ATSU honors Arizona employees at annual Employee Recognition & Awards Ceremony
Posted: March 28, 2023
A.T. Still University (ATSU) hosted its annual Arizona campus Employee Recognition & Award Ceremony on March 8, 2023. Employees were recognized for their numerous outstanding achievements and years of service.
ATSU’s Mesa, Arizona, campus’ Distinguished Service Award went to Daniel Ochoa, general maintenance assistant, ATSU facilities. This award recognizes employees who display exceptional service to ATSU. Nominees must have a minimum of 10 years cumulative service to the University and display extraordinary dedication, service above self, a strong work ethic, and a positive outlook.
Those who nominated Ochoa submitted the following comments:
- “Daniel always has a smile on his face and comes in with a can-do attitude. He always lends a hand and helps as needed without hesitation.”
- “Daniel is a hard worker and does his job with a smile every day.”
- “Daniel always has a smile and a friendly greeting for everyone. He proactively steps in to help at any time.”
- “Daniel, thank you very much for your help in the last 15 years. The school looks clean because of your dedication in a lot of areas. Thank you for being part of the facilities team.”
The University also celebrated employee excellence through the Quarterly Employee Excellence Awards. Winners of this award include: Clarissa Rodriguez, senior administrative assistant, diversity & inclusion; Robin Tritt, administrative assistant, speech-language pathology, ATSU-ASHS; Kelly Rise, lead clinical education coordinator, clinical education, ATSU-SOMA; Amber Kuamo’o, senior administrative assistant, administration, ATSU-ASHS.
The 2023 Service Award recipients are as follows:
5 years: Sara E. Amini-Rad, BS, MSBMS program manager, ATSU-ASHS; Brandi Buchanan, OTD, OTR/L, program researcher, ATSU Aging Studies; Jessica Cady, coordinator, ISCP Dental Assistant PSC, ATSU-ASDOH; Cassie Conrad, clinical education assistant, physical therapy, ATSU-ASHS; Rachel Duffy, DMD, MPH, CCU director, assistant professor, predoctoral education, ATSU-ASDOH; Desiree Dugger, admissions coordinator, residential admissions; Victoria Green, MS, RDH instructor, dental hygiene, predoctoral education, ATSU-ASDOH; Prasanth Kharade, academic computing programmer, administrative computing; Nathan Harmon, ITS technician, ITS customer service; Noemi Kershner, dental assistant, on-site clinical education, ATSU-ASDOH; Darcy Lanz, dental lab technician, on-site clinical education, ATSU-ASDOH; Jason Lee, operations specialist, administration, ATSU-ASDOH; Kimberly Lovell, MEd, BSDH, dental hygiene instructor, on-site clinical education, ATSU-ASDOH; Jeni Rogers, MHA, clinical rotation services analyst, senior vice president, academic affairs; Denise Sackett, DO, associate professor, internal medicine, clinical science education, ATSU-SOMA; Lindsey Springer, DMD, MPH, MS, assistant professor, predoctoral education, ATSU-ASDOH; Kirsten Voak, BA, ICSP coordinator, administration, ATSU-ASDOH; Lisa Watts, DO, associate professor, family medicine, clinical science education, ATSU-SOMA; Earla White, PhD, MED, chair, associate professor, undergraduate medical education, ATSU-SOMA; Rebecca Wolf, JD, MPH, OTR/L, associate professor, chair, occupational therapy, ATSU-ASHS.
10 years: Cailee Bacon, PhD, ATC, associate professor, athletic training/research, ATSU-ASHS, ATSU-SOMA; Harold Bright, MLS, AHIP, University librarian, University library; Anna Campbell, PhD, chair, associate professor, anatomy, ATSU-SOMA; Nicholas Cross, assessment coordinator, physician assistant studies, ATSU-ASHS; Patricia Dabrowski, AuD, associate professor, audiology, ATSU-ASHS; Randy Danielsen, PhD, DHL(h), PA-C Emeritus, DFAAPA, professor and director, DMSc program, ATSU-ASHS, director, Center for the Future of the Health Professions; Karen DeCarlo, BS, director of development, University advancement; Ellen Gohlke, RDH, BS, instructor, dental hygiene, Advance Care Clinic education, ATSU-ASDOH; Deanna Hughes, MeD, director, residential admissions; Inder Makin, MD, PhD, professor, research, ATSU-SOMA, ATSU-ASHS; Angela Miller, clinic technology specialist, administration, ATSU-ASDOH; Teri Rorie, administrative assistant, audiology and speech-language pathology, ATSU-ASHS; Emily Shields, education specialist, on-site clinical education, ATSU-ASDOH; Yvette Thornton, RDH, MPH, instructor, co-director dentistry in the community, predoctoral education, ATSU-ASDOH.
15 years: Jeremy Andrews, programmer, academic computing; Joe Copalman, online enrollment counselor, admissions; Michele Farr, assessment coordinator, undergraduate medical education, ATSU-SOMA; Tonya Fitch, MBA, director/compensation manager, HR; Timothy Flores, online enrollment counselor, admissions; Deborah Heath, DO, chair, professor, osteopathic principles & practice, ATSU-SOMA; Sabah Kalamchi, DDS, director, oral maxillofacial surgery, professor, predoctoral education, ATSU-ASDOH; Robert Levine, DDS, assistant professor, predoctoral education, ATSU-ASDOH; Kathy Moralez, senior dental assistant, Advance Care Clinic, ATSU-ASDOH; Lorree Ratto, PhD, chair, associate professor, medical humanities/medical simulation, ATSU-SOMA; Beth Schmitt, clinical education project coordinator, clinical education, ATSU-SOMA.
20 years: Elton Bordenave, PhD, MED, director, Center for Resilience in Aging, associate professor, ATSU-ASHS; Sheree Fiske, clinical affairs officer, ATSU-ASHS; Melanie Gibson, MA, instructional designer, program manager, audiology, ATSU-ASHS; Cheri Hodges, PT, DPT, associate professor, physical therapy, ATSU-ASHS; Tamara McLeod Valovich, PhD, ATC, chair, professor tenure, athletic training, ATSU-ASHS.
View more photos from the ceremony below!
