2026
May
"Julie Lowe & Paula Donelson exemplify acting with purpose. Not only do they champion our compensation team in HR with intentionality, wisdom and care every day, but they regularly go out of their way to build community and fun into our workplace! Kudos!"
Dana Evans Laity
"Dorothy Hadfield and Bruce Dadey show up for others with so much heart. They mentor and guide people at different points in their teaching journey, making a positive difference in our team and community. With deep gratitude for all that you do!"
Jessica Van de Kemp
"After loss of Prof. Wayne Chang, the Conrad team demonstrated extraordinary care, compassion, & courage in supporting students, colleagues, & others through the grieving process, reflecting the deep sense of community & responsibility he helped create."
Felix Arndt
"Emma Watson is a wonderful teammate within the HR Department and I truly appreciate her willingness to collaborate on many of our ongoing workforce planning activities, and her unique skillset that offers fresh perspectives and creative solutions!"
Lindsay Gordon
"From the simplest offer of "can I help you find....?", Mac McIntosh exemplified 'working together' through his friendly, welcoming demeanor & in taking the time to listen, connect & share helpful ideas with a new(-ish) employee outside his team"
Sarah Lewis
"Stephanie Kears is always a pleasure to work with. When you see her, you always see her smiling. She is friendly and accommodating. She has done a great job learning a very difficult role and I feel lucky to have a great colleague like Stephanie."
Janine Blair
"Sanket Patel is a valued member of the HR Department and always provides great support to the team by quickly resolving any computer concerns and being willing to jump in and help out with any software or hardware concerns. Thank you!"
Lindsay Gordon
"The Math Advancement team excels at strengthening relationships with alumni, donors & partners through strategic programming & innovative outreach. Their work enhances the faculty’s visibility & influence, fostering pride & connection across alumni."
Kristine McGlynn
"Lindsay Gordon truly embodies “Work Together.” She is collaborative, positive, and always willing to step up to support both clients and colleagues. Working with Lindsay is always a pleasure, and she truly champions collaboration."
Emma Watson
"No matter the situation, Kate Dal Castel acts with purpose by consistently centering meaningful co‑op placements and the student experience in the heart of her work and leads by example to encourage her colleagues to do the same."
Eli Clarke
"Reem Tawfik is an incredible co-worker who always makes time to help her colleagues, is a pleasure to collaborate with and work alongside."
Hannah Clyde
"Nadine Quehl is one of our strongest advocates for One Waterloo. She tirelessly inspires and gives us tools to work together. 'We value action because we learn through the process of doing,' Nadine gives us space to do this. THANK YOU Nadine!"
Carly Turnbull
"Agnes Kolic has been at the helm of Graduate Studies in Faculty of Science for years, and she does an exceptional job. She continues to think differently, act with purpose (to serve our students) and she is a fabulous coworker. Thank you, Ag."
Stephanie Forsyth
"My HRP teammates have been incredibly resilient through a time of ongoing uncertainty across the institution, while continuing to provide a broad range of service excellence and advice to clients and each other. Thank you for your support :)
Lindsay Gordon
"Kayla Lorentz shows exceptional leadership, supporting myself and our team with empathy and flexibility through both work and life challenges. She is kind, genuine, is always open to conversation, and she makes such a positive impact on our team."
Jennifer Book
"Fran Hannigan is simply the best - she is always looking for ways to think differenly in problem solving, acts with purpose in her service to UWaterloo visitors and campus partners, and is a true pleasure to work with. Thank you Fran!"
Stephanie Forsyth
"Grateful for all the incredible coordination, organization, and clear communication Denise Baker brought to workforce planning initiatives over the past several months. This was a huge lift with impacts across campus and Denise overdelivered!"
Lindsay Gordon
"In addition to building meaningful relationships with our alumni and donors, Lauren Hartman builds equally meaningful internal relationships and contributes, invests, and celebrates the success of her colleagues. She exemplifies One Waterloo."
Eli Clarke
"Elysia Gallinaro fosters a supportive and inclusive team environment through thoughtful leadership and clear guidance. Her ability to stay calm, approachable, and solution-focused makes a meaningful difference in the team's success."
Nupur Nupur
"Tara Haghighi is one of a kind. She always acts with purpose to ensure the very best service to her graduate students. She is kind, diligent and a wonderful colleague. Thank you Tara!
Stephanie Forsyth
"Hannah Clyde embodies UWaterloo's values by being an incredibly supportive colleague, an innovative problem solver, and a reliable and intentional researcher. She is wonderful to work with and contributes immensely to our team and UWaterloo as a whole."
Reem Tawfik
"Saritha Racharla is the glue that holds our application system together. She is always thinking differently to problem solve, acting with purpose to provide the best experience to our applicants, and she is a true pleasure to collaborate with."
Stephanie Forsyth
"Lindsey Webster is an awesome manager who is kind and understanding. She is a pleasure to work with and makes working at UW a wonderful experience!"
Hannah Clyde
"Sarah Fischer has been a great addition to our team. EGSO is so lucky to have her and I just want to say thank you, Sarah for helping me out so much lately. You are awesome!"
Janine Blair
"As a leader on campus, Elizabeth Rogers goes above and beyond to support digital accessibility in our communications. Elizabeth consistently shares resources, tools, and guidance through the Digital Accessibility CoP and other campus networks."
Samantha Fowler
April
"Nupur Nupur thinks differently, anticipating the team's needs daily. She acts with purpose by consistently delivering high performance, and works together by proactively offering support and prioritizing the team’s collective success."
Tanya Pompilio
Colleen Phillips-Davis puts connection and community care at the forefront of absolutely everything she does; whether it's working with an employer, connecting with a colleague, or consulting on a student case. She is an inspiration and a joy."
Jessi Neill
"John Nugent is modernizing existing scientific equipment through innovative approaches, including AI, to improve user experience, accessibility, and the longevity of shared resources. He’s a team player with exceptional talent."
Taso Alkiviades
"Bahareh Sadeghimakki consistently aligns her work with pedagogical goals, takes initiative & makes thoughtful decisions that positively impact processes, project outcomes, student learning, and course effectiveness, as well as public workshops."
Hamidreza Nafissi
"New changes to requirements in ENG have resulted in Jess Lang and the academic advisors working above & beyond to handle the many ensuing questions from our dept. They have responded quickly, and been open to collaborating on best practices.
Joy Harris
"Laura Frazee is always willing to help with last-minute questions to assist our students. She goes out of her way to make time for us. She is a forward thinker and making processes easier is always a top priority for her. Thanks, Laura!"
Kim Tremblay
"Kelly Heald deserves recognition for her expansive knowledge in all things Graduate studies. She provides the best service to all campus partners, leads her team with excellence, and is always looking for ways to improve by thinking differently."
Stephanie Forsyth
"Jen Coghlin is an incredible asset for the University. She works collaboratively, and acts with purpose to improve everything we do in which she has her hands. I often think of her as the leader who can think outside of the box to solve problems."
Benoit Charbonneau
"The Administrative Professionals Steering Committee helps administrative professionals share knowledge, improve processes, & collaborate across campus. Through regular discussions & events, we build skills & support consistent, efficient work."
Jenn Gervais
"Georgia Roglic focuses on solutions and by sharing information with her team and is an example of working together."
Tanya Singh
"Milana Madzarac does a million things, often quietly and behind the scenes to ensure the amazing work of the School of Pharmacy is seen and celebrated. She balances a huge workload with thoughtfulness, skill and reliability!"
Erika Mutimura
"Whether its drafting creative agreement language, tackling challenging files, or pulling together stakeholders from around campus, Sabrina Kha's actions create a great International Agreements team dynamic that is impactful and fun."
Eric Jardin
"Lindsey Webster embodies UWaterloo's values by being a supportive leader who never shies away from a challenge, approaches work with intent, expertise, and a critical eye for detail. She is an exceptional leader who is never too busy to support her team"
Reem Tawfik
"Stephanie Forsyth is an excellent team leader on the UW Grad Admissions Team! We can always rely on her to answer our questions quickly. She helps support our faculty and the grad students in any means possible. Her knowledge and support is amazing!"
Kim Tremblay
"Tracey McKee exemplifies all of the values because she consistently demonstrates each of these values in meaningful ways. She approaches challenges with creativity and openness, often bringing forward ideas that improve processes and outcomes."
Monika Strome
"Kim Tremblay is a pleasure to work with. She is an advocate for positive change in the Faculty of Math graduate office. She acts with purpose to support our grad students within Math, and she is a wonderful collaborator. Thank you Kim!"
Stephanie Forsyth
"Brandon Yong is an awesome co-worker who is a pleasure to work alongside :)"
Hannah Clyde
"The SAFA FAS team exemplifies the meaning of teamwork. They work quickly on a daily basis with very large workloads, meet numerous competing deadlines, and have each other’s backs. They are very kind towards each other and are a pleasure to work with."
Wanda Hunt
"Nadia Singh exemplifies “act with purpose”. In her role supporting leaders who must make hard decisions about student matter, Nadia always keep front and center what must be done and what should be done. She is an incredible asset for the institution."
Benoit Charbonneau
"The RO Spirit Crew lives Waterloo’s values—thinking differently to create fun fundraisers, acting with purpose to support local charities including working together with CEE to support the holiday drive to create a positive community impact!"
Deb Knepper- on behalf of the Registrar's Office Leadership Team
"Thank you to our hardworking EGSO team - Janine Blair, Rita Cherkewski and Tracy Solomon. This team is small but mighty and they keep our large Engineering Faculty office running as a well oiled machine."
Stephanie Forsyth
"Susie Castela is the most dedicated colleague a Chair could hope for. Her commitment to the role, and to the University, shines through every day in her willingness to go the extra mile to help make faculty's lives better and easier."
Chris Fletcher
"Brandon Yong embodies UWaterloo's values of by seamlessly collaborating with his coworkers and students in innovative ways. He is intentional and collaborative in an intuitive way, and truly makes UWaterloo a better place."
Reem Tawfik
"I’m fortunate to work with the SCSRU that collaborates exceptionally well and supports one another. They are reliable, hardworking, and consistently go above and beyond to support our research clients and deliver high-quality work."
Lindsey Webster
"Math Grad Office can always rely on Dylan Gardner being supportive. He always makes sure that we can correct any issues in a quick manner and we appreciate that. He is always patient, kind and has the best sense of humour. Thanks, Dylan!
Kim Tremblay
"Matt Grey is the reason I can get any reports done in a timely manner and is a lifesaver :)"
Hannah Clyde
"Pia Grizzle thinks differently, anticipating needs and asking incisive, timely questions. She acts with purpose by coordinating detailed information, always meeting deadlines, and works together by seeking input and advancing a One Waterloo goal. Star!"
Tanya Pompilio
"Hazel Craig uses her knowledge and experience to problem solve in creative ways in her work, always leading with kindness and curiosity. She goes above and beyond to support and mentor teammates across the department as well."
Jessi Neill
"Jennifer Peng's strategic leadership, focus on empowerment, innovation, and team building have made our department cohesive, adaptable, and strong. She inspires trust and growth—truly an exceptional boss. We’re grateful for her guidance!
Erene Georgiou
"Joy Harris works together by anticipating the Scheduling Team's needs, asking timely questions, and coordinating complex information. She seeks clarification and support to keep work aligned and meet all scheduling deadlines."
Tanya Pompilio
"Gwen Golden demonstrates exceptional patience, and her interactions with her team set a strong example."
Tanya Singh
"Saritha Racharla is a positive, solutions-focused team-player who is always willing to lend a hand. She is a wealth of knowledge and generously shares her expertise to come up with creative solutions to everyday problems."
Kelly Heald
"Hannah Clyde brings intellectual curiosity to conversations, which raises the overall level of thinking on the team."
Brandon Yong
"Raffe Kachichian always thinks "outside-the-box" and works collaboratively with our faculty grad coordinators to help make our processes automated. He is always approachable and takes great pride in his work. Thanks for all you do, Raffe!"
Kim Tremblay
"Tara De Souza consistently looks at the way we've always done things with an eye on how we can do better. I am inspired by her vision to create a more sustainable campus, and happy to work with her in collaborations that are shifting campus culture."
Meg McGarry
"Megan McGarry, Brandon Sweet, and Valerie Vaz drive Waterloo’s internal communications—sharing their strategic insights and creativity to inform and connect our community. Thank you for your essential contributions and supporting "One Waterloo."
Kathy Smidt
"Stephanie Longeway led strategic communications for the 2026 Global Futures Innovation Update, collaborating with researchers, students, alumni, and campus partners to showcase stories connecting game-changing initiatives to real-world impact."
Kerry Stryker
"As an Administrative Officer, Jennifer Shousterman consistently demonstrates curiosity and innovation. She ensures that her work is reflective of unconventional and bold ideas, and is eager to share her leadership. Truly a fantastic colleague."
Jenny Flagler-George
"Jennifer Halcrow has championed bold, creative ideas long before “thinking differently” became a formal University value. She brings fresh perspectives to her work, continually finding new and meaningful ways to communicate with students."
Jenn Willoughby
"Madeleine Noble exemplifies “Act with Purpose” by turning vision into impact. Maddy led the creation of exceptional work-integrated learning in exercise physiology, advancing curriculum and transforming student engagement. Thank you Madeleine!"
Steven Fischer
"Carly Turnbull, Associate Director, Global Futures approaches all of her activities with deep purpose. This ensures connectivity to our long-term, institutional goals."
Fayaz Noormohamed
"Elysia Gallinaro thinks differently by actively listening and recognizing each person’s strengths. She acts with purpose by developing talent and supporting high performance, and works together to build a cohesive, empowered team."
Tanya Pompilio
"The Research Ethics and Animal Care teams demonstrate the power of working together. Their commitment, care, and collaborative spirit support student learning as well as faculty to advance research that will shape a better future for us all."
Julie Joza
"Donna Lutz thinks differently and works tirelessly to make the MUO resilient to anything thrown our way. She works with purpose to raise the level of service to the Faculty and students. She exemplifies the value of working together in all she does."
Benoit Charbonneau
"Marisa Buettel embodies what a leader is. She is absolutely dedicated to getting our students the best outcome, and making sure my colleagues and I are supported in all of our endeavors. She deserves all the praise and recognition!"
Lisa McCarthy
"Chris Rennick is the “we can do it” kind of individual. His door is always open. He has the talent and ability to think out of the box. Problem solver. He has the ability to empower those who work with him."
Reem Roufail
"Dr. Matt Borland for his approach to challenging the status quo of engineering education, his radical commitment to ethics grounded in a deep drive to create more compassionate community, and bridging the gap between engineering and creative expression."
Elaheh Sanoubari
"Elysia Gallinaro fosters a supportive and inclusive team environment through thoughtful leadership and clear guidance. Her ability to stay calm, approachable, and solution-focused makes a meaningful difference in the team's success."
Nupur Nupur
"Boon Khoo exemplifies the Working Together value through a consultative & collegial approach. Sharing knowledge, navigating complex graduate cases, and caring deeply for students as whole people while modeling trust and teamwork for colleagues."
Marianne Simm
"Emma Pavlovich’s contributions to WatSPEED are a perfect example of collaborative team spirit. She crafts the storytelling that elevates the impact of others and helps us shine, and deserves to recognized as a star herself.."
Melanie Hains
"Robert Case exemplifies thinking differently through interdisciplinary work, acts with purpose via advocacy and leadership at the University of Waterloo, and works together through community collaboration and RAAS involvement."
Amir Al-Azraki
"As Managing Director of the FCI, Eryn Stewart consistently demonstrates these values. Working with communities across Canada, she has brought in dozens of projects for the i-capstone, and many thousands of dollars in student sponsorship as well."
Leia Minaker
"Tracy Ranville is a great team player. She also shows commitment to the students—always ready to help when a student contacts the office by phone/email and ensures their concerns/inquiries are handled thoroughly and professionally."
Monika Strome
"Sarah Landy goes above and beyond her core responsibilities to ensure operations run smoothly, often taking on additional tasks without hesitation. Her proactive approach and reliability make her an essential part of SYDE and its success."
Bisan Samara
"Caity Dyck consistently puts our values into practice in her role. She is a natural collaborator and creative problem-solver. She celebrates our students and academics with pride and meaningful and experienced intention."
Kerri Behling
"Stephanie Forsyth exemplifies Waterloo’s values through collaborative, purposeful work in GSPA Admissions, supporting faculties and departments by grounding them in admissions processes and guiding them through the new system with clarity and patience."
Maha Eid
"Kira Youngblut manages two departments. Despite a workload fit for two, she acts with dedication and purpose, pitching in everywhere and ensuring our students feel welcome and heard. She gives her best every day and treats everyone with respect.."
James Skidmore / Monica Leoni
"Jacque Bailey is a shining star in the graduate admissions world. She is always thinking of ways to improve our processes, asks great questions, and has been putting in extra time as we learn to do more with less. Thank you Jacque!"
Stephanie Forsyth
"Susie Castela thinks differently to find unique solutions to complicated administrative problems, acts with purpose to ensure staff and faculty success despite their many incursions on her work, and her sunny disposition sets a working together tone."
Derek Robinson
"Jen Lehman will step into any breach to strengthen the Department of Biology in pursuit of our common vision. Her support of faculty, students & staff helps us act as an integrative force in research and teaching. She really shows up for us all!"
Rebecca Rooney
"Eric Jardin consistently conducts himself with compassion and understanding. He actively builds meaningful relationships with stakeholders across campus and around the world. His care for the Waterloo community is exemplified in all he does."
Sabrina Kha
"Chris Voutsis truly exemplified Think Differently when facing tough vendor issues. Rather than waiting for vendor fixes that're not timely or practical, he thought creatively with custom solutions, with outstanding drive and determination!"
Linda Zhang
"Mary Power, a consummate connector/collaborator, supports "her people" ten-fold! With enhancing student learning in mind, she guides her team & instructors with evidence-based, outside-the-box thinking resulting in key institutional solutions."
Jason Thompson
"Gail Spencer for her dedicated advocacy for the University of Waterloo community. She is a compassionate listener, a trusted voice, and a tireless supporter who empowers others with fairness, integrity, and care."
Abate Mergia
"Perpetually generous with his time and talent, Prof. Andrew Hunt's steady hand with group leadership is matched only by his deep compassion and concern for everyone at UW (and beyond). Andrew exemplifies constructiveness and positivity at their finest"
Dylan Cyr
"I'd like to recognize Marisa Buettel for stepping in to being our Interim Manager in MME. Her positive leadership, caring nature has helped our team stay organized, focused, prioritizing our tasks at hand. She has strengthened our UG team moral."
Liz Skibicki
"Robin Jardin embodies UW values in every interaction with colleagues across campus and with the Engineering students she supports. She has earned respect and trust, acts with patience and selfless commitment to nurture a thriving community."
Mary Robinson
"Rhys Gwynne exemplifies UW’s values through hard work, kindness, and genuine care for faculty, staff, and students. Leading a largely soft-funded lab during UW's financial challenges, he models resilient, compassionate leadership, and excellence."
Michael Makahnouk
"The leadership and management Melissa Potwarka provides in campus wellness through the Be you program and dedication to advancing the idea that issues of equity and inclusion are intertwined with wellness require acknowledgment from her peers!"
Anonymous
"Bryan Olive demonstrates UW Values by fostering collaboration and teamwork to achieve shared goals. He leads a resourceful, responsive team, seeks solutions, takes a forward-looking approach, and is approachable and valued across the unit."
Joe Henhoeffer
"Christina Mancini goes above and beyond to help scheduling representatives learn the skills to create a class schedule and creates helpful resources and references. Her kind and supportive nature help foster a collaborative learning environment."
Claire Newbigging
"Maha Eid is a true pleasure to work with. She is a advocate for positive change in the Faculty of Arts graduate office. She acts with purpose to support our grad students within Arts, and she is a wonderful collaborator. Thank you Maha!
Stephanie Forsyth
"Reem Tawfik consistently brings a collaborative mindset and helps create a positive, inclusive working environment. She approaches teamwork with openness and respect, making it easy for others to contribute and succeed together."
Brandon Yong
"Through her work, Amanda St. Marie advances reconciliation by centering Indigenous voices, building strong partnerships, and creating meaningful impact across the faculty and beyond. I am so glad to be able to work in collaboration with Amanda!"
Savannah Sloat
"Rui Tome embodies the 'Work Together' values - He leads with compassion, supports his team through hands on training, maintains equipment for the custodial group and drives everyday efficiency so everyone can succeed together."
Amanda Lockhart
"Matt Grey is the perfect embodiment of UWaterloo's values. He takes every opportunity to support his colleagues, goes out of the way to ensure an inclusive and collaborative environment, and approaches his work with intent, expertise, and passion.
Reem Tawfik
"The International Agreements team has worked with Evan Taylor on multiple complex negotiations with a wide variety of international partners and stakeholders. His advice and capable nature make him one of our favourite people to work with on campus."
Eric Jardin
"Tanya Pompilio consistently demonstrates our workplace values through her reliability, collaboration, and willingness to help wherever needed. Her contributions make a real difference in keeping things running smoothly!
Nupur Nupur
"Kelly Heald is so kind, patient and knowledgeable. She always makes time for our team when we have questions. She sees outside of the box and always puts the students first. We appreciate you, Kelly!"
Kim Tremblay
"Erica Refling embodies acting with purpose & working together. She listens actively, always offers thoughtful support & asks the right questions to let ideas grow to action. She balances care & drive in a motivating way. We’re lucky to have her!"
Molly Fernhill
"As an administrative officer, Jennifer Peng is a true team builder who supports individual growth, is compassionate, fosters collaboration, drives innovative student recruitment, and purposefully streamlines and improves departmental processes.
Nicola Kelly
"Samantha St. Amand is a gifted connector, bringing people together and sharing her work broadly. She works with purpose, connecting projects to goals and seeking to understand colleagues' needs to ensure her work is impactful.
Martha Foulds