Honouring the staff who move our mission forward

Temerty Medicine celebrated 49 staff members at the 2025 Staff Impact and Long Service Awards reception at U of T’s Faculty Club on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025.

The annual celebration pays tribute to the extraordinary dedication and talent of administrative, technical and research staff and honours those marking significant anniversaries with the university.

Dean Lisa Robinson thanked the awardees and acknowledged the pivotal role of staff in advancing the faculty’s mission.

“While the spotlight often shines on our faculty and learners, today it turns to our valued staff members, who are every bit as vital to our success,” Robinson said. “You rise to meet challenges, collaborate with colleagues and solve problems with creativity and enthusiasm. These qualities underpin our mission, and today we express our deep gratitude for all that you do.”

Established in 2013, with updated awards categories introduced in 2023, the awards program recognizes excellence in administration, leadership, inclusivity, community engagement and innovation across Temerty Medicine.

Chief Administrative Officer Denis Bourguignon added his congratulations.

“Your expertise, creativity and professionalism form the backbone of this faculty,” Bourguignon said. “Simply put, Temerty Medicine could not function without you. These awards remind us that excellence in research and education is built on the collective effort of every member of our community.”

This year, the faculty celebrated 25 long service awardees, representing a collective 600 years of service to the university.

“Your years of service demonstrate unwavering dedication and a passion for excellence,” said Mark Friesen, human resources director and event organizer. “Your hard work, expertise and commitment have shaped the success and global reputation of Temerty Medicine and the University of Toronto,” said Friesen, who announced the awardees with colleague Liz Austin, assistant director of human resources. “We are immensely grateful for your enduring contribution.”

In recognition of their achievements, all awardees received prints by artist and Temerty Medicine alumna Lisa Boivin, a member of the Deninu K’ue First Nation, whose interdisciplinary artwork weaves together themes of bioethics, health care and the land-based practices of Dene medicine.

2025 LONG SERVICE AWARDS

The following colleagues were honoured for their long-standing commitment and service to the university:

Celebrating 20 years of service to the university:

• Elaine Tam, Laboratory Technician, Department of Immunology
• Ravinder Dhillon, Financial Coordinator, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology
• Angelo Karaiskakis, Laboratory Technician, Department of Molecular Genetics
• Melanie Paquette, Research Officer, Department of Nutritional Sciences
• Rob Page, Manager of Information Technology, MedIT
• Amy Cao, Veterinary Technologist, Division of Comparative Medicine
• Michael Schertzberg, Laboratory Technician, Donnelly Centre for  Cellular and Biomolecular Research
• Kamila Lear, Business Officer, Institute of Medical Science
• Yen Du, Manager, Planning & Operations, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
• Kelly Giddy, Project and Communications Coordinator, Postgraduate Medical Education
• Almagul Seitova, Senior Research Associate, Structural Genomics Consortium
• Michael Costanzo, Senior Research Associate, Donnelly Centre for  Cellular and Biomolecular Research
• Mariella Lopez, Stores Technician, MedStore

Celebrating 25 years of service to the university:

• Rose LaBarbera, Business Officer, Banting & Best Diabetes Centre
• Rachael Martin, Administrative Assistant, Department of Molecular Genetics
• Alexander Hoy, Teaching Support Coordinator, Department of Physiology
• Insook Noell, Senior Financial Analyst, Finance
• Anna Brilhante, Coordinator, Resident Payroll Services, Postgraduate Medical Education
• Tammy Langman, Laboratory Technician, Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases
• Merle Casci, Business Manager, Department of Medical Biophysics
• Chau Dang, Special Projects Coordinator, Department of Medical Biophysics

Celebrating 30 years of service to the university:

• Rainerio De Guzman, Veterinary Technologist, Division of Comparative Medicine

Celebrating 35 years of service to the university:

• Toni Jarvis, Registration Assistant, Postgraduate Medical Education
• Jane Kean, Clinical Placement Coordinator, Rehabilitation Sciences Sector

Celebrating 40 years of service to the university:

• Julie Verduci, Senior HR Consultant & Data Specialist, Administrative HR Services

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2025 STAFF IMPACT AWARDS

• Exemplary Leadership Award
• Emerging Talent Award
• Excellence in Innovation and Creativity Award
• Fostering an Inclusive Environment Award
• Service Excellence in a Laboratory Research Environment Award
• Community Contribution Award
• Engagement Champion Award
• Administrative Excellence Award

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Exemplary Leadership Award

• Morag Paton, Associate Director, Maintenance of Certification and Education Consultation Services, for nurturing a culture that recognizes staff contributions, mentorship of colleagues across units, and creating environments where staff feel empowered to lead. Her leadership within the Continuing Professional Development team has strengthened major projects, including accreditation harmonization, CPD grant process redesign and the CPD COVID-19 Response Fund. Additionally, while completing her PhD, she leveraged her research on staff agency to advance faculty priorities, earning the respect of colleagues who credit her with shaping their professional growth and modelling integrity in every aspect of her work.
• Amanda Patterson, Director of Operations, for her work to guide four Rehabilitation Sciences Sector teams through a significant administrative restructuring. Her steady leadership, clear communication and compassion supported staff through changes that reshaped long-standing roles and strengthened alignment across Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology, Physical Therapy and the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute. She is also recognized for fostering collaboration, encouraging professional development and helping teams navigate complex transitions with confidence.

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Emerging Talent Award

• Andrea Leung, Program Manager with the Canadian Hub for Health Intelligence & Innovation in Infectious Diseases (HI3), for her remarkable initiative and collaborative leadership in a role that bridges university operations with national and cross-sector partnerships. She developed new governance processes, implemented innovative engagement tools and helped build infrastructure supporting Canada’s life sciences and biomanufacturing ecosystem, and launched a communications strategy, enhancing HI3’s visibility and impact.
• Jonathan Hersh, Project Manager in the Office of the Dean, is known for his dedication, reliability and collaborative approach. As founding lead of the Project Management Community of Practice, he developed the group’s structure, content strategy and practical resources, making project management tools more accessible to staff across the faculty. His efforts, expertise and mentorship have strengthened cross-functional collaboration, supported continuous learning and elevated project delivery standards.

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Excellence in Innovation and Creativity Award

• Brandi Quirk, Coordinator, Family Medicine Longitudinal Experience (FMLE), for her leadership in transforming the student-preceptor matching process, and her efforts in redesigning the preceptor scheduling system to reduce administrative burden while creating a transparent, optimized match for learners. Described as a visionary leader, her proactive approach within the Department of Family and Community Medicine has enhanced preceptor recruitment, strengthened resources and program efficiency and helped FMLE achieve high ratings within the faculty’s MD program.
• MedIT and Postgraduate Medical Education Team designed and implemented a new system to manage a $200 million payroll for more than 2,000 residents across 30 hospital sites. Launched in fall 2024 as part of the PGME Systems Transition program, the team delivered a modern, reliable and user-friendly platform to replace a decade-old process. Their combined technical and administrative expertise ensured a smooth transition and improved accuracy, transparency and efficiency for learners and staff. The team includes Maurice Tam, Sam Xu, Aung Thet Ko Ko, Ray Wong, Lynette Terrill, Philip Chung, Anna Brilhante, Gerard Nagalingam and Josh Jarvis.

Fostering an Inclusive Environment Award

• Frances Rankin, Foundations Coordinator, Mississauga Academy of Medicine (MAM), for strengthening community representation within the MD program’s Health in Community course by building partnerships across Mississauga and Peel Region. She personally connected with nearly 100 organizations, guiding many through the onboarding process and registering about 35 new agencies. Her work expands opportunities for MAM learners to engage directly with local partners and gain deeper insight into the social factors shaping health in the communities they may one day serve.
• Marisa Boudreau, Administrative Assistant, Quality Improvement Program (QIP) within the Department of Family and Community Medicine, for supporting the geographically distributed QIP leadership team by ensuring consistent communication, timely updates and strong engagement. Her thoughtful approach keeps directors aligned, informed and connected and strengthens shared learning and collaboration across the program. Her work is widely recognized as foundational to the program’s ongoing success.

Service Excellence in a Laboratory Research Environment Award

• Christopher Rowan, Research Facilities Officer with the Office of the Vice-Dean, Research and Health Science Education, for significantly improving biosafety-compliant renovation processes and reducing laboratory downtime from two weeks to just 24 to 48 hours. His innovative framework minimized disruptions for faculty and staff at the Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, ensuring research continuity and safer, more efficient workflows. Colleagues value his expertise, responsiveness and unwavering commitment to service excellence.

Community Contribution Award

• Shannon Spencer, International Relationship Manager, is known as a steadfast advocate for international learners, guiding them from application to graduation. Since joining the Postgraduate Medical Education team in 2017, she has strengthened global partnerships and created new opportunities for learning collaboration across affiliated hospitals and international programs. Her efforts enrich the learner experience, foster cross-border relationships and support the faculty’s global engagement priorities.
• Dana Arafeh, Patient and Family Engagement Specialist, for exceptional leadership in strengthening patient and family partnerships across the Department of Family and Community Medicine. She has built sustainable frameworks for the Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC), ensuring diverse representation and meaningful participation in quality improvement initiatives. She also created accessible resources, standardized engagement processes and developed transparent compensation structures that remove barriers to participation and advance health equity. Beyond the department, she has shared these innovations at national forums, contributing to broader conversations on equitable engagement.

Engagement Champion Award

• Ramona Zacharias, Administrative Coordinator of awards and events in the Department of Medicine, for consistently delivering polished, engaging events that reflect the best of the Department of Medicine. Known for her warmth and professionalism, she maintains strong relationships with faculty, staff and vendors, ensuring every interaction strengthens the department’s community.
• Gurpreet Grewal, Operations Manager for exemplifying the faculty’s values through her support for staff, learners and faculty at the Mississauga Academy of Medicine. Lauded for fostering collaboration, encouraging growth and building a welcoming community at MAM, Grewal’s leadership has strengthened relationships across the MD program and contributed to a greater sense of belonging for her colleagues.

Administrative Excellence Award

• Diana Kam, Program Officer, Graduate Education, is the cornerstone of its graduate education portfolio within the Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology. Known for her exceptional attention to detail and unwavering commitment to best practices, she provides learners and faculty with unparalleled expertise and support. Her calm professionalism and ability to manage multiple priorities set a high bar for excellence and ensures the program’s continued success.
• Hellen Partaat, Geriatrics Program Coordinator, for her leadership in launching Competence by Design program within the Department of Medicine, for supporting a major program transition. She is also lauded for her exemplary coordination of the 2020 accreditation and 2025 internal review processes, which resulted in “no areas for improvement.” Her reliability, precision and institutional knowledge have been invaluable to the program and its leadership.
• Nicole Hantoumakos, Project Coordinator, International Learner Registration, for her instrumental support of international postgraduate residents and clinical fellows within Postgraduate Medical Education. Known for her deep institutional knowledge, problem-solving abilities and professionalism, she has built strong relationships across PGME and partner organizations. Colleagues describe her as a stabilizing and inspiring presence whose work directly supports high-quality learner experiences.