2025 Superior Accomplishment Awards recognize outstanding and meritorious service
Twenty staff and faculty members representing a wide range of experience and hailing from UF locations throughout Florida were recognized for their outstanding service in a ceremony held today at the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom.
Hosted by UF Interim President Kent Fuchs, Ph.D., UFHR Vice President Melissa Curry, Associate Director of Business Affairs Human Resources Leticia A. Forster and Associate Vice President for Student Life Nancy Chrystal-Green, Ph.D., the 2025 Superior Accomplishment Awards recognized faculty and staff who have contributed outstanding and meritorious service, efficiency and/or economy, or to the quality of life for students and employees.
Pictured below are winners of this year’s University Gold Awards and Special Recognition Awards, who were selected from division-level winners honored earlier this year. Visit the Superior Accomplishment Awards website to view the full list of Division Winners.
University-Gold Award Winners
The following individuals received the Superior Accomplishment Awards’ highest honors. The Team Collaboration winners each received a $500 check and the individual category winners were awarded a $2,000 check:
Individual Employee Performance:
Office Administration, Human Resources & IT
Wiyarut Wheeler
MGR, Accounting – Institute of Food & Agricultural Sciences
Individual Employee Performance:
Operations & Safety
Rodney Holsey
Custodial Worker III – Housing & Residence Life
Individual Employee Performance:
Health Care & Physical Sciences
Whitney Haley
Dental Hygienist I – College of Dentistry
Individual Employee Performance:
Finance, Research & Compliance
Piyush Chaudhari
Data Management Analyst III – College of Medicine
Individual Employee Performance:
Student, Academic & Alumni Services
Thomas Garvey
Academic Advisor II – College of Journalism & Communications
Individual Employee Performance:
Faculty
Janel Soucie
Associate Professor – College of Pharmacy
Rookie of the Year:
Anna Spaschak
Student Affairs Program Coordinator – Division of Student Life
Sustained Excellence:
Dorene Kelleher
Administrative Specialist II – Institute of Food & Agricultural Sciences
Team Collaboration:
Enrollment Management – FAFSA Rollout Team
Brenda Noblitt, Associate Director, Student Financial Aid
Tracy McMullen, Associate Director, Student Financial Aid
Mike Dugger, Associate Director, Student Financial Aid
Jennifer Bennett, Assistant Director, Student Financial Aid
Amy Baker, Assistant Director, Student Financial Aid
Chas Hammond, Assistant Director, Student Financial Aid
Special Recognition Award Winners
The following individuals received the Special Recognition Award and were each presented with a $1,000 check:
Tara Hetsler
Occupational Medicine Coordinator – Environmental Health & Safety
Pynie Gonzales
MGR, Immigration Services – College of Engineering
Shawndrea Johnson
Custodial Supervisor – Housing & Residence Life
Rafael Cruzado
Director, Finance – Housing & Residence Life
Christina White-Monds
Registered Nurse – UF Health, Jacksonville
Walter McNair
MGR, IT – UF Health