ATSU honors Missouri campus employees during virtual awards ceremony
Posted: June 10, 2021
A.T. Still University (ATSU) celebrated employees from its Kirksville, Missouri, campus and St. Louis, Missouri, location May 6 with a virtual awards ceremony, presenting honors for outstanding achievements and marking years of service.
“This is a day I always look forward to,” said ATSU President Craig Phelps, DO, ‘84. “Graduations and employee appreciation days are especially memorable days for me.
“During the past year and a half, faculty and staff have done a great job. ATSU set a significant bar early on, and people noticed. When asked how the University was able to accomplish the things we did, I tell people it’s our faculty, staff, and administration. By working together, we continued the education of our students and kept our facilities open and functioning.”
Carrie Gaines, director of post-award compliance and management, Sponsored Programs, received the ATSU’s Missouri campus 2021 Distinguished Service Award.
“Carrie truly embodies ATSU’s mission and vision,” said Gaylah Sublette, MBA, vice president of Research and Sponsored Programs. “Her superhero power is that she has a near photographic memory. Carrie can recall thousands of grant compliance rules and regulations, policies, books, and music of all genres, and more. And, bonus, she is hilarious. She often quotes phrases involving critters and the country, stemming from her roots in Arkansas. Her level of talent and compassion comes around once in a lifetime.”
Gaines said she was overwhelmed by the honor and credited her colleagues.
“Those of us who seemingly have it all together and do well at our work, it’s because of our colleagues, our friends, and the environment we get to work in,” she said. “I’m excited and I’m grateful to work at A.T. Still University.”
Other recognitions included:
– A.T. Still Staff Award for Excellence in Teaching, Clinical: Jonathan Kirsch, DO, ’96, associate professor, osteopathic manipulative medicine, ATSU-Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (KCOM)
– A.T. Still Staff Award for Excellence in Teaching, Basic Sciences: William Brechue, PhD, chair and professor, Physiology, ATSU-KCOM
– ATSU-Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health Elsie Gaber Compassion & Integrity Award: Hussein Al-Wakeel, DDS, Dip, MSc, assistant professor
– ATSU-College of Graduate Health Studies (CGHS) Outstanding Employee Award: Susan Thomas, instructional design
– Employee Excellence Awards: first quarter, Carolyn Stanley, clerical support, Research, Grants, & Scholarly Innovations; second quarter, Dan Aaronson, technician, Information Technology Services (ITS); third quarter, Nae’Wanda Moore, senior administrative assistant, St. Louis Dental Center, ATSU-MOSDOH; fourth quarter, Brenda Williams, coordinator, Academic Affairs, ATSU-KCOM
Service Award recipients were, five years: Norma Baez, service worker, Environmental Services; Wesley Belling, service worker, Environmental Services; Debra Blessing, aging studies project coordinator, Area Health Education Center, ATSU-KCOM; Gary Bruning, DO, director, Kirksville Family Medicine; Ashlea Costello, MBA, executive assistant, Vice President & General Counsel; Geoffroey-Allen Franklin, MBA, Still Research data manager, Still Research Institute; Byunghee Han, PhD, associate professor, Pharmacology, ATSU-KCOM; Valerie Horn, Gutensohn business office coordinator; DeEtta Jones, LPN, Regional Arthritis Center coordinator, Area Health Education Center, ATSU-KCOM; Sarah Maddox, MAE, proposal development specialist, Sponsored Programs; Tim Ostrowski, PhD, assistant professor, Physiology, ATSU-KCOM; Jennifer Sharp, student account coordinator, Finance Office; Zane Starks, MS, specialist, Still Research Institute; Andrew Thompson, student accounts director, Finance Office; Kelsey VanWye, admissions application coordinator, Residential Admissions; Akshay Vij, DDS, Specialty Care Unit director, St. Louis Dental Center, ATSU-MOSDOH; Christopher Wilken, desktop security analyst, Network Technologies; and Terry Wise, PhD, JD, D Min, associate dean, ATSU-CGHS.
10 years: Joshua Bernstein, PhD, CHES, associate professor, Doctor of Health Sciences Education, ATSU-CGHS; Barbara Bevell, multimedia specialist, Academic Technologies; Keith Elmslie, PhD, department chair, Pharmacology, ATSU-KCOM; Debra Frazier, administrative support, ATSU-CGHS; Larry Frost, security officer, Security; Katie Hubbard, MBA, writer/editor, Communication & Marketing; Christopher Lindley, ATSU-KCOM curriculum coordinator, Medical Education; Marty Martin, skilled general maintenance II, Maintenance; Holley McCoy, service worker, Environmental Services; and Jody Peterson, administrative assistant curriculum, Medical Education, ATSU-KCOM.
15 years: Mary Carter, CPP, payroll director, Human Resources; Deborah Goggin, MA, ELS, scientific writer; Research Support; Deanna Hunsaker, DHEd, MBA, assistant vice president, Enrollment Services; Lynda Konecny, DHSc, DHEd, MS, CHES, associate professor, Doctor of Health Education, ATSU-CGHS; and Chasiti Peavler, medical assistant; Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) Clinic.
20 years: Gail Doss, creative services coordinator, Communication & Marketing; Tonya Grimm, MSAF, controller, Finance; Timothy Johnson, network operations director, Network Technologies; Pamela Redding, LPN, OMM Clinic; and Kelcey Smith, education coordinator, Family Medicine & Community Health, ATSU-KCOM.
25 years: Deborah Clay, associate director sponsored research & programs, Sponsored Programs; Alan Cornelison, service worker, Environmental Services; Sharon Drummond, service worker, Environmental Services; Robert Frazier, security supervisor, Security.
Merle Glaspie, service worker, Environmental Services; and Linda Sutton, academic computing analyst, Administrative Computing.
30 years: Michael French, associate director, Area Health Education Center, ATSU-KCOM; and Jean Varnold, ITS communications manager, ITS Administration.
35 years: Rita Clem, printing technician, Printing Services – Communication & Marketing.