In appreciation of campus staff

An integral part of the UC Santa Barbara family, the university’s roughly 3,000 career staff members were formally recognized and feted for five days in May during the campus’s annual Staff Celebration Week, with a slate of special events and activities designed to honor their commitment, dedication and hard work. 

“In countless and important ways, your contributions help to build the prestigious reputation, and happy living, learning and working environment that our campus enjoys,” said Chancellor Henry Yang at the signature event, a well-attended lunch held on Commencement Green and sponsored by the Chancellor’s Staff Advisory Council (CSAC).

Chancellor Yang, along with Vice Chancellor of Administrative Services Garry Mac Pherson, presented the 2024 Staff Citation of Excellence Awards, a process coordinated by Staff Assembly.

“Our selection committee has the daunting task of selecting ten winners from the very deserving nominated staff members,” said Greta Halle, a Staff Assembly co-chair. “This year’s 10 recipients collectively represent 110 years of service and speak to the commitment staff have to our campus, our students and the university’s mission.”

The award recipients and their areas were:

• Kristine Duarte, Bren School

• Katelynn Ellison, Mechanical Engineering

• Michelle Fredrich, Communication

• Stephanie Hernandez Carbajal, Advocacy Resources & Education

• Kelsey Leonard Moore, California Nanosystems Institute

• Christina Nguyen, Career Services

• Quinn Rioz, Resource Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity

• Tiffany Sabado, Asian American Studies

• Tricia Taylor, Student Affairs

• Kathryn Tucciarone, Gevirtz Graduate School of Education

Other lunchtime presentations included the PWA Unsung Heroine Awards, Supervisory Certificates and new Dilling Yang Scholarship awardees, as well as the Lean Sigma Six Green Belt Certificates.

Other events held during the week and sponsored by Staff Assembly included the annual ice cream social, a coffee for new staff members, and a cookie contest. The annual Staff Social, Arts & Crafts Bazaar and prize drawing wrapped up the week’s festivities.

Staff also were invited to join a series of tours, including the North Campus Open Space Restoration project, a behind the scenes look at the Dance & Theater program and the REEF touch tanks, among others.