The Department of Global Health recently awarded its 2022 Outstanding Staff Award to Arika Johnson (Program Manager, DGH Core). Her role as program manager for the newly implemented faculty search includes working with DGH leadership, Faculty Search Council, Human Resources, Communications, students and faculty candidates. Arika has done a phenomenal job supporting the DGH Faculty Search Council through the biggest, most complex faculty search the Department has ever done. She designed creative and inclusive processes, with evolving input from the DGH Faculty Search Committee and both the SPH and SOM Dean’s offices. Her highest priority was to provide an excellent experience for all candidates from a wonderfully diverse pool.  Arika also supports Human Resources, specializing in student employment.

"Arika is truly a department treasure!" said Aleta Elliott and members of Department Leadership, who nominated her for the award. "She took the lead on a new process, navigated a complex process, as stated above, and is becoming a source for ways to improve the process for the coming year. She functioned as the main organizer and communicator for the faculty search committee, the candidates and the members of the department with whom the candidates needed to meet. She also coordinated closely with our communications team, which helped get the job talks, interviews and evaluations completed in an amazingly short time! She is someone that we should really work to retain and demonstrate the value the department places on her service and dedication."

Outstanding Staff Award Nominees

Kellie List, Grants & Programs Manager, Global WACh

Kellie's outstanding level of service and support has enabled explosive growth within our team, from 32 funded grants in 2018 to over 60 today. The amazing science that comes out of GWACh is made possible and enjoyable through Kellie’s heroic efforts to keep us compliant, informed, and ensure the highest standards in our submissions and reports to sponsors. She exemplifies what it means to engage meaningfully in antiracist work at our institution and cultivate a climate where all team members can thrive. - Kate Rankin (nominator)

Basia Otto, Communications & Events Program Specialist, DGH Core

Basia works across the department and has an excellent handle on everything in our department, from supporting nearly all events, academic program activities, faculty hires, newsletters, web and intranet updates, and so much more. She has excellent relationships with everyone and we would be lost without her! - Julie Brunett  (nominator)

Alyson Shumays, Senior Program Manager, Global WACh

Alyson Shumays is instrumental to Global WACh. She works across over a dozen projects to ensure that the projects are implemented with rigor, collaboration, and timely. Alyson has centered DEI values in her work, providing considered, balanced, and practical considerations on how GWACh can implement DEI principles. Her work is above and beyond, but she also seeks out resources needed to best support her team and have them thrive. - Arianna Means, Kirk Tickell, Patty Pavlinac, Sean Galagan, Mame Diakhate, and Emily Pearman (nominators)

Shelly Tonge-Seymour, Associate Center Director, I-TECH

Shelly has provided sustained leadership for I-TECH during her tenure. She epitomizes servant leadership, building up those who report to her and helping them not only succeed in their current role but preparing them to move on to whatever's next in their career journey. She demonstrated DGH values around excellence, innovation, integrity, and impact, and her leadership as a Director within our center has positively impacted project efforts to build sustainable health programs within the country locations we operate. - Bryan Verity (nominator)