011 DELTA Recipients Summaries for further information.

2010

Civil Service Award

Alex M. Esparza

Jackie N. Billhymer

Heidi L. Rockwood

Academic Professional Award

Delphine (Del) Kranz

Beth Ladd

Brent Rasmus

Team Award

"Electronic Fact Sheet"

Stephanie J. Adams
Jason Bane
Madelle Becker
Chris Bland
Sherri L. Faith

Russell K. Fletcher
Ryan M. Hall
Linda McCaffrey
Richard Rebot

Leslie Sherman
Denise M. Stanley
Roger O. Wade
Jodi A. Wright

Please see the 2010 DELTA Recipients Summaries for further information.

2009

Civil Service Award

Cheryl Dodge

Lisa Ferris

Teresa Howard

Academic Professional Award

Michael Brewer

Janice Kuntz Gill

Kim Laczynski

Team Award

"UIUC Post Award"

Greg Anderson
Denise Connour
Cale Doubet
Angela Douglas
Nancy Ellen
Anne Francis
Joy Fuller
Lori Garwick
Jayne Goby
Dan Gordon
Linda Gregory
Jackie Harden
Jialing He

Jessi Katterhenry
Paul Kerkhoff
Brian Keyes
Peter Kogen
Sarah Lorbiecki
Bruce Mast
Amy Morgan
Sandy Moulton
Matt Murphy
Sadi O'Donnell
Chris Patton
Amy Roessler
Tamara Roosevelt

Brenda Roy
Justine Russian
Debra Short
Deb Stapp
Allison Thilmony
Karen Thomas
Hong Tian
Kathy Vance
Janis Weaver
Kelli Wendt
Kay Williams

Please see the 2009 DELTA Recipients Summaries for further information.

2008

Civil Service Award

Gary Watson

Mary Nielsen

Kathy Tuggle

Academic Professional Award

Sandra Street

David Byers

Connie Cleary

Team Award

"UIC Grants & Contracts"

Joseph Barbee
Jamie Bates
Etzer Cantave
Rachelle Fox
Julia Gomez
LaShawnda Hall
Zandra Harris
Maureen Johnson

Nida Khan
Mee Mee Lee-Choi
Fuller Lyons
Alejandra Martinez
Falehia Misleh-Paiz
Richard Morfin
Feryall Rahman
Haydee Ramirez

Darryl Reynolds
Roberto Rodriguez
Edward Seighman
Katina Shepherd
Lillie Shokunbi
Regina Smith
Joseph Stefanich