President's Blue and Gold Award of Excellence Recipients
The President’s Blue and Gold Award of Excellence recognizes individuals and cross-functional teams in the administration of the university, who have demonstrated excellence in providing services, participating in or leading teams, and demonstrating the TMU values to achieve sustained and outstanding results that have significantly advanced the university’s mission. Individual recipients’ scope of influence and responsibility may be at the departmental and/or university-wide level.
Individual recipients receive a certificate and a one-time monetary award of $5,000 (subject to applicable deductions). Team recipients (a group of two to 20 individuals) receive individual certificates and a total one-time monetary award of $7,000 (subject to applicable deductions) to be shared equally among members.
Key criteria: Innovation; operational excellence; people first
2024 recipients
Nika Zolfaghari
Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science
Over the last 10 years, through Nika's roles at FEAS, she has been the driving force behind culture change at the faculty. Through her perseverance and persistence, she has created intentional programs that support K-12, undergraduate, graduate, staff, and faculty members in making FEAS a place where everyone can thrive. This includes: designing EDI training for FEAS faculty, staff, and students, transitioning the Women in Engineering office to an ECI office to address our community members' intersectionality and diverse needs, and mentoring and supporting 1000s of students in her role through leadership, crisis and professional development.
OVPRI CFREF Proposal Team
The OVPRI Canada First Research Excellence Fund Proposal Team was integral to TMU's success in securing a $98M award from Canada's most prestigious and exclusive research funding program, with only 25 recipients to date since its inception in 2015. This highly skilled and committed team, alongside the visionary leadership of over 20 of TMU's best researchers across campus, developed an innovative and compelling proposal on migration and integration in the 21st century. The team demonstrated exceptional capabilities navigating the complex application process and leading a multi-institutional and multi-disciplinary approach, all while meeting demanding milestones and timelines and maintaining existing portfolios.
- Sibat Anam, Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation
- Javad Ghatta, Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation
- Dayle Levine, Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation
- Tearney McDermott, Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation
- Kevin Moonoosawmy, Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation
- Daphne Paszterko, Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation
Past recipients
- Marcia Boniferro
- Student Affairs
- Strategic Leads - Renaming - Central Comms and University Relations
- Karen Benner, Office of the President
- Derek Flack, University Relations
- Katherine Greflund, University Relations
- Johanna Vandermaas, Office of the President
- Standing Strong Task Force Team
- Joanne Dallaire, Office of the Provost & Vice-President, Academic
- Rachel DiSaia, Yeates School of Graduate Studies
- Michael Doxtater, The Creative School
- Catherine Ellis, Faculty of Arts
- Cecile Farnum, Toronto Metropolitan University Library
- Tracey King, Human Resources
- Riley Kucheran, The Creative School
- Melanie Martin-Griem, Office of the Vice-President, Research & Innovation
- Heather Rollwagen, Faculty of Arts
- The University's Pandemic Essential On-Campus Workers Team
- Community Safety and Security
- Computing and Communications Services
- Facilities Management and Development - Facilities Services
- Facilities Management and Development - Custodial and Groundskeeping
- Facilities Management and Development - Maintenance and Operations
- Financial Services
- Financial Services - Shipping and Receiving
- Housing and Residence Life
- Toronto Metropolitan University Library and Archives
- Student Learning Centre
- University Business Services - Campus Store
- University Business Services - Event and Space Reservations
- University Business Services - Food Services
- University Business Services - OneCard
- Tanya Vlaskalin
Facilities Management and Development - Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching Team
- Mariam Ahmed, Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
- Restiani Andriati, Computing and Communications Services
- David Arromba, Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
- Mirela Barbulescu, Computing and Communications Services
- Tara Bartolini, entre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
- Dina Basseri, Computing and Communications Services
- Paola Borin, Office of the Vice-Provost Academic
- Adam Chaboryk, Computing and Communications Services
- Jasmine Cherian, Office of the Vice-Provost Academic
- Julia Gingerich, Office of the Vice-Provost Academic
- Stephanie Goetz, Computing and Communications Services
- Sally Goldberg Powell, Office of the Vice-Provost Academic
- Suzanne Hicks, Office of the Vice-Provost Academic
- Geoff Kolomayz, Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
- Shelley Loader, Computing and Communications Services
- Curtis Maloley, Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
- Sara Mazrouei, Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
- Allyson Miller, Office of the Vice-Provost Academic
- Victoria Murdoch, Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
- Karyn Olsen, Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
- Sadia Rahmani, Computing and Communications Services
- Andrea Ridgley, Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
- Erin Rielly Clarke, Computing and Communications Services
- Nada Savicevic, Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
- Michelle Schwartz, Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
- Syeda Shah, Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
- Noura Sinno, Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science
- Katherine Turner, Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
- Arianne Velasquez, Computing and Communications Services
- Olanike (Nikki) Waheed, Office of the Vice-Provost Academic
- Lauren Wilson, Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
- Student Housing COVID Response & Student Experience Team
- Malcolm Alphonso, University Business Services
- Amanda Barber, Facilities Management and Development
- Valerie Bruce, Student Affairs
- Lance Campbell, Community Safety and Security
- Gillian D'Agostino, Community Safety and Security
- Marwan El Chafei, University Business Services
- Simon Finn, Student Affairs
- Debora Lamch, Facilities Management and Development
- Marcelle Mullings, Student Affairs
- Kim Lan Sauer, Facilities Management and Development
- Mark Sulmona, Community Safety and Security
- Nelufur Bhasin
Business Career Hub, Ted Rogers School of Management - Faculty of Law Startup Team
- Gina Alexandris, Office of the Provost and Vice-President, Academic
- Andre Bacchus, Office of the Provost and Vice-President, Academic
- Scott Bailie, Office of the Registrar
- Matthew Baker, University Relations
- Tim Bartkiw, Human Resources and Organizational Behaviour, Ted Rogers School of Management
- Giselle Basanta, Office of the General Counsel and Board Secretariat
- Heather Belot, University Relations
- Chris Bentley, Office of the Provost and Vice-President, Academic
- Sara Berman, Ryerson International
- Rachel Beveridge, Office of the President
- Cristina Blesa, University Relations
- MaryClaire Brooks, University Advancement
- Barbara Cecchetto, Office of the Registrar
- Erika Danziger, Office of the Registrar
- Paula Doyle, Office of the Registrar
- Krista Effer, Office of the Registrar
- Ronald Ferguson, Office of the Registrar
- Nik Firka, University Relations
- Derek Flack, University Relations
- Sari Graben, Law and Business, Ted Rogers School of Management
- Charmaine Hack, Office of the Registrar
- Janet Hercz, Facilities Management and Development
- Darrick Heyd, University Planning
- Graham Hudson, Department of Criminology, Faculty of Arts
- Sarena Knapik, Office of the Registrar
- Hau Chi (Gigi) Law, Diversity Institute, Ted Rogers School of Management
- Avner Levin, Law and Business, Ted Rogers School of Management
- Mark Lovewell, Department of Economics, Faculty of Arts
- Michael Lund, University Relations
- Agnieszka Nowak, Facilities Management and Development
- Stephen Onyskay, University Planning
- Alexandra Orlova, Department of Criminology, Faculty of Arts
- Diane Ossher, Office of the Registrar
- Nikita Ovsyannikov, University Relations
- Hersh Perlis, Office of the Provost and Vice-President, Academic
- Nancy Pham, Ryerson International
- Carolyn Posa, Office of the Registrar
- Catherine Redmond, Office of the General Counsel and Board Secretariat
- Maria Manuela Riqueza, Office of the Registrar
- Sabiha Smith, University Relations
- Leanne Stevens, Office of the General Counsel and Board Secretariat
- Dana Thomas, Library and Archives
- Alda Toste, Office of the Registrar
- Johanna Vandermaas, Office of the President
- Luca Vani, Office of the Registrar
- Alex Wellington, Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts
- James Wentzell, University Relations
- Pui San (Sandy) Yeung, Facilities Management and Development
- Kelly Zinkiewich, University Relations
- Amy Casey
Office of the President - Human Rights Services
- Paul Stenton
University Planning - Congress Operations Committee
- Heather Lane Vetere
Office of the Vice-Provost, Students - Denise O'Neil Green
Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion - First Year Engineering Office Team