University of Utah Human Resource Management is pleased to announce the eight recipients of the 2025 University of Utah Presidential Staff Excellence Awards (USEA). USEA was established in 1992 to recognize superior service and ongoing contributions by the university’s full-time and part-time employees.

The final eight awardees were selected from the pool of District Staff Excellence recipients by a committee coordinated by the president of the University’s Staff Council, and approved by Chief Human Resources Officer, Jeff Herring. To be selected as a USEA recipient is a very high honor and is a sign that their commitment and contributions are valued by their colleagues, supervisors and leadership of the university.

Our USEA awardees and all district awardees will be recognized at an awards ceremony in November. Congratulations to all of our awardees—we look forward to celebrating your achievements in the fall!

The final eight Presidential Staff Excellence awardees include:

Academics & Student Affairs

Academics & Student Affairs

Administration

Administration

Health Academics

Health Academics

Hospitals & Clinics

Hospitals & Clinics

The district recipients for this year’s Staff Excellence Awards include:

Academics & Student Affairs District

• Michaela Paine | Youth Education Program Specialist, UCL Personal Enrichment Programs
• Brett Gaffney | Community Events Program Manager, Bennion Community Center
• Matthew Morales | UU - Student Research, College of Law *part-time awardee

Administration District

• Anna Marsden | Senior Manager, Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination
• Ju-Fen Zhu | Senior Laboratory Specialist, HCI Benjamin Myers Lab
• Whitney Mackay | Executive Assistant, VP for Research
• Carla Lloyd | Patient Research Advocacy Coordinator, HCI Research Administration Department *part-time awardee

Health Academics

• Jamuna Jones | Social Worker, Chief Wellness Office
• Josh Taylor | Program Manager, PHS - Health System Innovation & Research
• Lisa Smith | Nurse Manager, Pediatric Administration
• Barbara Saffel | Program Manager, Biomedical Informatics Administration *part-time awardee

Hospitals & Clinics

• Brian Hamilton | Project Manager, University Hospital Neurosciences Outreach
• Kara Nazminia | Clinical Pharmacist, University Hospital Pharmacy
• Kaysen Walker | Occupational Therapist, Gender Affirming Care Program
• Lou Negron | Applications Systems Analyst, ITS Clinical Information Systems
• Marisa Hansen | Surgical Technician Coordinator, CNC Operating Room
• Melanie Thelin | Flight Nurse, University Hospital Air Ambulance
• Troy Mangum | Psychiatric Technician II, Huntsman Mental Health Institute
• Lindsey Davis | Medical Assistant II, Pulmonary *part-time awardee