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Faculty and Staff

Poole College Celebrates Nominees and Recipients of 2023 Staff Awards

NC State Memorial Belltower with spring blooms

The NC State Poole College of Management recognized extraordinary staff with college and university awards at the college’s annual spring meeting. Meet the nominees and recipients.

NC State Awards for Excellence

The NC State Awards for Excellence is one of the most prestigious honors given to non-faculty employees nominated in the following categories: customer service, efficiency and innovation, human relations, outstanding state government service, public service, safety and heroism, and the spirit of North Carolina.

Megan Grubb with Dean Buckless at the spring 2023 college meeting
Megan Grubb (left) with Dean Buckless at the spring 2023 college meeting.

SHRA Nominees

  • Megan Grubb, associate director of curriculum and academic programs (recipient)
  • Jonathan Hennessy, director of facilities
  • Candise Lewis, project coordinator for Jenkins MBA Program
  • Doug Rowe, human resource consultant
  • Adam Tompkins, associate director of marketing content, graduate programs
Janet Rakes with Dean Buckless at the spring 2023 college meeting
Janet Rakes (left) with Dean Buckless at the spring 2023 college meeting.

EHRA Nominees

  • Michael Dixon, director of admissions and recruitment
  • Julie Fleming, director of advising and student affairs
  • Nichole Miller, assistant dean of graduate programs
  • Maria Potepalova, director of marketing
  • Janet Rakes, assistant director and career coach, Career Center (recipient)
  • Tedd Szeto, assistant dean for undergraduate programs

Poole College Organizational Excellence Award

The Organization Excellence Awards recognize staff members who have demonstrated excellence, making extraordinary contributions to their department, student service unit, or any other college operations during the academic year.

Megan Grubb with Dean Buckless at the spring 2023 college meeting
Megan Grubb (left) with Dean Buckless at the spring 2023 college meeting.
  • Allison Anthony, associate director, Master of Management program
  • Megan Grubb, associate director of curriculum and academic programs (recipient)
  • Jae Jacques, admissions specialist
  • Cameron Lyons, assistant director of admissions
  • Jessica Moran, associate director of academics programs, Jenkins Master of Accounting program

Poole College Innovation Award

The Innovation Award is in keeping with the college mission statement: The Poole College of Management develops innovative leaders, creates world-class research and engages with our community to make our world a better place to live and work.

Adam Tompkins (left) with Dean Buckless at the spring 2023 college meeting.
Adam Tompkins (left) with Dean Buckless at the spring 2023 college meeting.
  • Jay Arrington, director of admissions
  • Kat Byrd, assistant director of admissions
  • Angie Haugen, assistant director of annual giving
  • Adam Tompkins, associate director of marketing content, graduate programs (recipient)

Poole Student Success Award

The student success award is given to a staff member who demonstrated excellence in attracting, educating, supporting or preparing students to work in a global environment.

Darien Bradley with Dean Buckless at the spring 2023 college meeting
Darien Bradley (left) with Dean Buckless at the spring 2023 college meeting.
  • Allison Anthony, associate director, Master of Management program (recipient)
  • Darien Bradley, administrative support associate, Career Center (recipient)
  • Kelly Hardy, associate director of student programs and career services
  • Rob Sandruck, director of global programs
  • Deborah Wilkins, assistant director of academic advising and student affairs

Poole 3-E Service Award

The 3-E Service Award represents the pinnacle of customer service, whether to students, faculty, staff or external constituents. The award title stands for exceptional, efficient and effective service. Nominees should represent the highest levels of service in all three categories.

Jessica Moran (left) and Candise Lewis with Dean Buckless at the spring 2023 college meeting
Jessica Moran (left) and Candise Lewis with Dean Buckless at the spring 2023 college meeting.
  • Susan Ebbs, CRM project manager
  • Anne Clark Lau, associate director of development
  • Candise Lewis, project coordinator for Jenkins MBA Program (recipient)
  • Jessica Moran, assistant director of academic programs (recipient)
  • Doug Rowe, human resource consultant

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award

NC State’s Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity presented its inaugural DEI awards at the Recognizing Excellence in Diversity (RED) event, which honors the exceptional accomplishments and contributions of outstanding faculty, staff, students, colleges, student organizations and alumni in the areas of equity, diversity, inclusion, belonging and well-being. Tayah Butler, assistant dean of diversity, equity and inclusion, received a DEI award for her outstanding work in Poole College.

Poole College's Tayah Butler receives DEI Award from NC State Chancellor Randy Woodson
Tayah Butler (right) with Chancellor Randy Woodson at the university’s Recognizing Excellence in Diversity (RED) event.

Poole Pack Development Series (PPDS) Certificate

The Poole Pack Development Series is a professional development program open to all Poole College employees. Collaboration on the series has grown to include faculty and staff voices from across Poole College, and topics now range from professional development to health and wellness to diversity and inclusion, among others. This year’s PPDS certificate recipients are:

  • Vanessa Bak, assistant director of advising and student affairs
  • Sylvia Bezawada, business intelligence analyst
  • Tayah Butler, assistant dean of diversity, equity and inclusion
  • Kate Gagnon, director of development
  • Jonathan Hennessy, director of facilities
  • Tara Madden, budget analyst
  • Maggie Merry, assistant dean of finance and administration
  • Jessica Moran, assistant director of academic programs
  • Stephanie Reiley, academic advisor
  • Jaquan Scott, associate director of admissions
  • Tedd Szeto, assistant dean for undergraduate programs
  • Deborah Wilkins, assistant director of academic advising and student affairs
  • Melusian Wright, director of advising programs