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Presidential Employee Excellence Recognition Program 2025 Honorees

Rutgers Lifetime Contribution Award (Faculty)

Jay Tischfield
Distinguished Professor, Department of Genetics, School of Arts and Sciences
Rutgers-New Brunswick

Rutgers Lifetime Contribution Award (Staff)

David Maiullo
Physics Support Specialist, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Arts and Sciences

Pride of Rutgers Award

INDIVIDUAL HONOREE
Robert Williams
Senior Director of Plants, Institutional Planning and Operations

TEAM HONOREES
François-Xavier Bagnoud Center
Lisa Monti, Nurse Case Manager
Dawn McLaughlin, Program Support Specialist
Josephine DiLena, Nutritionist
Erica Williams, Case Manager
James Colabelli, Community Outreach Worker
Beata Zammit, Social Work Coordinator

Pride of Rutgers in Frontline Health Care Award

Lida Pascual
Assistant Director of the Counseling Center and Director of the Alcohol and Other Drug Assistance Program (ADAP)

Rutgers Gateway Award (Service to Students)

INDIVIDUAL HONOREE
Riddhi Vyas
Assistant Professor, Department of Health Informatics, School of Health Professions

TEAM HONOREES
Office of the Dean of Students—Advocacy, Outreach and Support Team
Jeff Broggi, Associate Dean
Sandra (Rocio) Castro, Campus Dean of Students
Halston Fleming, Campus Dean of Students
Pamela Harris, Senior Administrative Assistant
Lauren Kerton, Senior Students Programs Coordinator
Victoria Miller-Butcher, Case Manager
Elizabeth O'Connell-Ganges, Campus Dean of Students

Rutgers Gateway Award (Service to Employees)

INDIVIDUAL HONOREE
Katie Zapert
Assistant Dean for Research, School of Public Health, Rutgers Health 

TEAM HONOREES
School of Health Professions, Rutgers Health
Filiz Carus Ozen, Instructional Designer
Niamboue Bado, Instructional Designer

Rutgers University Spirit Award

INDIVIDUAL HONOREE
Michele Pavanello
Professor and Chair, Department of Physics, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers-Newark

TEAM HONOREE
Office of Alumni and Corporate Engagement (ACE) Team
Sharon Lydon, Associate Dean
Jennifer Rodrigues, Assistant Director
Nancy Kiley, Program Coordinator

Rutgers Outstanding Service Award

INDIVIDUAL HONOREE
Rosalina Cerda-Lopez
Program Coordinator, Psychology Department, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers-Newark

TEAM HONOREE
Speech Language Pathology Team
Jose Centeno, Professor
Young Hwa (Michelle) Chang, Assistant Professor
Celeste Domsch, Associate Professor and Program Director
Kelly Pena, Lecturer
Stephanie Hubbel, Lecturer
Kristen Victorino, Associate Professor
Kira Medina-Tiencken, Coadjutant
Giovanni Paul, Adjunct Instructor
Nicole Surizon, Adjunct Instructor
Jennifer Valdez
Ry Pilchman

Learn more about the honorees

Celebrate those who do so much for our students, for our employees, for the university itself, and for the broader society.

Read the Rutgers Today story.