Matt Smith

Director of College Libraries

Matt has a vision for Moon Library that encompasses the needs of the student body while improving the campus. His wealth of knowledge about many things is invaluable and sensible. He leads our staff in a way that makes us want to be the best we can be. He never asks students, librarians, or staff to do anything he wouldn’t do himself. As the UUP president, he works tirelessly to make sure his members are paid correctly and treated with dignity and respect. To his credit, he has an open-door policy (that sometimes interferes with his daily workload, but he greets everyone with enthusiasm and patience). Our students are impressed at how much he gives to so many. Matt truly deserves a massive shout out and the campus’ deepest appreciation for his dedication.

Nominated by Library Clerk Nan Clark on behalf of the Moon Library Staff

John Detor

Trades Generalist

John has a great attitude every day and takes pride in his work. This can be seen in the new club storage lockers in Moon Library and the kitchenette in the Communications and Marketing office, both hand-crafted custom projects that required great skill. He also is working longer hours to meet with students from the ESF Woodworking Club, provide guidance, and facilitate their ability to grow and learn as a club. This is above and beyond his required job duties. Thank you, John, for all your hard work!

Nominated by Michael Amadori
Energy Manager

Kelly Pitcher

Police Administration and Parking Services Coordinator

Kelly never fails to make on-campus parking logistics run smoothly, even when last-minute changes and communication "oopsies" get in the way. She's a huge part of why K-12 Outreach is able to carry out all the activities, visits, and collaborations that we do. Thank you, Kelly!

Nominated by Olivia Whitmarsh
Outreach Coordinator, Open Academy

Div Kirti

Equal Opportunity Program (EOP) Counselor

Div deserves all the accolades! She is a powerful advocate for opportunity program students in particular and ESF students as a whole. Div always makes time to create the best learning and living experience for her students, and she goes above and beyond with her resources. She is a wise counselor, a supportive colleague, and a treasure to our community. I'm so grateful to work with Div!
 
Nominated by Aley O'Mara
Coordinator of Academic Success

Jeremy Hall

Institutional Research and Assessment Coordinator

Jeremy has been hard at work the past year responding to our Middle States report. Without his dedication and persistence we would not have made it through! We are so lucky that he shepherded us through these complex issues and the campus will be positively impacted for years to come because of his work. Thanks, Jeremy!
 
Nominated by Erin Tochelli
Associate Director of Academic Administration

Sean Korbas and Kialey Day

Undergraduate Admissions Assistants

A shout-out to two of our Sustainability Ambassadors who are working hard to make Accepted Student Receptions sustainable certified events! The most recent Accepted Student Reception was a sustainability success, and we look forward to how the receptions will continue to evolve and showcase sustainability and ESF’s mission to new students!
 
Nominated by the Office of Sustainability

Office of Career Services

John Turbeville and Meredith Chase

Career Services continues to make the ESF Career Fair as sustainable as possible! Asking vendors to Lug Their Mugs & Pack Their Plates, clearly and proudly showcasing the proper disposal of compostable products, and providing bulk drink stations instead of aluminum water bottles – are among the ways they foster sustainability at their signature event! 

Nominated by the Office of Sustainability

Lauren Becksted

Administrative Assistant

Lauren is the first point of contact for students at the Counseling Center. Her friendly demeanor, sense of humor, and extensive knowledge of all things ESF help students feel welcomed and cared for when they enter our space. Lauren's care and dedication to ESF students is unwavering! As a new staff member at ESF, I cannot thank Lauren enough for all she has done to help me feel welcomed and acclimated to our campus community!
 
Caroline Goldschein
Staff Therapist

Renee McNamara and Erica Allen

Dean of Students and Director of Counseling, respectively

A shout-out to Renee McNamara and Erica Allen! They have gone above and beyond in creating a supportive campus environment. While they are beyond busy, they are willing to make time for our students to help them solve their problems in creative ways. Their innovative solutions help our students academically and personally. I am grateful to work with Renee and Erica because they are great leaders and create a fun work environment. It's a pleasure to work with them, and our campus is lucky to have them!
 
Joelle Conant
Staff Therapist

Ranger School Facilities Team

Eric Wixon, John Russell, Brian Whitford, Tim Johnson, Anne Pickering, Bradley Fiske, and  Justin Duchano

When a major break occurred in a water line supplying the buildings at the Ranger School, Eric Wixon and his team (John Russell, Brian Whitford, Tim Johnson, Anne Pickering, Bradley Fiske, and  Justin Duchano) responded quickly to find and fix the leak, get a clean water test and have the system back up and running for the students, faculty and staff. A wonderful response that minimized disturbance to Ranger School activities.

Bob MacGregor
Director of Forest Properties

Stephen Morrison

Food and Beverage Manager

Steve is phenomenal to work with and we are so lucky to have him at ESF! He is always going above and beyond when it comes to all of our catering needs, and I really enjoy working with him. He is extremely kind and radiates positivity in everything he does. Thank you for all of your hard work, Steve!!

Emily Wheeler
Special Events Coordinator

Diana Jaramillo Keane

Division of Sustainable Facilities and Operations (Physical Plant)

I am a new employee in this department and was petrified on my first day. It was scary leaving my previous employer. Everyone I have encountered at ESF has been so kind and patient as I learn my way around. Diana Jaramillo is a very effective leader: fair, patient, empathetic, and knowledgeable. 
 
Anonymous Employee

John Kaftan

Senior Network Administrator

Heiberg Forest officially has internet service and is part of the Evergreen network. John coordinated the installation of cable lines and getting internet service up and running in the main office/maintenance garage and both classrooms. Thanks, John for bringing us into the 21st century!
 
Jill Rahn
Forest Resource Analyst

Liz Parsons

Assistant Facilities Program Coordinator

A shout out to Liz Parsons who works in Physical Plant! Since Liz started, she has helped the Trades Department out with the new signage around campus, along with other important projects. Big Shout Out, Liz! We appreciate you big time!

Earl Bazydlo
Maintenance Supervisor 1 

Ken Stvan

Manager of Information Systems

Ken went out of his way to assist new Centennial Hall staff by training them on bulk-loading student information into Banner to prepare for spring billing. A long and arduous process was made easy and efficient thanks to Ken's time, patience, and efforts! We are extremely grateful for Ken being a part of the ESF community! 

Bob Brophy/Steph Mecca
Centennial Hall staff

Jennifer Webb

User Services Manager, Information Technology/Computing and Network Services

Jennifer Webb's exceptional support deserves recognition. Facing critical computer issues three weeks ago, she spent over five hours helping me - working through what should have been her lunch break - reinstalling software and data. Two weeks later, during the winter break week, she met with me on 45-minute notice for another two-plus hours to address a different computer issue.
 
Beyond her professional and accommodating demeanor, Jennifer embodies ESF's ethos by infusing a great sense of humor into her assistance. Jennifer’s expertise, generosity, and dedication exemplify ESF's commitment to faculty support. She stands as a testament to ESF's exceptional support specialists.
 
Bob Malmsheimer
Distinguished Teaching Professor

Mona Maharjan

Lead Programmer/Analyst

Sending a shout-out to Mona for her invaluable contributions to enhancing our webpage content. Her dedication to providing feedback and promptly responding to inquiries has greatly improved our overall online presence. Thank you, Mona, for your outstanding support!
 
Hui Chen
Coordinator of International Student and Scholar Services

John Turbeville

Director of Career Services and Corporate Engagement

John deserves a shoutout for a bevy of reasons — his unparalleled and consistent dedication to the College, coupled with his strategic and intentional insights, have allowed him to greatly contribute to ESF and the student experience for the past 20 years. He positively adds to the ethos of ESF by consistently embodying the College’s core values, demonstrating commitment to our mission, and fostering a collaborative and inclusive culture while inspiring his colleagues to do the same. In addition, his leadership is inspirational. He sets a high standard for professionalism, ethics, and dedication, motivating the entire team to excel. His open communication fosters a collaborative work environment where ideas are valued, and innovation thrives.

Casey Duffy
Associate Director of Career Services

Hui Chen

Coordinator of International Student and Scholar Services

Hui goes above and beyond daily for the students she works with and her colleagues. For international students, she is a welcoming presence, a mother figure, an advocate, and so much more. Hui puts tremendous effort into her daily support of international students and planning social events, field trips, and cultural celebrations for the entire campus. As a colleague, she is always there to support,  listen, and help with anything she can. Much of the hard work she does is behind the scenes, and she deserves recognition for the international community she helps create and supports on campus.
 
Kerrie Findlay
Coordinator of Education Abroad

Aley O'Mara

Coordinator of Academic Success

The Academic Success Center (ASC) is the backbone of this campus. It's a place that has to be safe for students to come in and talk about some of their most vulnerable academic challenges. Aley does an excellent job running the ASC while going above and beyond supporting the Peer Tutors and the students who go there for academic help. Aley's relationships with students keep them at ESF and keep them going. Thank you for all your work, Aley!
 
Div Kirti
EOP Counselor

Dr. Timothy Volk

Professor and Associate Chair, Sustainable Resources Management

Tim goes above and beyond as a mentor to new faculty in Sustainable Resources Management (SRM), including myself. He reaches out and follows up with research, teaching, and other opportunities. Tim gives his time and cares about our success at ESF and as individuals, which helps make ESF mightier. He does not hesitate to support us where he can but does not take the lead, rather allowing us to grow and encouraging collaboration within and outside of the department. He is action-oriented and highly collaborative beyond the walls of academia, contributing positively to our community and putting the ESF mission into action.

Cole Gross
Assistant Professor
Sustainable Resources Management

Pete Vandermark

Asst. Director of Environmental Health & Safety Services

Pete Vandermark has flown under the radar for too long! He is an incredible leader who is always willing to lend a helping hand. Pete has been an excellent collaborative partner and is always willing to find ways to enhance and beautify the campus. Pete starts from a place of yes, and I have always appreciated every opportunity to work with him and the team.

Amelia Hoffman
Director of Student Success and Engagement

Terrance Caviness

Undergraduate Advisor & Curriculum Assistant, Environmental Biology | Assistant Director, Cranberry Lake Biological Station

Terrance Caviness embodies the concept of "going above and beyond." Not only does he perform his job superbly, he is so attentive to what needs doing that he applies his incredible skills to whatever problem arises — an invaluable approach in the remote setting of Cranberry Lake. All summer long you'll see him developing student research, writing creative grant proposals, improvising equipment, as well as comforting students, bailing boats, planting trees, and making breakfast for the campus if the cooks are fogged in. All of this he does with a ready laugh and spirit of service and compassion that is a rare gift to our ESF community.

Robin W. Kimmerer
Distinguished Teaching Professor

Student Success & Engagement Team

Christopher Card, Aley O’Mara, Ebby Adukkalil, Amelia Hoffman

The Student Success & Engagement team has been CRUSHING it this semester! The Barbie Disco was a blast, the TGIF event was awesome, and the time and effort put into Family Weekend shows the level of dedication this group has to ESF. We're so lucky to have a team that will go all out to provide our students with opportunities to let loose responsibly!  

Div Kirti
EOP Counselor 

Dave “Dz” Dzwonkowski

Director of Business Affairs

Dave has gone above and beyond for me numerous times while sorting out awards and finances. He is communicative, reliable, and he truly cares about the student experience at ESF. I'm thankful to Dave and his team for helping to get things done (sometimes on a tight timeline)! 

Abby Webster
ESF Student

Mark Poupore

Supervising Janitor

Mark is upbeat, exudes positivity, goes above and beyond and is supportive of his team. He is a pleasure to work with at ESF!

Rebecca Hoda-Kearse,
Executive People Officer