The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Staff Senate honored the achievements of more than 150 staff members during the Staff Awards Ceremony on April 20. 

Staff members were honored for educational achievements, years of service, retirement, and Staff Achievement Award nominations.

“I had the opportunity to witness our staff at work and how important the senate is for the community,” Staff Senate President Richard Harper said. “Today, we honor over 125 employees who have worked over 1,660 combined years of service. We honor 13 graduates and 12 retirees. We had great events like our blood drives, our Helping Hands holiday food basket drive where we invested back in our staff, and we have plans to increase staff engagement and professional development opportunities in the future.”

UA Little Rock also honored 12 retiring staff members, including Clyde Dunlap of Public Safety, Margaret English and Aileen Zaffaroni of MidSOUTH, Paul Francis of Scholarly Technology and Resources, Linda Johnson of Payroll, Cecilia “Suzanne” Martin of Ottenheimer Library, Richard Petit of Information Technology Services, Linda Toler of Health Services, Lynn Wilcox of the School of Counseling, Adult, and Rehabilitation Education, and James Lattin, Phillip Watson, and Larry Walker, all of Facilities Management.

Graduating staff members who have earned a degree or certificate in the past year include:

•      Samer Al-Khateeb, Department of Information Science, Doctor of Philosophy
•      Ross Bradley, Office of the Provost, Master of Arts
•      Rena Burt, Department of Economics and Finance, Associate of Arts
•      Amanda Carreiro, Office of Alumni and Development, Bachelor of Arts
•      Kelly Chaney, Department of Biology, Education Specialist
•      Heyam Dannawi, Department of History, Master of Arts
•      Gjertrud Djupvik, Office of the Dean in the College of Engineering and Information Technology, Bachelor of Business Administration
•      Howell Fielder, Facilities Management, Master of Business Administration
•      Keli Jacobi, Office of Communications and Marketing, Graduate Certificate
•      Gary McGee, Public Safety, Associate of Arts
•      Mia Phillips, Office of the Chancellor, Doctor of Education
•      Nicholas Steele, Concurrent Enrollment, Master of Education
•      Lindsey Stroud, Office of the Dean in the College of Social Sciences and Communication, Master of Arts

The 2018 Staff Achievement Award nominees include Karen Banks, Stephanie Carper, Tom Coffin, Deborah Cook, Linda Czirr, Trakenya Dobbins, John Evans, Erin Fehr, Terry Harrison, Jeremy Holstead, Rachel Jones, Seraphim Lawhorn, Marty Mayfield, Tiffani McAdoo, Melody Muldrew, Ann Nicholson, Erin Paul, Virginia Oswalt, Nathaniel Roe, Larry Rhodes, Sabrenna Rodgers-Lee, Rogelia Rodriguez, Daniel Spillers, Pamala Stanley, William Wagner, Jimmy Winter, and Michelle Zengulis.

Three staff members celebrated their 40th anniversary at UA Little Rock: Maureen James-Barnes of Ottenheimer Library, Michael Seamon of Facilities Management, and Cheryl Snuffer of Payroll.

The four staff members celebrating their 35th work anniversary include Patricia Doss of Information Technology Services, Darrell Heath of the Department of Biology, Teresa McLendon of the Arkansas Institute of Economic Development, and Debra Simpson-Webster of Human Resources.

Additional staff members celebrating work anniversaries include:

30 years: Tonya Bell, William H. Bowen School of Law; Cynthia Bennett, School of Public Affairs; Danny Haynes, Facilities Management; Joni Lee, Government Relations; Karen Palmer, Department of Music; Janet Turner-Dooley, Arkansas Institute of Economic Development; and George Willhite, School of Mass Communication

25 years: Sharon Houlette of Public Safety and Edna Mack-Pettigrew of Community Connections Center

20 years: Wilma Davis, Public Safety; Jan Gibson, David Rasmussen, and Heather Robinette, all of Arkansas Institute of Economic Development; Carol Griffin, Joylyn Humphrey, and Jan Littleton-Caldwell, all of MidSOUTH; Sharon Kaufman, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs; Joe Royce, College of Business; and Jimmy Winter, STEM Center.

15 years: Barrett Allen, University District; Marjorie Armon, Office of Transfer Student Services; Cheryl Bigelow, William H. Bowen School of Law; Tanice Blackman, Office of Admissions; Wanda Bridgeford, David Fiser, Shakarie Murphy, and Gay Sanders, all of Facilities Management; Naomi Fletcher, Donaghey Student Center; Joe Foley, Department of Athletics; Emily Gentle, Financial Services; William “Ted” Grimmett, Office of Printing Services; Laura Grutz and Naima Kazi, MidSOUTH; Elisabeth Hart, Community Connections Center; Tara Haynes, Center for Literacy; Marty Mayfield, TRIO; Lewis Moody, Department of Engineering Technology; Christian O’Neal, Office of Alumni and Development; Paula Rogers, Children International; Sharon Sims, Office of the Dean in the College of Educations and Health Professions; Timothy Stoddard; Information Technology Services; Hyginus Ukadike, Counseling Services; and Randall Wright, Institute of Economic Advancement. 

10 years: Patrick Barnhill, Lynette Brown, Amy Burgess, Howard Burris, Denetrice Campbell, Coy Detherage, Jennifer Dodson, Frances Frazier, Gwendolyn Green, Camille Guess-Mitchell, Jonathan Hamilton, Cheryl Hellmann, James Hurst, Nancy Hyde, Shelitah Jordan, Christopher Kleinhofs, Joseph Lewis Sr. Mary McCalla, Melody Muldrow, Geoffrey Nash, Tommy Newman, Bridgett Norwood, Kathryn Oliverio, Sandra Ott, Misty Paschall, Glediana Rexha, Shannon Roberts, Thierno Sako, Bradley Sims, Michael Singleton, Kristi Smith, Carla Soffos, Nicholas Steele, Misty Stukenborg, Whitney Walker, Jane Wayland, Vanessa Whitman, LaTonda Williams, and James Youngquist.

5 years: Valarie Abrams, Chivonda Coleman, Chassidy Cooper, Laura Dowling, Derick Edwards, Kyle Francisco, Timothy Frazier, Forrest Goss, Johnny Grimes, John Hall, Charles Hamilton, Chimere Hampton, Kerrick Hartman, LaShawn Hayden, Frank Hill, Bill Huggins, Keli Jacobi, Christina Laurentia, Karen Lee, Latonji Lewis, Sharonda Lipscomb, Cynthia Mayhan, Cindy McDonald, Kimberly Melikian, Mark Pellegrini, Thomas Redd, Diane Sanders, Oliver Scaife, Louis Scivally, Jessica Scott, Valarie Starks, Collin Swoke, Robert Tabor, Nathan Vandiver, Dechantria Wallace, and Philip William.