U-M faculty and staff celebrated the exceptional contributions of staff on January 30 with presentations of the Distinguished Diversity Leaders Awards. The ceremony honored 10 staff members and five teams for their dedication to diversity.

Tami Strickman, special adviser to the president and executive director of the Equity, Civil Rights, and Title IX Office, welcomed award recipients and their guests and highlighted the importance of the awards. “Sustaining and enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts at the University of Michigan require a collective commitment,” Strickman said. “Today, we celebrate our outstanding staff members who exemplify these values in their work.”

Established in 2008, the awards serve to recognize and celebrate staff members’ dedication and commitment to fostering a diverse, inclusive and welcoming campus culture.

Awardees received a framed certificate and a monetary award for professional development or further training, with individuals receiving $1,000 and teams receiving $2,500.

Rich Holcomb, associate vice president for Human Resources, praised the honorees. “Our staff’s devotion and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion consistently fuel our mission to excel,” Holcomb said. “Every day, I witness how their efforts shape our culture and propel the university towards a brighter, more inclusive future.”

The DDLA is managed by the ECRT Office and sponsored by the Office of the Provost and University Human Resources.

See photos of the individual and team honorees in the University Record. 

Winners of the 12th annual Distinguished Diversity Leaders Awards for Staff

• Brandon Bond, LSA Dean’s Office.
• Stephen W. Brabbs, Maintenance Services, Facilities & Operations.
• Patricia Brainard, Civil and Environmental Engineering.
• Alex Franklin, Department of Chemistry, LSA.
• Paula Hathaway, LSA Dean’s Office.
• Hilary Murmers, Center for Gender & Sexuality, UM-Flint.
• Mina Nourbakhsh, ACS Rehab Therapies & SLP, Michigan Medicine.
• Whitney Peoples, School of Public Health Dean’s Office.
• Ari Renda, School of Public Health Office for Student Engagement and Practice.
• Caitlin Taylor, School of Music, Theatre & Dance.
• Inpatient Therapy (PT & OT) DEI Committee.
• LSA Transfer Team.
• Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Machine Shop Team.
• School of Information Religious Holiday Fact Sheet Team.
• CRLT’s DEI All-Staff Professional Development Team.