DPMG Award

Craig Arthur

COVID-19 Pandemic Award

Using his background in Engineering and working behind the scenes doing much of the heavy lifting as Environmental Health and Safety Manager, Craig was engaged since day one of the pandemic, authoring a protocol that guided the safe shutdown for the 500+ lab spaces across Dalhousie University.  As per Craig’s direct supervisor, Jerry Aguinaga, “this example is one of many I could use to demonstrate the profound affect Craig has had personally on Dalhousie’s successful COVID-19 response”.

Jerry expresses that “Craig has a unique ability to be able to clearly articulate the reality of the current state of affairs and then show a list of possible solutions and opportunities. This skill was critical during the pandemic. Craig’s influence allowed the university to operate with a view to possibilities which was vital for keeping a high moral.   On a more personal level, Craig remained a source of encouragement for my Environmental Health and Safety Team, always taking the time to reach out and check in. He definitely helped us all through this crisis.”

Craig was the key approver in the Return to Research process and has overseen process to approve thousands of applications for researchers to proceed with their critical work. Craig quickly formed a team of 5 technicians from Jerry’s team to handle the relentless stream of requests.  He was also key in the development of the “Return to Campus” and “Return to Research” protocols. It is important to note that when these protocols were written, they were not just used to open Dalhousie early on, but they were adopted by CONSUP (The Council of Nova Scotia University Presidents) and approved by the department of Labour and Advanced Education and Public Health to open all the Universities in Nova Scotia. Dalhousie received special permissions to continue critical Covid-19 related research, all based on the work Craig developed. Jerry adds that “his leadership here benefited not just Dal but all N.S Universities. Dal is seen in a very positive light from Public Health because of this early work.” 

In her letter of support, Suzie Officer, Executive Director of Planning and Strategy, Faculty of Health, describes Craig as a “valued and respected member of the Return to Campus Committee” and “has been invaluable in helping guide us (FOH) successfully through almost two full terms of F2F programming for our on-campus students (approximately 800/900 students have attended classes in person since September 2020). I know from my own frequent discussions with him that he is a professional, who is dedicated and committed to providing excellence at all times.  His attention to details and help in developing safety plans has been extraordinary.  Craig is so very deserving of the DPMG Award for the COVID category!”.

Paul Bourgeois

COVID-19 Pandemic Award

As Building Services Manager for the Faculty of Medicine Carlton Campus, Paul Bourgeois is responsible for the smooth and efficient operations of the Sir Charles Tupper Medical Building, Tupper Link, Life Sciences Research Institute, and the Clinical Research Centre. As from Dr. Roger McLeod, Associate Dean of Research, Faculty of Medicine, “in the face of an unprecedented and dynamic situation, Mr. Bourgeois had the foresight to calmly and efficiently mobilize his staff to prepare for an inevitable campus shutdown, and personally assist with several Dal Med researchers to find solutions to complex laboratory challenges in preparation for an indefinite suspension of laboratory activities. These prescient actions coupled with clear and concise communication and his diligent attention to detail were critical in our ability to safely return 81 research units to campus in July 2020. 

As further explained by Dr. MacLeod, “Paul is one of Nova Scotia’s unsung heroes in the fight to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. On December 1, 2020, Paul learned that planning was underway to receive the first test shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine. With only a week to prepare, Mr. Bourgeois assisted in securing the ultra-low temperature freezer required to store the vaccine at a vaccination clinic location in the LSRI and had also supervised the logistics of secure and effective storage of the vaccine.  His efforts were recognized by then Minister of Health and Wellness, the Honorable Leo Glavine in a letter to Dalhousie President, Dr. Deep Saini.  In his letter, Minister Glavine specifically highlighted the exceptional work of Paul and co-workers for their willingness to coordinate the use of the LSRI to store and manage the vaccine, nothing that ‘this single act brought hope to Nova Scotian’s that COVID-19 would come to an end.”

Nominator Jason Bremner, Communications Advisor, Faculty of Medicine names Paul as “the epitome of a leader who leads by doing and when the COVID-19 pandemic began, Paul approached the situation with a sense of calm that was impossible to miss.” He made it his priority to clearly communicate with all affected groups daily and offered innovative solutions at a moment’s notice.  Morale and culture can be concepts that are hard to quantify, but Paul’s dedication and hard work is infectious. The pride he takes in his work is evident in every encounter someone has with him. The preparation and training required to host the COVID-19 vaccination clinic was extensive. Without hesitation, Paul was taking online courses and training modules provided by Pfizer and the Public Health Agency of Canada on how to properly handle and receive the vaccine. This was a massive undertaking to add to his already full workload, but he did it with an enthusiasm that makes everyone proud to have the privilege to work with him. When asked about this work, he humbly said ‘I’m just really happy to be involved.’” 

Alexandra Fournier

Early Career Award

Alexandra’s (Allie’s) positive influence and leadership, her ability to maintain composure and her high levels of professionalism are just a few cited attributes that enabled Allie to pivot during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis and be nominated for her outstanding achievements.  As the Communications Coordinator at the Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick (DMNB) campus, Allie is the point-person for DMNB faculty, students and staff and she also serves as the main communications point of contact with Dalhousie in Halifax. 

During the past COVID-19 year, Allie was not only successful in coordinating the medical school program communications while simultaneously building up the DMNB Medicine Research website, but as stated by Nominator Dr. Daniel Dutton, Assistant Professor, Community Health and Epidemiology, through her “heroic efforts, Allie kept DMNB informed of university and government policies and assist with a back-to-work plan that resulted in fewer setbacks than other research outfits in the province.”

Allie planned and organized the welcome ceremony (“First Light”) in September 2020 and the graduation ceremony (”Launch”) in May 2020. For the Launch Ceremony, two months after the work-from-home mandate, Allie worked with MedIT to assemble a pre-recorded version of the ceremony to premiere on YouTube so graduates could watch it with their loved ones. For the First Light Ceremony, Allie worked within Public Health measures, put together an in-person version of the ceremony and solicited donations from New Brunswick-based companies to put together gift bags to make the incoming class feel special, despite their First Light looking different than previous years.

Dr. Dutton’s summarization of Allie’s work as “an example of constant organizational and operational renewal, a DalMedForward strategic area”, is also defended by Dr. Keith Brunt, Associate Professor, Pharmacology who states that Allie is “regarded by her colleagues as a leader’, as reflected in “her role on the Cultural Safety Committee and in her leadership in establishing and flourishing the Doctor for a Day program with Indigenous communities in New Brunswick”. 

The Cultural Safety committee is dedicated to creating an environment that is culturally safe for all members of the public and Dalhousie Community.  Conceptualized and executed on Allie’s own initiative, the Doctor for a Day at DMNB event has solidified the Cultural Safety Committee’s partnership with the Under One Sky Friendship Centre (a non-profit Indigenous Community organization), now provides a window into the medical student experience including a sharing circle with Indigenous health professionals, and allows exposure to an environment that many children this age would not otherwise have.  Affirmed by Dr. Brunt, “this event is a concrete example of dedication to the ‘Service’ area in Dalhousie’s five key strategic areas as well as the ‘Serving and Engaging Society’ pillar of the #DalMedForward strategic plan.”

Ryan Clow

Career Award

In communications to the DMPG Award Selection Committee, Nominator Ian Taylor, Director, MedIT Technology Services writes: 

“I hope that you will accept my nomination for the DPMG Award for Outstanding Achievement to be awarded, posthumously, to Ryan Clow. Ryan was the Director of MedIT Enterprise Systems and Projects, who passed away in a tragic accident on Munro Day, February 5, 2021. I do not wish to submit this nomination as a memorial, or as a gesture to a close friend who I have lost. Rather, I am nominating an exceptional Dalhousie employee, who embodied everything that we strive for when it comes to true leadership and an employee who is deserving of recognition for the contributions that he has made to the Dalhousie community.” 

Always with a collaborative approach, Ryan made many impactful contributions to the continuation of medical education during the pandemic. One of his most influential contributions was to a project involving moving examinations for medical students to an online format. It was a complex and difficult project that involved not just a technology solution, but the cooperation of many individuals from different units and geographical locations. “Ryan helped to provide a solution in a way that helped to calm the situation and lower the stress levels of those around him. He pulled out the best in people...the best efforts they could do, the best perspectives they could have of a situation or a person and the best attitudes.”  Ian adds that “Ryan was responsible for a complete overhaul of how projects were managed within MedIT and for the Faculty of Medicine.  New processes were implemented, and a new SharePoint site was built as a shared repository for project documents. To support the success of fellow colleagues, Ryan used his extensive knowledge and leveraged regular monthly departmental meetings to teach “Project Management 101” to all MedIT staff”

Ryan was dedicated to improving the health of those around him and made it his mission to ensure that colleagues were getting the mental and emotional support that they needed.   During times of incredible emotional challenges, such as throughout the pandemic, the horrific events in Nova Scotia and the Black Lives Matter movement, Ryan insisted that every department meeting start with a mental health check. He also set up a dedicated departmental channel in MS Teams to increase awareness of anti-racism and anti-colonialism.

As from Dr. Dave Anderson, Dean, Faculty of Medicine “one of Ryan’s most notable achievements was his leadership in the university’s Uniweb project, an information repository for research and academic activity. Ryan played a pivotal role in laying the groundwork for, and navigating the complexities of, implementing this management tool. He championed the successful execution of this project in collaboration with department heads, faculty members, university library staff, and other administrators across the Faculty of Medicine”. He further adds that “Ryan was a credit to this institution, to his profession, and to the field of Medical Information Technology. I wholeheartedly nominate Mr. Ryan Clow for the DPMG Award for Outstanding Achievement in 2021.”

Michelle Patrick

Career Award

As the first manager of Promoting Leadership in Health for African Nova Scotians (PLANS), Michelle Patrick was instrumental in starting initiatives that led to the successful increase in number of students of African descent in Medicine, Dentistry and the Faculty of Health. She was strategic in helping to expand the program to Cape Breton University and Saint Francis Xavier University to support more students of African descent in the public school system and in post-secondary institutions. As per Nominator, Dr. Barb Hamilton-Hinch, Assistant Vice Provost Equity and Inclusion, “Michelle does above and beyond what is expected of her, to the benefit of the Dalhousie Communities. I have come to respect and depend on Ms. Patrick for several matters, as do many other individuals at Dalhousie and outside of the Dalhousie Community. Without Ms. Patrick’s positive influence and leadership as the first PLANS Manager, I am not convinced the program would be as successful as it is.”

In support of nominating Michelle for an award, Dr. Theresa Rajack-Talley, Vice Provost, Equity and Inclusion communicates “Michelle’s  leadership  qualities come with a strong heart, committed effort, a level of professionalism, and a warm smile. Since the establishment of the Office of the Vice Provost for Equity and Inclusion at Dalhousie in August 2019,  Michelle  Patrick  has  been  a  valuable  human  resource  for  this  Office. She  consistently  serves  on important Equity, Diversity, Inclusiveness and Accessibility (EDIA) committees and is always available for on-line consultation and providing recommendations. Currently, Michelle is on a committee developing new policy guidelines for Racial Violence linked to  the Human Rights and Equity Services (HRES) Policy on discrimination and personal harassment that aligns with Dalhousie’s core EDIA values and pillars. And also recently, Michelle was one of Dalhousie’s participants on a national Dialogue on anti-Black racism and Black inclusion at universities and colleges and provided feedback on a national Charter emerging from the Dialogue.”

Ms. Patrick’s ability to effectively develop and organize teams, accountability for performance and results of her team members, with her commitment to change and innovation, have contributed to her being sought after for a secondment,  and within the past two years transitioned into the position of Student Success Career Advisor at Student Services. 

As per Karen McCrank, Director, Bissett Student Services Success Center, Michelle began her role as Career Advisor only a few months before the start of the pandemic. She was quickly able to adjust to the remote working environment while supporting a team of 6 student staff and simultaneously develop a new program to meet the new and unexpected needs of current and prospective students through the creation of the “Gap on-Track” program. Michelle’s initiative, creativity and expertise in program design enabled her to fill a critical need for Dalhousie students while supporting Dalhousie’s strategic priorities for enrolment and retention. Michelle has consistently demonstrated strong leadership in her role as Career Advisor.

Queena Crooker-Smith

Career Award

Exhibiting high and consistent performance levels, taking initiative, juggling dozens of wide-ranging tasks and working with Senior Leaders on undertakings requiring strategic thinking, are just a few reasons a nomination for Queena Crooker-Smith in outstanding achievement is fully supported by many within faculty and across campus.

As Faculty Administrator, Faculty of Agriculture, Queena is known for being a positive influence, for her leadership and for making an impact on the University and greater community. As Dr. Chris Cutler, Associate Dean, Research and Grad Studies, confirms “Queena has helped coordinate and plan rebuilds, repairs, shutdowns and return to campus efforts, all while ensuring no balls got dropped around ‘normal’ activities of hiring, budgeting and administering.”

Nominator Dr. David Gray, Dean and Campus Principal, Faculty of Agriculture, refers to Queena’s exceptional ability to take initiative and look at things from a new approach. This specifically throughout the past 5 years when they’ve experienced a mass shooting in their local community and 2 major fires on campus.  “Queena’s immediate thoughts throughout all of these local crises were for our people. She worked with HR colleagues to bring counsellors and support to our campus and visited each unit to ascertain what was needed. As Chair of the campus Health and Wellbeing Committee, Queena allocated resources to support sessions across campus and for social activities that allowed colleagues to ‘heal’ together. The same goes for throughout the pandemic – our ability to function and operate at a high level has been due to Queena’s ability to implement new approaches in high pressure situations and within short timeframes. 

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the ‘work from home model’, much coordination was needed with instructors, researchers, and students and Queena coordinated all of it. Crucial to the agricultural research discipline, Queena also worked with Dr. Chris Cutler on a process for accepting ‘Return to Field research’ applications for the growing season. As described by Dr. Gray, “during Return to Campus planning, Queena was the architect of procedure. On more than one occasion, the agriculture campus was held by Dalhousie’s RTC as an example of best practice in approach and response to the COVID situation, and this was largely due to Queena.”

One of Queena’s greatest strengths is “her ability to support and encourage all staff effectively and equally, valuing what each and every person has to contribute”, says Jean Lynds, Operations Manager, Farm. “As someone who reports to Queena, I have seen first-hand her genuine interest and enthusiasm for agriculture, the campus Farm and it’s people.  It’s very rewarding to work for someone who values your work and has confidence in your ability. Queena’s contribution to the Faculty has been exceptional and she would be a most deserving recipient of the DPMG Award for Outstanding Achievement.”

Quenta Adams

Career Award

Quenta Adams, Director, Student Academic Success, is valued by many for her leadership, generosity and positive impacts.  As Frank Harvey, Provost and VP Academic (acting) summarizes it best, “Quenta Adams stands apart as one of the few outstanding champions who have consistently made important and impactful contributions throughout their career. As a consummate professional and exemplar ambassador for Dalhousie, she never hesitates to lend her support and leadership to initiatives and projects where her combined institutional knowledge, expertise and advocacy benefit the work at hand, her colleagues, our students and the university.”

In addition to the vast operational responsibilities as Director of Student Academic Success, Quenta is also committed and dedicated to the African Nova Scotian community, on campus and at large.  In the fall of 2020, Michelle Williams sought out Quenta’s leadership in co-chairing Dalhousie’s African Nova Scotian Strategy. As Professor Williams notes when explaining her decision, "Quenta is a highly respected senior staff member at Dalhousie and her counsel is sought after. She is able to see the landscape of Dalhousie within its civic context and identify and implement specific interventions to improve equitable service for African Nova Scotians and other historically underrepresented groups."  Quenta’s high caliber and consistent leadership as Co-Chair of the Dalhousie University African Nova Scotian Strategy Working Group resulted in the first African Nova Scotian Strategy of its kind in the province.  And as Melisa Marsman, Assistant General Counsel, Legal Counsel Office adds, “Quenta’s compassion and generosity with her time, knowledge, relationships, and experience strategically guides the African Nova Scotian Strategy”.

Quenta played a critical role as well in the development of Dalhousie's Accessibility Plan and has recently been named Co-Chair of the Dalhousie University Accessibility Committee. As per Frank Harvey, “Quenta recognizes the importance of accessibility in all of its facets: curriculum, services, culture, physical environment. Recognition of accessibility’s importance reflects the way she forms meaningful relationships and seeks to understand an individual’s lived experience. Among her many recent contributions was the successful launch and stewardship of an Accessibility Fund for the Dalhousie community to support direct financial costs associated with enhancing the accessibility of learning environments and experiences on campus. ​88% of the original fund was awarded across several Faculties and Departments with positive reports.”

Quenta’s  dedication and incredible work ethic are simply parts of who Quenta is as a person, team member and leader at Dalhousie and in our community. And as Frank Harvey further attests, “Quenta would never expect to be recognized for her many valuable contributions, but it is very hard to imagine anyone more deserving of recognition for her outstanding contributions to Dalhousie and its legacy.

Hazel Ling

Social Worker

Student Health and Wellness (SHW), Student Affairs

DPMG Early Career Award

Early in her time as a DPMG member, Hazel quickly identified a gap in service for students including a bridge between medical and psychological services. She also realized the need for preventative wellness intervention and advocacy support for students experiencing barriers to their health, aligning with Dalhousie strategic priority Teaching and Learning 1.3, strengthen student experience, leadership development and additional support for our locally diverse and international students.

Hazel consistently challenges herself and has an incredible way of examining issues from multiple perspectives and possibilities, determined to find a solution.  Her unique approach and commitment to excellence in supporting the Dalhousie community and beyond as well as her innovation in delivering programs that align with our strategic priorities makes her a valuable ambassador for wellness at Dalhousie University. 

Emily Huner

Director,
Finance and Administration

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS)

DPMG Award for Outstanding Achievement

Emily has not only fulfilled the mandate of her office but has gone above and beyond to create a collaborative environment and systematically and methodically enhance collegiate relations throughout FASS. Over the past 7 months, Emily has transformed morale within FASS and has been described by her colleagues as “A Beacon of Hope”. By collaborating with various key employee groups within FASS, such a major shift in trust and morale would normally take years, not months.

She has also routinized support for career and skills growth for NSGEU and DPMG members by scheduling opportunities to attend internal sessions and has also instated an annual FASS Staff Award for Excellence in Service.  Conscientious, inclusiveness, excellence and innovativeness are qualities that Emily possesses and creating a work environment that is respectful, rewarding and engaging is always a priority for Emily.

Dr. Keltie Jones

Assistant Dean,
Student and
Academic Administration

Faculty of
Agriculture

DPMG Award for Outstanding Achievement

Keltie makes the university environment an inviting place for students to come talk to her by learning about their stories and engaging with them personally. Having a mentor like this on campus is crucial to students’ success in post-secondary education. It’s important to have a safe place to go and ask for help. Keltie provides a great atmosphere for students to feel comfortable and is committed to ensuring student success as soon as they enter university and every year after that.  Keltie cares about the community around her and goes above and beyond to make it an inclusive, welcoming and fun place to be.

As an ambassador for positive change, Dr. Jones has shown exceptional and creative efforts in advancing equity, diversity and inclusion within the Dalhousie University Community.  Particular initiatives at the Truro campus include: Mi’kmag Grand Council Flag Installation, renaming “Rover Road” to “Sipu Awti”, creating an Indigenous Resource Room as well as various internal and external community partnerships.

Martha Skerry

Assistant Manager,
Payroll and
Information Services

Human Resources

DPMG Award for Outstanding Achievement

A steadfast employee in Human Resource at Dalhousie since 1973, Martha’s current role has a direct effect on all faculty and staff at Dalhousie and ensures we all get paid accurately and on time.  Under Martha’s careful watch and supervision, she oversees the processing of 5-7 pays per month, translating to almost 8500 employees.  Martha is consistent in both her planning and implementation of this critical role and advises staff and monitors data entry standards for the Banner HR system.  She creates and implements payroll
policies to realize efficiencies, process improvements and improved internal controls.

Martha was a key team member of two mergers with Dalhousie: the TUNS Merger in 1996 and the NSAC merger 2014/2015.  Martha has also played an integral role on other projects and initiatives such as: an upgrade to Banner in 2009, Graduate Student Payroll Information Profile Improved Functionality, Electronic Personal Action Forms rollout in 2016, Process Improvement Project and the Banner 9 Implementation.

John Hope

Hidden, yet seen, is an apt way to describe John Hope’s contributions to Dalhousie University. While the particulars of his contributions must, by their nature, remain undisclosed, the impacts of his commitment and leadership pervade the University. As Ian Wagschal, Assistant Director of Minor Projects stated in his letter of support, the greatest proof of John’s years of proactive, ethical and ‘prescient’ leadership at Dal, is that he works to make sure that ‘nothing’ happens.

John began working at the University’s legal counsel office about ten years ago. He has since risen to become the Assistant General Counsel, and with the retirement of the General Counsel earlier this year, he assumed the leadership of the university’s legal team.

The reach of John’s impacts is simply limitless. Ian Wagshal notes that “a good portion of Dalhousie’s success can be attributed to John’s behind-the-scenes influence and judgment”. And, the Vice President, Finance and Administration, Ian Nason, concludes that “every major construction project at Dalhousie in the last ten years owes something of its success to John’s careful legal guidance and ability to work with diverse stakeholders”. Whether it is in his extensive relationships across the university; his approach to sensitive and high-stakes projects; or his engagement with students, John’s thoughtfulness and ingenuity are always evident.

The complex IDEA project is just one example of John’s practical and solution-focused nature. He developed a unique Contractor Safety Management Process widely acclaimed by safety experts as the “gold standard” in institutional safety practices. He is also credited for improving the process for making small project contracts, by designing a memorandum to delegate signing authority of contracts.

John’s penchant for refining processes is impossible to miss. When he assumed leadership of the legal counsel office, he assigned staff lawyers to specific areas of responsibility; allowing them to build expertise and forge relationships. John has also designed supplemental conditions to standard construction contracts, adapting conventional contracts to Dal’s specific needs and special risks.

Worthy of special mention is John’s deep concern for and commitment to people. Alison Shea tells the story of how John, at a period when the legal counsel office was shorthanded, noticed the toll the increased workload had on her health and encouraged her to seek help. John’s humour and capacity to forge lasting relationships, have been of immense advantage to Dal. In Alison’s words, these strategic relationships allow John to transform “a potential week-long discussion into a ten-minute phone call”.

Said Msabaha

“A human being with a big heart, and strong intelligence; someone who manages everything with a big smile and an easy nature”; is how Jacquie Thilaye describes ‘the mayor of Halifax’. No, not Mayor Mike Savage; but, Said Msabaha, program manager at the Global Health Office (GHO), Faculty of Medicine.

While Said served as an evening supervisor at the Killam Library between 2005 and 2011, he joined the GHO as a program coordinator in 2011. His initial responsibility was limited to supporting international students from Malaysia admitted into the medical school. In no time, the diligence and dedication that stood him out as a supervisor at the Killam library became obvious at the GHO. As the ‘price’ and ‘prize’ of excellence is ‘more work’, Said’s terms of reference were soon expanded to include supporting International Medical Graduates entering into clerkships and managing other programs involving students in health studies to participate in exchange programmes.

Said has not only fulfilled the mandate of his office, he has gone over and beyond. While examples of his outstanding performance abound, a few will be highlighted. Over the past years, Said has successfully managed the Link Program - an intensive 15-week orientation for international students transitioning into clerkship. This entails collaborating with various stakeholders in health studies to develop the curriculum and manage the schedule. He also coordinates a program which deals with the identification and posting of students in Health Studies to undertake courses in Tanzania and the Gambia.

To Said, these responsibilities are not merely professional; they are personal. Hence, in 2017, as part of his vacation, he travelled to Tanzania to have a first-hand appreciation of the situation of Dalhousie students in the country. Despite the successes he has recorded, Said is simply not satisfied. The need to ‘do more’ informed his development of an evaluation report of the International Medical Graduates clerkship program. This report is fast becoming a standard, which officials in other provinces like Ontario are seeking to adapt.

In case you are wondering how Said came to be known as ‘the mayor of Halifax’. All you need to do is to take a walk with him from the Henry Hicks Building to the Carleton campus. However, beware that a 10-minute walk could need a 20-minute extension, as members of the university community, will often stop Said to ask questions, share their news or acknowledge him. Shawna O’Hearn, Said’s nominator, notes that while “Dalhousie campuses can feel disconnected … (Said) demonstrates how interconnected we are”.

Inclusiveness, dependability, excellence and innovativeness are qualities which dot the various letters in support of Said’s nomination for this award. Indeed, his stand-out qualities were well summed up by Dr. Megan Aston and Dr. Gail Tomblin Murphy who note that “Said is consistently inclusive and dependable. His sense of humour and demeanour are exceptional and qualities that are effective in moving work forward in a way that is respectful and engaging”.

Kim Thomson

Kim Thomson personifies professionalism, exudes competence and inspires confidence. While her official position as the chief of staff, provost office, might suggest a singular mandate, this is far from being correct. In fact, Kim is many things rolled into one. She coordinates the day-to-day activities of the Provost’s office; manages the provost’s committee, the Dean’s Council and the Provost’s Executive; serves as the university contact and resident expert with the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission, and acts as the University liaison with the Education Advisory Board.

Kim played a pivotal role in Dalhousie’s adoption of and transition to the Provost model. Since the model’s roll-out, Kim has dedicated herself to its smooth operation and constant improvement. For example, upon realising the need for an effective and efficient internal review process, Kim undertook a process of ensuring that executive assistants and managers were trained in the six-sigma method for process analysis. The impact of this initiative is felt across the university, as approval processes for new and modified academic programs are now conducted more effectively and efficiently.

Describing Kim, her nominator, the Associate Vice President Academic – Fiona Black, notes that Kim “employs all her formal learning and continued professional development with a deep wisdom” and “wears her learning lightly” even when she clearly knows a situation’s complexity more thoroughly than anyone else in the room.” “She is calm, confident, humble and an enormous asset to the President and Provost’s Offices”. These words were reaffirmed by the Provost and Vice President, Academic, Carolyn Watters, whose deep respect for Kim is evident in her letter of support. To her: “Kim is a positive role model and positive problem solver. She thinks strategically and leads from behind the scenes, through candid and open relationships across the university”.

If you need to get a job done, Kim is your go-to-person. Her reliability, however, comes at a price. In Fiona Black’s words “”Is Kim available?”” has become a regular refrain among senior admin. But Kim’s astounding impact is not limited to senior admin. Her peers and others who report to her attest to her availability, geniality and candour. Andrea Heyer, Executive Assistant and Project Coordinator said: “What is most notable about Kim as a leader is her accessibility. Kim has been my team lead on several projects over the years, and she has always been willing to offer consistent and valuable insight, and if necessary role up her sleeves and work jointly to ‘get the job done’”.

Beverly Zinck

Students, colleagues and faculty feel the same about her. Differently yet uniformly, they all attest that Beverly Zinck, or ‘Bev’ as she is fondly called, has a heart of gold. She gives willingly, unreservedly and unconditionally. She gives her time past the demands of official ‘hours’; she gives her attention past the requirements of her office; and she gives her drive, vision and passion to the cause of the Accommodation Office at the Faculty of Agriculture campus, Dalhousie University. Beyond the dotted lines of her contract as the Coordinator of Access Supports at Truro, Bev has successfully unravelled the underpinning philosophy and purpose of accommodation services; and she operates by the higher mandates this evoke.

Her deeper appreciation of and connection to the demands of her office is evident in the reforms Bev has enacted and the immense success she has recorded in less than four years. To make access to accommodations services quicker and easier, Bev developed a Test Request Form; sends electronic test and examinations notifications to students and is currently revamping the outdated accommodations database at Truro.

One of the many areas where Bev’s engaging, personable, proactive and collaborative attributes came to the fore was in her reform of the scheduling system of examinations and tests. A faculty member, Nancy Pitts, affirms these attributes thus: “Bev built the present efficient, trusted system, and excellent collegial interaction with instructional colleagues from scratch … On her arrival, Bev deliberately reached out to faculty, especially instructors of the large classes … Now, when I as a faculty member, receive a Notice of Accommodation, I have confidence that it is appropriately founded … For this vision of ‘team-ship’ alone, Bev would be deserving of recognition”.

Bev always does more. Whether it is in her scanning and emailing of class notes to students, her last-minute adjustments of her personal schedule to accommodate a student who forgot the time for a test or examination, or spending late nights, early mornings and weekends to work with students, Bev is always available with refreshing calmness and assuring demeanour. And, yes; she makes ‘yummy’ home baked cookies for her students. Her former student, Holly Fisher, fondly recollects that: “After our first meeting I could tell she (Bev) truly cared about the students she worked with and would do anything in her power to see them succeed … Beverly was able to instill in me the confidence to understand my needs while learning and testing … this made a large difference in my life and I am grateful to Beverly Zinck for helping me move past that stage”.

Of her many praiseworthy qualities, one often highlighted by those who know and work with Bev, is her respect for everyone. Her nominator, Carolyn Bartlett, reflects on this quality in the following words: “Respect is at the core of Bev’s leadership style. It is ingrained into her personality and it becomes pervasive with students and colleagues she interacts with daily … conversations occur with understanding, clear listening and empathy to concerns concerned”.

Darrell Rhodenizer

Darrell Rhodenizer, Associate Director for Advancement Systems & Reporting in the Office of Advancement, is in the early stages of his Dalhousie career as a DPMG member. He joined the Office less than three years ago as the Manager for Information Systems, and within a year he took on a leadership role with the Advancement Operations & Planning unit as Associate Director.

Darrell’s supporters say that he came to Advancement ready for new challenges - and they were able to provide them! He immediately applied his considerable skills and aptitude for learning to some of the thorniest and longest-standing barriers to progress that Advancement staff faced in trying to fulfil their mission. Within a very short time, his supporters were regarding him as a "game-changer."

His contributions include a complete revamping of Advancement’s fundraising reports from the ground up (eliminating many laborious manual processes in doing so); envisioning and creating a "data mart" to accelerate the Office’s ability to bring data together into reports and analyses to drive decision-making; streamlining and automating processes to help staff become more efficient; developing tools and implementing systems to allow fund raisers and alumni officers to work more effectively; helping to set strategic direction for how Advancement Operations can most effectively support the unit’s mission and goals; and representing Advancement's needs to central IT better than it has ever been done before.

As one of his supporters tells us, “He delivers solutions that the user sometimes didn't even know they needed, explaining things in a language they can understand.” His nominator, Suzanne Huett, says, “I have been involved in the fundraising profession for over 30 years and I have never witnessed anyone who has his exceptional ability to holistically understand the work of Advancement. He has developed a universal, integrated and collaborative approach to tackling goals by being an active listener and an engaged participant in any committee, task or challenge that is he involved with.”

In short, Darrell's work with Advancement has been transformational, and forms an important part of the foundation Dalhousie needs to effectively manage the University's relationship with its alumni, donors, and prospective donors, as his Office seeks to maximize support for the University's overall mission.

Gail Power

Things seem to have come full circle for Gail Power. She joined Dalhousie in 1991 as a Facilities Manager for Housing and Conference Services and this very building, Shirreff Hall, was one of the buildings she managed. And later this month, 26 years later, Gail will be retiring from Dalhousie.  Celebrating her receipt of this award here, in Shirreff Hall, is special for her I am sure.

After her first role with Housing and Conference Services, Gail held roles with the Department of Chemistry, Research Services and with the Faculty of Agriculture. During her 15 years with Chemistry she provided a leadership role for new initiatives within the department. Some of those initiatives included working with 25 faculty members writing a first year chemistry textbook and the 2008 strategic review of the department.  That review took place at her suggestion, and Gail also had responsibility for implementation of many of the emerging recommendations.

Most recently, Gail has served as the first Faculty Administrator for the Faculty of Agriculture. This was a newly-created role as a result of the merger of the Nova Scotia Agricultural College with Dalhousie in 2012. While the role of Faculty Administrator is well known at Dal, it was new to the Agricultural Campus. Gail’s nominator, Dean David Gray, describes how the merger of the two institutions, with campuses located nearly 100 kms apart, created the need for an exceptional effort - not only to deal with the transition and integration of the merger with the Halifax campuses-, but also with the day to day operations of an entire faculty.

Results-focused, knowledgeable, positive, personable, understanding, supportive, highly engaged, determined and committed are just a few of the words used to describe Gail by her nomination supporters, Jean Lynds from the Faculty of Agriculture and Janice MacInnis from Human Resources. Jean states not once, but twice, that Gail’s contribution to their campus and Faculty has been exceptional.  

Cathie Smith-Gillis

Cathie Smith-Gillis, Director of Human Resources in the Faculty of Health Professions, is integral to the smooth operation of her large and complex Faculty, which is home to ten different Schools and over 1,400 full-time and part-time faculty, staff, sessional instructors, casual employees, teaching and research assistants and post-doctoral fellows.

She was nominated for this award by her Dean, Dr. Alice Aitken, who tells us that “Cathie's consistently high performance is instrumental in ensuring that we are not just meeting, but in fact exceeding, the standard. In every way, Cathie exemplifies the qualities of an outstanding employee.”

Considered by her peers and community to be an invaluable asset, Cathie is essential to the efficient and effective operation of her Faculty and consistently goes above and beyond to lead HR initiatives, offer exceptional service, and provide reasoned and thoughtful advice – ensuring that the majority of the human resource issues her Faculty encounters do not have to move beyond the level of the Faculty.

Her achievements are many, but in nominating her for this award, her supporters have highlighted several. These include her efforts to help streamline the workload guidelines for DFA members, and her preparation of a highly-regarded Employment Equity plan for the Faculty. Perhaps most notably, however, Cathie has developed a performance support and professional development tool for use across the Faculty. This initiative, which arose out of feedback from workplace surveys identifying issues with the ACHIEVE program, required careful thought around how a performance review tool could foster individual and team development, build accountability and feedback into annual routines, and capture the varied and multifaceted contributions of a broad range of employees.

In response to this need, Cathie created the DPMG Performance Support/Professional Development Tool based on the University's core competencies. The project is regarded by Cathie’s supporters as a prime example of her creativity and understanding of the Faculty and University's strategic objectives and goals. The DPMG tool has been so well received both inside and outside the Faculty that Cathie went on to create a similar tool for NSGEU use.

Dean Aiken tells us, “Cathie inspires confidence in everyone who has the pleasure of working with her.”   

Debbie Parker

“Her role directly affects staff across the entire University, which in turn impacts on the University’s ability to fulfill its mission and meet strategic goals.” This statement was provided as part of the nomination package for Debbie Parker, Manager of Compensation and Senior Human Resources Consultant, and our final recipient of the DPMG Award for Outstanding Achievement for 2017.

Building and maintaining positive relationships with a wide variety of employees and managers is something that everyone wants to do and is a great skill for any employee to possess. But being able to do this successfully while also leading the university’s job evaluation process, which can sometimes be emotional and overwhelming for employees, is impressive. And this is what Debbie has done for many years at Dalhousie.

Debbie is both trusted and respected across campuses and her nominator and supporters have heralded her for her compassion and dedication to a role that, at times, can be difficult and thankless. But Debbie performs her role with a very high level of integrity and commitment and she works hard to contribute to the reputation of Dalhousie as an employer of choice. One of her supporters, AVP of Financial Services, Susan Robertson, noted that Debbie can always be relied upon to provide sound advice. Unfortunately for Debbie, that means she is usually the first person that Susan recommends others in Financial Services to contact when they require guidance!

The nomination package for Debbie outlined a number of achievements and one stood out in particular. The merger of the Nova Scotia Agricultural College with Dalhousie was a large and complex task on many fronts. Debbie was instrumental in the alignment of the Government of Nova Scotia’s compensation structure to the compensation structure of Dalhousie. This project involved evaluating hundreds of positions from various union and employee groups. And behind each position was a person. While there were challenging questions, Debbie was always able to address these in a kind and warm manner, while always remembering that this process was doubtless a very anxious one for our Truro campus colleagues.

Debbie’s nominator, Sheila MacLean from Human Resources, stated in her nomination letter that Debbie is a confidante to many, a strong and knowledgeable leader within human resources and someone who is always considers the big picture when making decisions or providing advice. And, quite simply, she is a very proud member of the Dalhousie community.

Michael Wilkinson

At Dalhousie, the job of managing mail delivery, snow removal, waste collection, pest control and horticulture is held by one extraordinary individual: Michael Wilkinson, the Environmental Services Manager in Facilities Management.

Mike and his team of 20 staff and numerous service contractors provide these services to the entire campus.  Born and raised in South Africa, Mike honed his horticultural skills in his native country, before moving to the UK to manage the estate grounds of the legendary race car driver Jackie Stewart. Shortly after moving to Nova Scotia in 2007, Mike joined us at Dalhousie.

Mike works every day with his team to create an inviting, safe and sustainable environment for Dalhousie. His horticulture initiatives are very noticeable across the campus as he and his team are in the process of revitalizing the flower beds, shrubs, trees and other landscape features. He has changed the way we manage our waste on campus to make it more sustainable and cost-efficient. Through his collaboration with Security Services, he has made a significant impact in ensuring the three Halifax campuses are a safe place to travel to and from at any time of the day or night. Perhaps most notably, however, he has also improved our snow removal and ice control methods, benefitting the campus tremendously during the winter of 2015-16 which, as we all remember, was one of the most severe winters ever experienced in Halifax.

Mike’s colleagues often joke that Mike manages all the services that nobody else wants. But these critical services help create an environment at Dalhousie where researchers and students can be successful.  Darrell Boutilier, Director of Operations in Facilities Management and Mike’s supervisor and nominator for this award, summed up his nomination by saying, “I think Mike Wilkinson is a great example of what a young, professional leader should be. He is a high performer who is focused on personal and professional growth for both himself and his staff. His expertise and leadership has resulted in a number of accomplishments and successful initiatives that have campus-wide impact on a daily basis.” 

Peter Dykhuis

The Dalhousie Art Gallery enjoys a sterling reputation amongst its peers across the country. The DPMG Award nomination package for the Gallery’s Curator, Peter Dykhuis, demonstrates the many ways in which he has continuously promoted the excellence of the Art Gallery and its programming, dedicated to enhancing the experiential and educative aspects of visual art on campus. In her letter of support for Peter’s nomination, our Vice-President Academic and Provost, Dr. Carolyn Watters, says: “Peter has led his small but excellent team to help all of us think differently about art and its contribution to the ways we think and appreciate, surely a core value of the university.”

As an Academic Support Unit, the Gallery is a resource for the student and teaching populations. Peter frequently works with faculty to incorporate the Gallery’s exhibitions and permanent collection into curricula as a teaching tool, offering class tours, guided access to the collection, and in-class lectures.

His influence is also felt beyond Dalhousie. He actively contributes to all levels of the arts community in Canada: through leadership roles with regional and national gallery associations; participation in Arts advocacy; mentorship of young artists and curators; and committee and jury work.

During his time at Dalhousie, Peter has successfully raised over a million dollars in municipal, provincial, and federal grant funding to support the Gallery’s program of activities. He has also added nearly a million dollars to the university’s capital assets through the growth in the Gallery’s permanent collection holdings in artwork deemed of national cultural significance.

But Peter’s staff, who have nominated him en masse for this award, say that this narrative tells only a part of his story. All of his engagements are based on a foundation of professional and personal integrity, deep empathy, an irrepressible sense of humour, and a desire to “make our heaven here on earth” (an expression his staff say he uses by way of apology for contributing more than what is expected, which means they hear the phrase often). 

Michael Campbell

“When you leave a meeting you feel confident and self-assured due to his positive attitude,” is how one supporter described her interactions with Michael Campbell, Manager of Custodial Services with Facilities Management.

Michael is a wonderful example of someone who provides positive influence and leadership and there are many examples of this. He utilizes both one-on-one meetings and monthly meetings with the General Forepersons to discuss how things are going and to learn if there are issues impacting work performance while consistently offering potential solutions. He makes a point to interact with many members of the custodial staff and it should be noted that this takes a great deal effort as these staff members are located in many buildings, across all three Halifax campuses. 

As a supervisor Michael is known to encourage his staff members to advance their education. He has also partnered with the Immigrants Settlement Association of Nova Scotia to provide English in the workplace training for some custodial staff members whose first language is not English.

He took note of the rate of injuries of custodial staff and initiated a project entitled WorkSAFE @ Dal by reaching out to the School of Occupational Therapy. The intent of the program is to reduce injury rates of custodial staff members and to provide occupational therapy students the opportunity to apply their skills in a way that benefits others. WorkSAFE @ Dal was the recipient of the Environmental Health and Safety Award in 2014 and this program is a wonderful example of a new initiative can have positive impacts for multiple Dalhousie stakeholders, in this case, our employees and our students.

As his nominator Suzanne Strowbridge stated, “I don’t know if Michael Campbell realizes the impact he has, but it should be known. I feel very proud in letting you know that he is a great person and it is nice to have a strong leader as our manager for custodial. He supports our endeavours and our efforts to improve.”

Suzanne Le-May Sheffield

 “She is the very best example of outstanding performance and achievement in the university,” is how one supporter chose to describe Dr. Suzanne Le-May Sheffield, Director of the Centre for Learning and Teaching.

Her work impacts many including helping graduate students become dynamic educators, assisting faculty members and instructors on improving student learning across Dalhousie’s campuses and though coordinating events such as New Academic Staff Orientation and CLT’s Annual Conference on University Teaching and Learning. Her nomination package made note of her remarkable leadership and ability to understand the needs of an individual while keeping the big picture of advancing the university’s strategic priorities related to teaching and learning in view. Much of her work directly relates to Strategic Priority 1.5 – Innovation in Programs and Excellent in Teaching and Pedagogy.

Suzanne has led or been an instrumental partner in several institutional initiatives including the review of Dalhousie’s Teaching Awards, the framework for Certificates and Diplomas, the implementation of Brightspace, and a Faculty Certificate in Teaching and Academic Practice, to name but a few. She has overseen tremendous growth and changeover of staff within the CLT as well as the realignment and restructuring of the centre to meet the goals of Dalhousie. She helped initiate, draft a self-study, participate in and work on the response to the CLT’s first ever external review.

The nomination package for Suzanne also made note of how she consistently takes the time to support the mental and physical health of her staff and their development as professionals. Her staff knows that “she is in their corner” at all times. Suzanne never forgets that our work involves people and this inspires others to work harder and with a people-centred focus. Another nominator stated that she has a special gift for working with people and building relationships while maintaining her commitment to creating the best possible learning environment at Dalhousie.