University of Illinois System

Distinguished Employee Leadership and Team Award (DELTA)

Nominations for 2024 are now closed.

The Distinguished Employee Leadership and Team Award (DELTA) annually recognizes System Office employees and teams for their exceptional accomplishments, service and dedication to the University. Since the 2008 inauguration of DELTA, 290 System Office employees have been recognized as DELTA award recipients.   

The number of individual and project team awards is dependent upon the number of outstanding nominees and the budget available. At a minimum, one academic professional employee, one civil service employee, and one project team will be awarded each year.  All awards will not be granted unless there is a full slate of candidates that meet the DELTA award criteria. 

Individuals receiving the award will be presented with a glass trophy, certificate and one-time cash award of $1,500.  Members of a project team receiving the team award will also receive a glass trophy, certificate and equally share a one-time cash award at a maximum of $5,000, not to exceed $1,500 per person. Recipients will be honored at an annual award event in the spring.

Objectives

  • Recognize that the System Offices provides important contributions to the University.
  • Demonstrate that outstanding performance is recognized and nurtured at the University.
  • Encourage continued superior performance and leadership from employees.
  • Recognize that our short term may be challenging and that it will require innovation, continued dedication and strong performance of our employees to shape our future.

For More Details

Please visit the DELTA Project Team Award and DELTA Individual Award pages for details on eligibility, nomination procedures, and nomination forms. Questions about the DELTA program can be directed to DeltaAward@uillinois.edu.

Delta Selection Committee 

Each year, the DELTA Selection Committee, comprised of System Office leaders along with representatives the award winners from the previous year, meet to select new recipients. Joy Brownridge, Training and Development Specialist for System Human Resource Services, serves as the program coordinator. The 2024 Selection Committee is:

Kelly Block, Senior Associate Vice President, Administrative Information Technology Services
Sarah Gantz, Senior Assistant Vice President, Office of the Executive Vice President and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Kyle Harfst, Associate Vice President, Office of the Vice President for Economic Development and Innovation
Nikita Hutchings, Coordinator of Accounts Receivable Operations, University Bursar (2023 Team Award Recipient)
Anne Larimore, Associate Director, University Accounting and Financial Reporting (2023 Individual Award Recipient)
Jami Painter, Senior Associate Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, System Human Resource Services
Benjamin Sands, Office Support Specialist, Office for Planning and Budgeting (2023 Individual Award Recipient)
Theresa Thomas, Advocacy & Community Relations Coordinator, Office of the Vice President for External Relations & Communications

Delta Award Recipients

View the past DELTA Recipients:

2024

Individual Award
  • Heather Jones, Office of Technology Management (Urbana-Champaign)
Individual Award
  • Scott Pinkerton, University Bursar
Individual Award
  • Jay Simpson, System Purchasing & Support Services

Team Award
"Leases and Subscription-Based Information Technology Arrangements Accounting and Reporting" 

  • Keri Canaday, Procurement Operations
  • Courtney Englehardt, University Accounting and Financial Reporting 
  • Michael Godsell, University Accounting and Financial Reporting
  • Samuel Hall, University Accounting and Financial Reporting
  • Danielle Stoner, University Accounting and Financial Reporting

Team Award
"Sponsor Billing Portal Implementation"

  • Muna Bist, University Bursar
  • Steven Branch, Administrative Information Technology Services
  • Erin Herrick, University Bursar
  • Brian Schoudel, Administrative Information Technology Services
  • Timothy Vruwink, Administrative Information Technology Services

2023

Individual Award - Academic Professional 
  • Anne Larimore
Individual Award - Civil Service
  • Benjamin Sands

Team Award
"Student Contact Center - University Bursar"

  • Dwane Hamby
  • Nikita Hutchings
  • Jane Hwang
  • Chelsea Lessor
  • Elise Maxwell
  • Scott Pinkerton
  • Joseph Shroyer
 

2022

Individual Award - Academic Professional 
  • Angela Burton
Individual Award - Civil Service
  • Roger Fredenhagen

Team Award
"Office of University Audits COVID Special Project"

  • Carla Edgecombe
  • Jessica Hoppe
  • Kevin Jones
  • Nerissa Montojo-Andres
  • Jill Verdeyen
 

2021

Individual Award - Office of the Executive Vice President & VP for Academic Affairs
  • Sonja Bean
 
Individual Award - Office of Technology Management Urbana-Champaign
  • Bradley Edwards
 
Individual Award - University Accounting & Financial Reporting
  • Kasey Wilken
 
Special COVID-19 Response Award - Administrative Information Technology Services
  • Christina Molitor
 
Special COVID-19 Response Award - System Human Resource Services
  • Melissa McMullen
 
Team Award "I-Share Migration Project Team - CARLI"
  • Deborah Campbell
  • Christopher Delis
  • Gordon Fellows
  • Jessica Gibson
  • Denise Green
  • Kristine Hammerstrand
  • Amy Maroso
  • Jennifer Masciadrelli
  • Todd Pavlik
  • Christopher Saunders
  • Theodore Schwitzner
  • Nicole Swanson
  • Bradley Woodruff

Team Award "Service Activity Project Team,
System Government Costing"

  • Hend Abdelfattah
  • André Britten
  • Judah Farha
  • Brittney Gehrt
  • Maureen Johnson
  • Anne Marshall
  • Chelsa Moore
  • Jennifer Otto
  • Tyler Wilson

2020

Individual Award - Academic Professional
  • Susan Cotter
 
Individual Award - Civil Service
  • Jenny Li
 
Team Award "Ethics Training
Learning Management System
"
  • Jannah Coon
  • Xueqin (Susan) Li
  • Anthony Kerber
  • Traci Rolf
  • Jean Schaffner
  • Brian Schoudel
  • Leigh Volpert 

2019

Individual Award - Academic Professional
  • Robyn Velazquez
Individual Award -
Civil Service
  • Rebecca Hand

Team Award
"Biennial Inventory"

  • David Byers
  • Jim Caputo
  • Kavin Chan 
  • Amanda Hemming 
  • Brenda Hixson
  • Magdalena Jach
  • Pramod Joshi
  • Dan Lapp 
  • Judy LeBaugh
  • Lori Pelmore
  • Juana Rodriguez
  • Melissa Rubik
  • Vince Wiley

Please see the 2019 DELTA Recipients Summaries for further information. 

2018

Individual Award - Academic Professional
  • Jan Dennis
Individual Award -
Civil Service
  • Graciela Peña

Team Award
"University Payroll & Benefits Call Center"

  • Laura Barnett
  • Verna Chatman
  • Brenda Hixson
  • Blanca Lorenzo
  • Ruth Marquez
  • Dennis McGiles
  • Amy Sass
  • Susan Strickler

Please see the 2018 DELTA Recipients Summaries for further information.

2017

Non-Supervisor Award
  • Russell Chalfant
  • Ellen Foran
  • Paul McGuire
  • Michele Unser
  • Daniel Wesley
  • Julia Zamora
 

Supervisor Award

  • Katrina Lopez
  • Jamie McCracken
  • Karen Quinlan
  • Brent West

 Please see the 2017 DELTA Recipients Summaries for further information.

2016

Non-Supervisor Award
  • Mark S. Anderson
  • Shannon F. Dwyer
  • Tadi Kumar
  • Kunal R. Shah
 

Supervisor Award

  • Daniel Pelayo
  • Arlene L. Shorter
  • Mary White
 

 Team Award

"One ID/One Password"

  • Stephen M. Barker
  • Todd Bickers
  • Cynthia Cobb
  • Deborah L. Coggins
  • Jared M. Crowe
  • Susan H. Flanagin
  • Daryl Fritchey
  • Eric George Matthew Hansen
  • Peter Herrig
  • Jun Huang
  • Michael E. Keck
  • Marla McKinney
  • Stacey Neil
  • Mark E. Pollard
  • Rod Schaefer
  • Patrick E. Schlehuber
  • Michael Sharp
  • Suzanne Elise Zelle
  • Butch Zunich
  • Christina Vann

 Please see the 2016 DELTA Recipients Summaries for further information.

2015

 Non-Supervisor Award
  • Karen Deering
  • Carla Kuzian
  • Debbie Peterson
  • Elizabeth Schleef
 
 

Supervisor Award

  • Marc Carlton
  • Barb Welge
 
 

 Team Award

"UIC Purchasing iBuy"

  • Mary Cooke
  • Kevin Fair
  • Rosemary Fowler
  • Liliana Gutierrez
  • Julia Kilgore
  • Aaron Rosenthal
  • Malgorzata Stanko
  • Nicole Williams

 Please see the 2015 DELTA Recipients Summaries for further information.

2014

 Non-Supervisor Award
  • Ellie Burnette
  • Kelsey McCoy
  • William Seemann
  • Joann Walker
  • Andrew Sestak
  • Mikel D. Storm
 

Supervisor Award

  • Jeff Weaver
   
 

 Team Award

"FOIA Process Consolidation Project"

  • Ginny Hudak-David
  • Melanie Kuehn
  • Kathleen McCarthy

 Please see the 2014 DELTA Recipients Summaries for further information.

2013

Non-Supervisor Award
  • Kayci Bohlen
  • Vicki Clements
  • Kelvin Touchette
 

Supervisor Award

  • Laura Curtis
  • Angela Foster
  • Ron Miner
 

 Team Award

"Share the Vision"

  • Tracy Hunter
  • Heather Jones
  • Nicole Nair
  • Donna Wilm

 Team Award

"Financial Literacy Bowl"
  • Pamela Devitt
  • Cesar Diaz
  • Catalina Hernandez
  • Kathryn Kirrish
  • Karen McFarlin
  • John Palmatier
  • Earleen Peters
  • Lindsay Peters
  • JoDee Walsh

Please see the 2013 DELTA Recipients Summaries for further information.

2012

 Civil Service Award
  • Lynn Spencer
   
 

Academic Professional Award

  • Amanda Akers
  • Janet Ayers
  • Kevin Fair
  • Kathy Sullivan
  • Shih-Yu Tsai
 

 Team Award

"Outreach Informational Sessions"

  • Zac Becker
  • Carole Devaney
  • Susan Vergara
  • Annie Buford-Harris
  • Gayle Dunahee
  • Jennifer Steiling
  • Deanna Boyer
 

Please see the 2012 DELTA Recipients Summaries for further information.

2011

 Civil Service Award
  • Linda Oliveria
   
 

Academic Professional Award

  • Kim Britton
  • Mary Malcolm
  • Matt Wolfersberger
  • Kristine Campbell
  • Kathy Prouty
 

 Team Award

"OBFS Customer Service"

  • Natasha Bever
  • Jami McCracken
  • Joseph Shroyer
  • James Burgdorf
  • Anabel Perez
  • Shayla Strickland
  • David Greenleaf
  • Tina Ramey
  • Melody Wheeler
  • Dwane Hamby
  • Alice Seaton

Please see the 2011 DELTA Recipients Summaries for further information.

2010

 Civil Service Award
  • Alex M. Esparza
  • Jackie N. Billhymer
  • Heidi L. Rockwood
 

Academic Professional Award

  • Delphine (Del) Kranz
  • Beth Ladd
  • Brent Rasmus
 

 Team Award

"Electronic Fact Sheet"

  • Stephanie J. Adams
  • Jason Bane
  • Madelle Becker
  • Chris Bland
  • Sherri L. Faith
  • Russell K. Fletcher
  • Ryan M. Hall
  • Linda McCaffrey
  • Richard Rebot
  • Leslie Sherman
  • Denise M. Stanley
  • Roger O. Wade
  • Jodi A. Wright

Please see the 2010 DELTA Recipients Summaries for further information.

2009

 Civil Service Award
  • Cheryl Dodge
  • Lisa Ferris
  • Teresa Howard
 

Academic Professional Award

  • Michael Brewer
  • Janice Kuntz Gill
  • Kim Laczynski
 

 Team Award

"UIUC Post Award"

  • Greg Anderson
  • Denise Connour
  • Cale Doubet
  • Angela Douglas
  • Nancy Ellen
  • Anne Francis
  • Joy Fuller
  • Lori Garwick
  • Jayne Goby
  • Dan Gordon
  • Linda Gregory
  • Jackie Harden
  • Jialing He
  • Jessi Katterhenry
  • Paul Kerkhoff
  • Brian Keyes
  • Peter Kogen
  • Sarah Lorbiecki
  • Bruce Mast
  • Amy Morgan
  • Sandy Moulton
  • Matt Murphy
  • Sadi O'Donnell
  • Chris Patton
  • Amy Roessler
  • Tamara Roosevelt
  • Brenda Roy
  • Justine Russian
  • Debra Short
  • Deb Stapp
  • Allison Thilmony
  • Karen Thomas
  • Hong Tian
  • Kathy Vance
  • Janis Weaver
  • Kelli Wendt
  • Kay Williams

Please see the 2009 DELTA Recipients Summaries for further information.

2008

 Civil Service Award
  • Gary Watson
  • Mary Nielsen
  • Kathy Tuggle
 

Academic Professional Award

  • Sandra Street
  • David Byers
  • Connie Cleary
 

 Team Award

"UIC Grants & Contracts"

  • Joseph Barbee
  • Jamie Bates
  • Etzer Cantave
  • Rachelle Fox
  • Julia Gomez
  • LaShawnda Hall
  • Zandra Harris
  • Maureen Johnson
  • Nida Khan
  • Mee Mee Lee-Choi
  • Fuller Lyons
  • Alejandra Martinez
  • Falehia Misleh-Paiz
  • Richard Morfin
  • Feryall Rahman
  • Haydee Ramirez
  • Darryl Reynolds
  • Roberto Rodriguez
  • Edward Seighman
  • Katina Shepherd
  • Lillie Shokunbi
  • Regina Smith
  • Joseph Stefanich