2023 Administrative Professional Contribution Award Winners
Thank you to everyone who took time to recognize the work of our campus partners system-wide. The six award winners below were identified by their administrative professional work colleagues and the APAC Professional Development & Events Committee based on criteria outlined by the APAC contribution award nomination form.
Review Past AP Contribution Award Winners from 2011 – 2022
Chris Cordodor (Pullman)
The nominations received in support of Chris Cordodor highlight his strong Cougar pride and commitment to WSU through the years. One of the letters of support emphasized the far reaching impact of Chris’ performance, “Chris makes a huge and unique difference in the workplace. He approaches tasks with a ‘can do’ attitude and offers several solutions to a user so they can make their most informed decision. He is very much student-focused and incorporates big picture ideas such as ensuring families/supporters are being communicated with and that we are being mindful of how to interact and communicate with our diverse audiences. Linked Nomination Letters
Jennifer Ellsworth (Pullman)
“Dr. Ellsworth has demonstrated the highest commitment to caring for WSU students during an exceptionally trying year on the WSU Pullman campus. As the primary responder to provide student mental health services during times of crisis, she selflessly spent many weekends and nights working with students in our community during these times of anguish and loss. I do not need to tell the committee how difficult this last year has been for many in the WSU Pullman community, nor can I even describe the different ways our students have been affected by the multiple recent tragedies and losses. Through each of these incidents, whether they were widely known, or whether they were known but to a few who were affected, Dr. Ellsworth has been there.” Linked Nomination Letter
LaRonda Zupp (Vancouver)
“For the past year, LaRonda Zupp has been passionately advocating for students with invisible disabilities. These are often students with ADHD, on the Autism spectrum, or have learning disorders that are not readily visible to others. This requires a greater understanding of disabilities and awareness for our campus community to understand the specific needs for students in these communities. LaRonda led a coalition of offices to organize a professional development and student speaker event led by Jonathan Chase. The event focused on how our campus can better serve our neurodiverse students and was an incredible success.” The letter of support for LaRonda Zupp provides many examples of demonstrated support for WSU’s goals for equity, diversity, and inclusion. Linked Nomination Letter
Derek Brown (Pullman)
Derek has been described as an invaluable resource for institutional knowledge in the Office of Research. “He is always ready and willing to discuss questions and concerns. He takes ownership of any issue brought to him and works toward a solution. His standard response can be summarized as “yeah, let’s figure that out and make it better.” While he has incredible technical skills and knowledge of the Office of Research, he also has a positive attitude and good humor that make working with him a pleasure. He is, in short, exactly the kind of employee WSU should recognize and honor for no other reason than his positive working relationships.” Another colleague of Derek’s commented, “He is respectful, responsive, and has one of the best work ethics I have ever encountered…He is always on board to represent and advance the mission at WSU.” Linked Nomination Letters
Richard Miller (Pullman)
Richard has been praised for strategic ingenuity, efficient operations, and leadership in bringing WSU together in ways big and small. “Richard pioneered a deal to have the Inland 360s included in the Evergreens, a strategy later replicated by other area student papers. This is now our largest source of steady ad revenue. At the same time, he reduced several hundred thousand dollars in spending, eliminating two departments, cutting circulation, changing operations, and streamlining everything extraneous. He did this over several years, in a gradual way that was essentially painless — the things he jettisoned are not missed, and we are now able to better focus on our mission… We are now financially sound, which has improved our daily operations while reducing the anxiety levels among staff.” Linked Nomination Letter
Chris Sogge (Spokane)
In the relatively short amount of time that Chris has been serving the College of Nursing, he has been recognized for his strong interpersonal relationship building and contributions in programs across the college.”Chris can always be counted on to tackle a problem with professionalism. He follows through in a timely manner and provides answers when help is needed. He has made many changes that resulted in increased productivity and less redundancy.Mr. Sogge has consulted with other programs on campus to see how the DNP program can transition smoothly from the Graduate School to a Professional Program. He is called upon to help with student problems and crises. He has a calm welcoming manner and treats everyone with professionalism and kindness.” Linked Nomination Letter
2023 Contribution Award Honorable Mentions
The APAC Contribution Award Review Committee received an outstanding selection of deserving APAC Contribution Award Winner recipients. Please see the list of our honorable mentions below:
James Cathey – (PDF)
Jesse Flowers – (PDF)
Alicia Foth – (PDF)
Theresa Knott – (PDF)
Jon Schad – (PDF)
