Kudos | November / December 2025 

Recognizing the dedicated staff of the UI COM who received Kudos last month!

Each year, as flu season approaches, we coordinate flu vaccine clinics to ensure our staff and faculty can receive vaccinations at no cost. Because we do not have an employee health nurse on the Peoria campus, we rely on the generosity of our clinical partners to volunteer their time and expertise. This is a significant request, as it requires them to step away from their regular clinic duties to support our UICOMP community.

We want to give a shout-out to Kim Alexander and her clinical team at Knoxville Pediatrics for allocating time in their busy clinics and open it up to staff and faculty to stop by and get their flu vaccine. This offsite location provides our staff and faculty some flexibility and convenience to ensure they are able to get the vaccine and be safe this coming flu season. 

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of collaboration, Kimberly and team!

Tori and Katy as a team do a great job with managing faculty and students in DoCS curriculum!

Thank you for your continued support, passion and dedication to the course!

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of excellence, integrity, collaboration, accountability, diversity, equity, and inclusion, communication, and customer service, Tori and Katy!

Maria is exceptional! She is always willing to support others, readily answers questions, and consistently has the information needed. Her reliability, vast knowledge and experience, and willingness to go above and beyond, make her an invaluable colleague and friend to so many people. With more than 30 years of service, she brings a level of expertise and commitment that is truly unmatched. Her warm personality is always welcome and greatly appreciated. She is a true team player and an essential part of the DoCS team at the College of Medicine, ensuring the courses run smoothly and that both faculty and students feel supported.

Thank you, Maria!

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of excellence, integrity, collaboration, accountability, diversity, equity, and inclusion, communication, and customer service, Maria!

I would like to give April Kudos for always being a great colleague! As Dr. Bartlett's assistant, she has always provided information that I've requested in a timely manner with no hesitation or push back. She is always willing to assist if she is able to. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with her and I appreciate her professionalism, collaboration, and integrity!

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of excellence, integrity, collaboration, accountability, diversity, equity, and inclusion, communication, and customer service, April!

The COM FSP and Communications teams came together to work on the 2025 COM Research Day.  Without the help of everyone, this event would not have been as successful as it was.  From new ideas, website innovations, happy accidents, lots of meetings and a team that pulled together all of the details the day of, we could not have had a better experience.  This was truly a collaborative effort by all, and all were a joy to work with.

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of excellence, collaboration and  communication!

As a nurse in the Child Development Pediatrics Clinic, Jen Cunningham sees first-hand the needs of their patients and families, many navigating complex medical issues and wide-ranging disabilities. Jen went above and beyond by establishing a full-fledged "Switch on the Joy" campaign to raise money, collect toys, and enlist volunteers to adapt fun and engaging toys to make them accessible for their patients and other children like them. And, then to gift children with a toy before the holiday season. This was no small task. First, she worked with the Advancement team to identify how philanthropy could support the project. She also worked with Community Relations to ensure communications were branded appropriately. Then, she rolled up her sleeves and reached out to the broader community with the support of her colleagues in the clinic to encourage donations of money, toys and volunteer time to make her vision a reality. She created online sign-up forms for patient families who desired toys and then orchestrated a "Toy Workshop" that brought together 30-plus volunteers on a Saturday morning to install simple switches on the electronic toys to make them accessible. The workshop saw engineers offering guidance to nurses and others on basic electronics, use of a soldering tool, and general tips for success. Congratulations to Jen on a job well done and for going above and beyond to make life a little better for young patients simply because, as Jen says, "everyone deserves a toy."

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of integrity, collaboration, and diversity, equity and inclusion, Jen!

We want to recognize Laureen, Kelly, and Patty for a very successful Holiday Breakfast held at UICOMP on December 9. Due to staffing challenges, they stepped up and took ownership of the event to ensure the highly anticipated UICOMP Holiday Breakfast was a success.

Thank you for your loyalty, always going above and beyond, and continued partnership to ensure our staff, faculty, and students continue to feel appreciated and celebrated.

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of collaboration and customer service!

Angelo goes above and beyond to accommodate the COM's shifting needs in preparation for procedural skills sessions at SAIL. Our connected communication prior to and during events proves to be vital in achieving superior outcomes in our Phase 2/3 programming. Of particular note, Angelo recently went out of his way to receive an influx of M3 students during programming that conflicted with the UI COM Research Forum, eliminating the need for additional supports to achieve maximum efficiency and incomparable, quality instruction, while promoting the delivery of the COM's learning objectives as the targeted goal of the students' experience. Thank you, Angelo, for making all the hard work you do look easy, ensuring the smooth roll-out of sessions, and for raising the bar of the practical educational experience exceptionally high.

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of excellence and collaboration, Angelo!

From the time Clare has started working at UIC, she has been a team player. She comes up with creative ways to support the students and is always one of the first to raise her hand whenever someone needs help in our office.

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of excellence, collaboration and customer service, Clare!

Tasia has been wonderful to work with. She helps make each and everyday fun. When there is something I need help with, she does not hesitate to step in.

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core value of collaboration, Tasia!

Nicole is an exceptional member of our team at Psychiatry! She is a great leader, is extremely organized, knowledgeable, and is quick to reply whenever anything is needed from her. Administrative skills are top notch, and collaboration is always made so easy! Thank you for all you do!

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of excellence, integrity, collaboration, accountability, communication, and customer service, Nicole!

We’ve had several executive-level searches happening simultaneously on the Peoria campus, requiring close coordination across teams. Patty stepped in to support a recent recruitment involving three positions for a critical position. With limited time, she quickly arranged in-person interviews for all three candidates, managing itineraries, lunches, and other logistics to ensure a smooth and welcoming experience on campus. We are so appreciative of her assistance and quick turnaround!

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of excellence, collaboration, communication, and customer service, Patty!

It is my pleasure to recommend Rebecca Fiala for a Kudos Award for their exception work on the DME Newsletter and undergrad program.  Faced with deadlines and challenges, Rebeca has demonstrated remarkable perseverance.  Her positive attitude and dedication are invaluable. 

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of collaboration, communication, and customer service, Rebecca!

It is not an exaggeration to say that Edward Flores has transformed our team. He has been the primary contact for hiring within a large, multi-site study that has a variety of staff members supporting participant-facing and community outreach activities. Edward has offered consistent and efficient guidance on hiring policies and has helped guide multiple listings and successful hirings. His specialized knowledge as well as his kindness and excellent communication skills make him a vital and valued member of the team.

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of excellence, integrity, collaboration, accountability, diversity, equity and inclusion, communication, and customer service, Edward!

Amanda has embraced the role of Urban Medicine Coordinator with genuine enthusiasm. She has been essential in organizing the mini medical school sessions and has done an outstanding job managing these tasks alongside her other responsibilities. She is incredibly thoughtful and detail-oriented and consistently goes above and beyond to create meaningful, memorable experiences. Amanda is always ready to offer support and does so with a strong sense of responsibility and pride in her work.

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of excellence and collaboration, Amanda!

I’d like to give kudos to Ginger for her patience and expertise in helping me learn the university’s contracting and PO processes. She’s been incredibly helpful in guiding me through the steps and assisting with PO entries under tight deadlines. I truly appreciate all she’s done!

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of collaboration, communication, and customer service, Ginger!

Amy is a tremendous nurse practitioner. She goes out of her way to make sure patients are taken care of, heard, seen, and valued when they come into the clinic for care. She strives to implement changes within the organization that reduce barriers for patients, and she is always there to be a resource for staff who need it. Happy (late) nurse practitioner week!

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of excellence, integrity, collaboration, accountability, diversity, equity, and inclusion, communication, and customer service, , Amy!

Each year, as flu season approaches, we coordinate flu vaccine clinics to ensure our staff and faculty can receive vaccinations at no cost. Because we do not have an employee health nurse on the Peoria campus, we rely on the generosity of our clinical partners to volunteer their time and expertise. This is a significant request, as it requires them to step away from their regular clinic duties to support our UICOMP community.

 Year after year, Sindy Hornibrook and her team graciously answer the call. They come to our main campus and administer vaccines with efficiency, professionalism, and care. Their commitment to campus safety and their willingness to volunteer their time is deeply appreciated. We want to recognize Sindy and Marcia Blake for their efforts to make a meaningful difference, and we are truly grateful!

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of excellence, integrity, collaboration, accountability, diversity, equity, and inclusion, communication, and customer service, , Sindy!

Regardless of what Jenny has on her plate, she always handles it with poise and professionalism. Her position requires her to collaborate across all levels. From the providers, to the front desk staff, to billing staff and the coders, she works to ensure everyone is heard and feels like they are part of the team. She always meets deadlines and works diligently to make sure everyone involved is kept up to date regardless of how much she is juggling. She is a leader who leads by example, and I am very grateful that she is part of our pediatrics department. She makes UICOMP a great place to work!

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of excellence, integrity, collaboration, communication, and customer service, Jenny!

Allison is the most organized and efficient coordinator to work with. She anticipates needs of faculty and students and that makes her two steps ahead of her planning process. She works with compassion and problems solves the most difficult situations in calm and creative ways.  

Thank you for all that you do!

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of excellence, integrity, collaboration, accountability, diversity, equity, and inclusion, communication, and customer service, Allison!

Maria Manzano is a great collaborator to work with. She consistently provides guidance and is always willing to help despite how massive her plate is. She shows so much compassion and her love for her job is evident. Keep up the great work!

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of collaboration, accountability, and customer service, Maria!

Drew is an absolute pleasure to work with. He consistently demonstrates professionalism and maintains a calm, composed demeanor. He's always willing to assist with any of my web-related needs to the best of his ability. Truly one of the best!

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core value of excellence, Drew!

A last-minute request was made of Jon to accommodate a set--up change for a campus event. He revised his plans to ensure that the request was prioritized and completed, even before staff arrived to finalize the set-up before the event. We greatly appreciate the positive attitude of the physical plant staff who is always willing to help out and do what is requested, even when it's last minute.

 Thank you to Jon and other physical plant staff who work behind the scenes to portray a positive image of the campus through our events and activities that we host. Their contributions are essential, and their positive attitude and hard work are appreciated!

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of excellence, accountability, and customer service, Jon!

The Office of Student Affairs is deeply committed to supporting every student as a whole person, recognizing that success in medical education extends far beyond academic performance alone. Grounded in compassion, equity, and respect, the office fosters an environment where students feel valued, heard, and supported in every dimension of their identity. Their work reflects a genuine investment in each student’s intellectual growth, emotional well-being, and sense of belonging—ensuring that learners can thrive both in and beyond the classroom.

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of excellence and integrity!

Anitha did a phenomenal job of reviewing and restructuring the HR page.  As a result, the HR and Staff Development related content have a home on the main college website.  On behalf of the Staff Development team, we appreciate her attention to detail, timely implementation, and partnership. Her efforts positioned us well to accomplish some of our strategic goals and initiatives.  We can’t thank her enough for her professionalism and support.

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of excellence, collaboration, and customer service, Anitha!

Kaushani Patel is an exceptional and invaluable member of our department. She is highly organized, an excellent communicator, and has played a critical role in supporting and enabling research operations. What stands out most is her strong work ethic and ability to learn quickly, especially when navigating new and complex grant requirements and the evolving post-award funding landscape. Kaushani consistently goes above and beyond expectations—she is prompt, proactive, and always supportive of our grant-related needs. Her professionalism, attention to detail, and positive attitude make her a true asset to the team.

She approaches challenges with patience and thoughtfulness, is open to feedback, and demonstrates a willingness to improve and grow. Her ability to ask for help when needed ensures smoother processes and accelerates her learning. It is a pleasure working with her, and I sincerely hope she continues with our department for many years to come. Kaushani is truly deserving of recognition, and I wholeheartedly recommend her for a KUDOS award.

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of excellence, integrity, collaboration, accountability, diversity, equity, and inclusion, communication, and customer service, Kaushani!

I feel very lucky to have Anna as my OSA advisor. She always thinks outside of the box to connect me with people, resources, and options I didn't even think I needed and in impressively timely fashion.  My career has been positively impacted by her. In all our interactions, she is genuine, encouraging, and brings out the best in me. I am very grateful for her and all she does (Including her top tier book recs)!

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of excellence, collaboration, accountability, communication, and customer service, Anna!

Shout out to Melanie Sandow who has met significant deadlines and printed numerous items for the campus in the past few weeks. She is great at meeting deadlines, providing timely samples for proofing and accommodating revisions to requests, and meeting emerging needs (event last minute!) When hosting community members for a recent campus event, Melanie was asked to print a welcome poster to assist with wayfinding. This request was at the very end of her shift, perhaps event after hours, but she quickly printed the posters, so they were complete and ready. She is always accommodating and helpful and approaches any request with a positive attitude and spirit of helpfulness. The many printed items that she provides elevates our events and go a long way in helping us acknowledge faculty and community members for their work and service.

 Thank you, Melanie!

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of excellence, collaboration, accountability, and customer service, Melanie!

The campus hosted several events last week, and one morning event required some last-minute changes that were requested after hours but needed to be addressed first thing in the morning in order to best accommodate the community guests who would be in attendance. Not only did Bill respond to the after-hours request, but he did so positively and reassuringly. He communicated appropriately to on-site staff who had accomplished everything requested before the staff arrived to finalize set-up for the event. Talk about collaboration and teamwork and a willingness to go above and beyond!

 We can always count on Bill's can-do attitude!

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of excellence, collaboration, accountability, and customer service, Bill!

Alison is my colleague and in general she is a joy to work with.  She is hard working, kind and thoughtful, diligent, and is an excellent resource on campus for those that have questions about the IRB submission process for their research.  I specifically wanted to recognize her work as the administrator for the CIRTification human subjects training program for community partners, a program developed at UIC.  Under her, this program has expanded in scope to include many participant sites both nationally and internationally and has helped promote the ethical conduct of research and community involvement in research.  

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of excellence, integrity, collaboration, accountability, diversity, equity, and inclusion, communication, and customer service, Amy!

Allen provides exceptional service to assist with workstation and other technology problems in the office. He always responds quickly because he knows that our work depends on functioning technology.  He also follows up to ensure that the problem(s) have been resolved.  I appreciate Allen's friendly and supportive approach to providing service.

  Kudos to Allen!

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of excellence, integrity, collaboration, accountability, communication, and customer service, Allen!

Beverly truly deserves KUDOS for her unwavering commitment to excellence and for embodying the values that make our team successful!

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of excellence, integrity, collaboration, accountability, diversity, equity, and inclusion, communication, and customer service, Beverly!

I have been intending to recognize Anna for a while but just got to writing this to recognize her exceptional service.  She effectively helps me to resolve a number of software and device issues.  Anna is responsive to my questions (which can be a long list) and effectively explains solutions.  I also appreciate that Anna will contact me to share tips and tools that assist me with my work.  She is a gem!  We are fortunate to have her on the COM team.    

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of excellence, integrity, collaboration, accountability, diversity, equity, and inclusion, communication, and customer service, Anna!

Kudos to Andi in recognition of her exceptional dedication and outstanding contributions to the UIC College of Medicine. As a Testing Specialist, Andi consistently ensures that all exams run smoothly and without issue. Her attention to detail, proactive problem-solving, and calm, reliable presence play a critical role in supporting our students.

 Andi exemplifies the core values of the College of Medicine—excellence, integrity, accountability, and communication. She collaborates effectively across teams, approaches every task with professionalism, and is always willing to go the extra mile to ensure a successful testing experience. Her commitment to high-quality service not only upholds our mission but also strengthens trust and confidence in our testing operations.

Every day, Andi makes meaningful contributions that positively impact our learning environment and the success of our students!

Kudos for exemplifying the UIC core values of excellence, integrity, collaboration, accountability, communication, and customer service, Andi!

University of Illinois College of Medicine
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