Celebrating Presidential Employee Excellence Recognition Program Honorees
Recipients of the Presidential Employee Excellence Recognition Awards were recently celebrated for their service to students and employees, for their role in cultivating a beloved community, for making a lasting difference beyond the university’s borders and for excellence in their work.
The awards, which recognize both individuals and teams, were celebrated during a ceremony Thursday at the Rutgers Club. More than 40 members of the Rutgers community were honored at the event.
President Jonathan Holloway invited faculty and staff from across the university to nominate their colleagues earlier this year.
“I’m deeply gratified to say that for the second straight year, we received a wide array of nominations putting forward truly wonderful Rutgers employees for recognition in the categories we established last year, plus an additional category recognizing lifetime contributions to the university,’’ Holloway said during the ceremony.
“As we honor all of you, please know that you were chosen from an even larger group of terrific people who I’m so proud to know are Rutgers employees,’’ he said.
Here are this year’s recipients.
Rutgers Lifetime Contribution Award (Faculty)
Celebrates the extraordinary achievements of a faculty member who has devoted over two decades of their professional journey to enriching the academic landscape and leaving an indelible mark on the university. This prestigious accolade acknowledges individuals whose tireless commitment has shaped the essence of our institution. Their impact transcends generations, shaping the intellectual landscape and nurturing the next wave of visionary leaders.
Faculty Honoree: Gloria Bonilla-Santiago
Department of Public Policy and Administration
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Rutgers-Camden
In her nearly four decades as a Rutgers faculty member, Gloria Bonilla-Santiago has amassed an exceptional body of work that has contributed greatly to the university's mission to serve its students, its host communities and beyond. From founding the Rutgers-Camden Community Leadership Center and the LEAP Academy University Charter School to the partnerships she’s spearheaded in Cuba, Paraguay and Puerto Rico, Bonilla-Santiago's contributions to community development and educational leadership have been transformative and far-reaching and have had a deep and long-lasting impact on urban communities and underserved populations both here and abroad. She is the epitome of the community-engaged scholar, combining her scholarship and award-winning teaching with an unwavering commitment to serving underprivileged communities, both locally and globally. Her life-long dedication, passion, and commitment have left an indelible mark on the fabric of our institution and society.
Rutgers Lifetime Contribution Award (Staff)
Celebrates the extraordinary achievements of a staff member whose dedication, innovation, and excellence over more than two decades have significantly contributed to the enhancement of our university. This prestigious accolade acknowledges individuals whose tireless commitment has shaped the essence of our institution. Their impact transcends generations, shaping the intellectual landscape and nurturing the next wave of visionary leaders.
Rory "Cal" Maradonna
School of Business, Rutgers-Camden
Rory “Cal” Maradonna has led a distinguished career at Rutgers University over nearly six decades. His dedicated service and love for the institution has left a profound legacy for students, alumni and the institution. From his time as director of the Campus Center in the mid-1970s when he played a lead role in establishing university housing and a student-run convenience store, to his launching of a study abroad program in South Africa, to his work revitalizing alumni engagement as the associate vice president of Alumni Relations, Maradonna has built a lifetime’s worth of accomplishments in the service of Rutgers University. As one recommender offered, Maradonna “exemplifies a commitment to exceptional service, innovative problem solving, consistently exceeding expectations, and most importantly, deep pride for Rutgers.”
Rutgers Gateway Award (Service to Students)
Recognizes staff, faculty or a team of employees who go to exceptional lengths to remove barriers and provide access to those pursuing a Rutgers education. The selected individual or team recognizes the value of a diverse student body and the challenges that students often face and seeks to make education more accessible and attainable.
Individual Honoree: Hend El-Buri, Assistant Director Supervisor of Pantry+
Rutgers University-Newark
Student Health
A leader whose actions exemplify Rutgers core values, Hend El-Buri is known for her creativity, resourcefulness, and especially her devotion to Rutgers-Newark students and the surrounding community. The numerous innovative initiatives she has launched to combat student food insecurity are groundbreaking for the university. Those efforts include student emergency food packs available 24/7; emergency meal swipes; a food rescue program connecting surplus food available on campus with students in need, which limits food waste and provides an immediate benefit to others; and support for student parents/families through benefit screening and access. As one colleague says, “Director El-Buri has enhanced health, learning, and the Rutgers experience for countless students and reinforces our collective responsibility to care for the community in which we live.”
Team Honorees: One Stop Student Services Center
Rutgers University–New Brunswick
Jay Stefanelli | Deepa Bhalla | Justin Makowski | Jim Stapleton | Dawn Gandy | Beth LaBarbera | Stephanie Jones | Kathy Dowden | Kenny Kolanko | Misun Kim
Over the past year, the One Stop Student Services Center (One Stop) has continued to redefine the student experience, offering a seamless, integrated approach across vital areas such as financial aid, student accounts, registration, and admissions. Between July 2023 and June 2024, the One Stop team handled nearly 200,000 student and parent inquiries – putting it on track to process close to 1 million inquiries in its first five years of operation. That’s a benchmark for student service excellence nationwide.
Despite the incredible volume, the One Stop team has earned overwhelmingly positive feedback in all its satisfaction categories: Friendliness of representative (93%); Knowledge of representative (84%); Inquiry submission process (83%); Timeliness of interaction (82%); Overall experience (81%); and Issue resolution (79%). The results are clear: students and parents are satisfied with and well-served by the One Stop team.
Rutgers Gateway Award (Service to Employees)
Recognizes staff, faculty or a team of employees who go to exceptional lengths to remove barriers to build a more positive work environment, improve employee engagement and morale and create operational efficiencies through forward-thinking process improvements. The recipient or recipients recognize the value of a diverse workforce and encourage cross-departmental teamwork to address shared challenges and improve workplace culture.
Individual Honoree: Kathleen Howell, Associate Director
Rutgers–New Brunswick
Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Since taking on her role with the Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) in 2015, Howell’s efforts have positively shaped tens of thousands of New Jerseyans’ experience with Rutgers in their own communities. Regarded for her compassion and ability to understand the complexities shaping people’s lives, she addresses all matters amicably. Howell has strengthened RCE programming by building strong academic/community partnerships, a remarkable volunteer base, and a growing number of engaged faculty and staff, while fostering collaboration between all three to best meet the needs of underserved communities across New Jersey.
Rutgers University Spirit Award
Celebrates differences and recognizes significant contributions to cultivating a beloved community – one in which all members work together and are heard at the university. This individual or team exemplifies this commitment by promoting and advancing dialogue, mutual respect and a spirit of belonging to create a healthy Rutgers ecosystem.
Individual Honoree: Neela Patel, executive director of Student Centers and Activities
Rutgers-New Brunswick
Neela Patel has dedicated over 20 years to enhancing student life and community engagement through her leadership and management of student centers and programs. A Rutgers alumna, Patel's commitment to the university is reflected in her efforts to create welcoming spaces and diverse programming that foster student belonging and success. Her expertise in facilities management is evident in major projects like the renovation of the Livingston Student Center and The Atrium at College Avenue. Patel's leadership extends beyond Rutgers through her involvement with the Association of College Unions International, where she has served in various national roles, including president. Colleagues praise her innovative, student-focused approach, fiscal responsibility, and unwavering dedication to the university.
Team Honoree: Rutgers Center for Adult Autism Services
Rutgers-New Brunswick
Christopher Manente | James Maraventano | Julia Iannaccone | Ian Bober | Erin Walker| Amy Gravino | Joshua Langberg
The Rutgers Center for Adult Autism Services (RCAAS) is a leader in providing essential services for autistic adults in New Jersey, where the prevalence of autism is among the highest in the nation. Led by Christopher J. Manente, RCAAS integrates neurodivergent adults into the Rutgers community through initiatives like the College Support Program, Intensive Outpatient Clinic, and SCALE, which focus on education, behavioral support, leisure, and employment. The center's innovative approach provides alternatives to institutionalization and has significantly improved outcomes for its participants and enhanced Rutgers' reputation as an inclusive and supportive environment for neurodiverse individuals. The RCAAS's work has also gained national and international recognition, highlighting Rutgers as a major player in autism research and advocacy.
Rutgers Outstanding Service Award
Recognizes faculty, staff and/or a team that demonstrate a relentless determination to make a lasting difference beyond the university’s borders. The recipient or recipients display a demonstrated commitment to moving society toward a greater common good and encourage constructive collaboration in service to our local and global communities.
Individual Honoree: Emilia Iwu, Assistant Dean for Global Health Nursing
Rutgers School of Nursing
Rutgers Health
Emilia Iwu has served as a technical advisor at the Institute of Human Virology in Nigeria, where she has been instrumental in advancing HIV/AIDS treatment and education for children, adolescents, and families as well as health care providers. Her contributions include establishing comprehensive treatment guidelines, developing robust policy frameworks and creating targeted training programs for registered nurses and midwives. Additionally, she has significantly impacted the mitigation of HIV spread through innovative educational interventions within Nigerian communities. Her work has been crucial in enhancing the effectiveness of HIV care and prevention efforts across the country while strengthening collaboration between Rutgers and the University of Domoda and the Nursing & Midwifery Council of Nigeria. Her dedication to nursing research, education, practice and leadership, as well as her commitment to advocating for persons living with HIV and their families, exemplifies her profound impact on the nursing profession in Nigeria and beyond.
Team Honoree: Department of Family and Community Health Sciences, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences
Rutgers–New Brunswick
Luanne Hughes | Julie Frazee | Joan Healy | Brian Quilty | Katelyn Waldeck | Pierrera Brown | Elizabeth Vargas | Dawn Mcginnis | Carly Truett | Chantielle Harris | Melanie Brill | Angela Alexander De Ramos | Catherine Diamond | Odalis Macario | Heather Doerr | Marissa Colanzi | Isabella Tullio
The Family and Community Health Sciences SNAP-Ed team strives to improve health and food security through nutrition education, social marketing and policy changes in New Jersey's underserved communities. Their initiatives include direct education programs, social media campaigns and community partnerships to promote healthy eating and physical activity. Over the past year, they reached over 35,000 residents in 30 communities and collaborated with numerous organizations to enhance food access and health resources. This year, the 17-person team of faculty and staff presented more than 1,600 direct educational sessions, contributing over 1,600 hours of teaching New Jersey residents how to live healthier, more food secure lives. Some of their noteworthy efforts included building edible gardens, adding pantry refrigeration to store perishables (meat, chicken, milk, eggs) that enabled community sites to provide high-quality protein for clients, adding signage and display units to promote nutritious foods, increasing access to safe, clean drinking water and establishing clubs and programs that created access to physical activity programs and sports for children.
Pride of Rutgers Award
Recognizes employees who exceed the expectations of their day-to-day tasks and provide exceptional customer service to the university community. The recipient takes the time to understand the needs of our students, staff, patients and/or visitors to meet their needs consistently and effectively. The award celebrates problem solvers who find innovative ways to save time, money, or other resources in getting the job done right and on time.
Individual Honoree: Helene Derisi
Grants and Contracts Analyst
Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute
Rutgers Health
Helene Derisi’s dedication, resourcefulness, problem-solving, and commitment have made a significant impact upon the Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute and the broader Rutgers community. Her comprehensive knowledge of university processes, extensive network of contacts, and organizational skills are invaluable resources for the institute. Remarkably prompt and efficient, yet thorough, her daily actions both serve and guide colleagues and faculty members while reflecting the core values of university.
Team Honoree: Gulam Rather and Devora Schiff
Radiation Oncology of Cancer Institute of New Jersey
Rutgers Health
The Radiation Oncology Team at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey went above and beyond to provide an innovative solution that positively impacts both current and future researchers within the animal facility at the Child Health Institute. With the collaborative support of engineers, the team designed and deployed a handling system that ensures proper orientation and safe set-up for localized radiation treatment. The solution highlights the team’s passion for research and leverages its exceptional problem problem-solving skills for the benefit of the broader community.
