The College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Staff Awards, administered by the Arts and Sciences Staff Advisory Council, recognize staff members who demonstrate sustained excellence in overall job performance and who improve work life and services of faculty, staff, students and/or the university.

Congratulations to the Outstanding Staff Award winners for the 2021-22 academic year:

Adam Andrews

Adam Andrews is the assistant director of instruction for the Center for Life Science Education (CLSE). Course coordinator of CLSE since 2006, Andrews administers courses for non-majors and General Education biology courses. He served on the university’s implementation committee for the General Education program in 2019-2020, the Office of Academic Affairs’ Common Syllabus Committee and 2018 and two terms on the Arts and Sciences Staff Advisory Council from 2009-2012.

“Adam has devoted himself to excellence in undergraduate biology education,” wrote a colleague who nominated Andrews. “He has done this through the curriculum he brings the students, the training he provides the laboratory instructors, and his contributions to a positive university culture.”

Tom Gallagher

Tom Gallagher is a research scientist for the Amacher Lab led by Professor Sharon Amacher in the Department of Molecular Genetics. He has been employed with the lab since 2012. As the most senior member of the Amacher Lab, Gallagher manages lab research, resources and personnel, and his data acquisition and analysis is key in securing external funding. He helps mentor undergraduate and graduate students and maintains laboratory systems and equipment.

“Tom goes above and beyond in performing his job duties and is always willing to take on new responsibilities,” wrote a colleague who nominated Gallagher. “He exceeds in every criterium for this award.”

Rhonda Maynard

During Rhonda Maynard’s role as administrative associate in the Department of History, she managed departmental scheduling, supported departmental committees, was an assistant to the department chair, oversaw several the department office’s operations and supervised student employees. She produced the department magazine, Writing History, and coordinated distribution to history alumni and benefactors. Outside the department, Maynard served as ambassador for Campus Campaign, a university-wide initiative to encourage employees to connect with programs and causes.

“Rhonda’s approach to her position, her support for and development of diversity and inclusion initiatives, her seamless communication with the college and university, her tireless advocacy for fellow staff members and her broad commitment to the Ohio State community — students, faculty and administration alike — make her stand out,” wrote a colleague who nominated Maynard.”

Liz McGinnis

Liz McGinnis has been an academic advisor with the Department of Psychology since 2016. Also a member and current president of the Academic Advising Association of The Ohio State University (ACADAOS), McGinnis uses her vast advising knowledge to help students create successful paths to graduation, exploring and recommending opportunities to students for additional majors, minors, extracurricular options and career possibilities. McGinnis holds a rating of 100% from students in advising satisfaction surveys, and she has twice earned the ACADAOS Certificate of Excellence.

“Unquestionably, Liz is an outstanding academic advisor,” wrote a colleague who nominated McGinnis. “Ohio State is a better place for her dedication, caring and support of students, her innovations to support their success and her contributions to advising, as well as the broader university community.”

Andrew Newbold

Andrew Newbold, the instructional lab supervisor for the Sherman Studio Art Center on west campus since 2014, oversees spaces for two programs within the Department of Art: glass and sculpture. His duties, which encompass equipment maintenance, material supplies, building safety and assistance of student instruction of equipment use, have been key to accelerating students through class curriculum and enabling their technical and conceptual proficiency.

“My interest in recommending Andrew for this award is based, in short, upon Andrew’s considerable contributions to the department, which have quite literally changed the Sculpture and Glass Programs for the better through his organizational skills, his technical skills, and above all, his resourcefulness and generosity,” wrote a colleague who nominated Newbold.

Brooke O'Leary

Brooke O’Leary has served as an academic planning specialist in the Department of Statistics since 2017, and her expertise recruiting and advising students in the data analytics major plays a central role in the success of undergraduate data analytics students. She provides advising- and career-related programming, assists with major administration, coordinates with major administration on curriculum planning and facilitates relations with outside organizations interested in connecting with students. She was recently recognized with the Global Outstanding Advisory Award – Primary Advising Role by the National Academic Advising Association.

“We are exceptionally lucky to have her as a part of our team,” wrote a colleague who nominated O’Leary. “Brooke is an advocate for our students and works hard to ensure their success, she builds connections to and collaborates with units across the university and she raises the college’s profile by strengthening our program’s ties to the external community.”

Katie Stanutz

Katie Stanutz is the undergraduate studies program manager in the Department of English and has been with the department since 2019. She oversees department advising, leads student engagement and recruitment efforts and offers career advising for students, and she was key in the development and implementation of new General Education requirements in the Department of English. Stanutz has also been instrumental in expanding the department’s digital media presence and advocating for deeper commitments to diversity and inclusion.

“I worked closely with her and am simply in awe of the energy, efficiency and creativity she brings to everything she does,” wrote a colleague who nominated Stanutz. “Katie is an outstanding program manager who has been an eloquent ambassador of the college in student recruitment activities, an advocate for and visionary leader of the staff she supervises and a champion of the interests of our undergraduate students.”

Gabrielle Stephens

Gabrielle Stephens is the academic program coordinator in the Department of History of Art and has been with the department since 2016. At the undergraduate level, she coordinates recruiting, programming and course scheduling, and at the graduate level, she supervises the graduate admissions and recruiting cycle, manages fellowship nominations and awards, and guides graduate students through their course of study. She helped launch a new MA in contemporary art and curatorial practice in 2018, revised the department’s graduate student handbook and collaborated to restructure the graduate student recruitment process in response to the pandemic.

“Every single member of our department knows how lucky we are to have Gabrielle on our team,” wrote a colleague who nominated Stephens. “She balances incredible attention to detail (completing all of her many tasks and responsibilities in a timely manner and with impeccable organization) with care, concern and creative problem-solving for students who are struggling or need advice or solutions.”

Gabe Tippery

Gabe Tippery’s long-standing relationship with the Department of Design and Ohio State influences his role as the department’s undergraduate academic planning specialist, a position he has held since 2013. Tippery’s involvement with the department is extensive; he earned his BSD in interior design in 2009 and his MFA in design research and development in 2012. His deep departmental knowledge informs his approaches to recruitment, admission and advising and enriches undergraduate design students’ experience. He also contributes to several of the department’s governance activities, established seamless communication and processes during the pandemic and is an ambassador for the department at the college and university levels.

“It is no secret that it is becoming increasingly rare for staff members to remain affiliated with an academic unit for a sustained period of time, and this makes Gabe’s nine years of committed service to the Department of Design all the more remarkable,” wrote a colleague who nominated Tippery. “Gabe has taken on a wide range of responsibilities, and his insights and efforts have tremendous value to our operations.”

Athena Yiamouyiannis

Athena Yiamouyiannis is the manager of the undergraduate advising office in the Department of Mathematics and has been with the department since 2014. She manages the department’s academic advising team, fostering open communications with team members and leveraging their skillsets to serve 1,000 majors in the department and provide scheduling assistance for 20,000 math seats annually. Her solid grasp of the department’s processes and their connections with other units around the university position her to develop and implement a diverse range of initiatives that have benefitted the department, college and university.

“I can confidently say that Athena sets the gold standard for any individual in a management position at The Ohio State University,” wrote a colleague who nominated Yiamouyiannis. “Not only does Athena continue to excel in her assigned job duties, but her daily efforts enhance the work life for each member of our team. Furthermore, the impact of her work extends well past the math advising office to the entire university community.”