overview
Our Outstanding Staff Awards recognize and celebrate exceptional staff members who are dedicated to supporting our organization’s mission of teaching, healing, discovery, and diversity, and upholding our core values. Meet the nominees of our 2025 awards, and learn a bit about them from their nominators.
Nominees
Leila Armas
Fellowship Administrator, Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine
"Leila is knowledgeable, skilled, and committed to excellence in all of her endeavors. As a program administrator, she has sought input from other programs on their approach to activities like recruitment with an eye towards continuous program improvement. In addition to her many activities as a program administrator, she is committed to lifelong learning, taking courses from the University of Washington on social justice. She also serves as a Bias Navigator and a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Champion for the Department of Medicine."
Andréa Campbell
Residency Program Administrator, Department of Medicine
"Andréa embodies the spirit of passion and innovation—not only in the work she does, but in the way she uplifts and inspires those around her. She brings joy, creativity, and wholehearted engagement to every aspect of her role, creating an environment where others feel empowered to be bold, confident, and collaborative. Her presence is not just appreciated—it is essential. Andréa is critical to the success of our program; her counsel, wisdom, grace, and compassion make an immeasurable difference in our daily work. Personally, my job would be infinitely harder without her steady guidance and unwavering support. She is a true force for good in our community, and we are all better for having her as a colleague and leader."
Eva Crist
Program Coordinator, Department of Medicine
"Eva is just an incredibly valued colleague and source of administrative and moral support. She is an exemplar of teamwork and collaboration in particular - completely accessible, reliable and attentive to every important detail that ends up being crucial to the success of our clinical and educational work. She is deeply caring and helps the students feel welcome, even in her communication with them before they arrive. She is THE crucial person in making our complex work actually WORK! I can't imagine anyone else in this role and feel lucky every day to get to work with her. She is example of the best of our department and a role model for others."
Katherine Elkort
Research Coordinator, Hematology and Oncology
"Katherine has demonstrated superlative performance as a RC despite having <2 years of experience with our group - she is honestly better than anyone I have worked with at this or any prior institution. Katherine has rapidly mastered the complexities of multiple myeloma, bone marrow transplantation, randomized trial logistics (we have very few randomized trials here), and more. Her finest work has come in the form of going above and beyond with teamwork/collaboration with the Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT) group at Fred Hutch."
Meg Frazer
Manager of Grant Operations, Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine
"Meg Frazer is an invaluable member of our team who embodies teamwork and going above and beyond. She is the innate ability to handle many demands coming her way and tight timelines with grace and pragmatism. She is deeply committed to meeting out Division goal to lead in science and is deeply committed to our mission and our Division faculty to support them with grant submissions and management. We remain indebted to her for her reliability and her unflappable approach as we continue to uphold what is essential for our Division's scientific excellence and success."
Vibha Hariharan
Research Coordinator, Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine
"Vibha has been a tremendous resource for me as I am setting up my first ever industry-sponsored trial from the beginning. As a new employee, I am not familiar with UW processes. I cannot count the number of times I have reached out to Vibha to ask for her guidance on regulatory and budget-related questions, and not even a moment, she is annoyed by my questions or me. She is very knowledgeable, kind, responsive, and patient. I truly appreciate her expertise, kindness, and welcoming attitudes. I will not be where I am with this trial without Vibha!"
Dawn Hill
Administrative Specialist, Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine
"Dawn Hill is an exemplar of teamwork and collaboration and consistently goes above and beyond. Dawn has seamlessly taken on her role as administrative specialist approximately one year ago and very quickly has taken on many different tasks for our Division including coordinating major social events such as our retreats, retirement parties and celebrations. She is always willing to lend a helping hand serving as a support and point of contact for so many of our faculty as we have navigated many transitions and she a is a true team player. We are incredibly fortunate to have Dawn as a cherished and highly valued member of our Division."
Danielle Long
Fellowship Administrator, Nephrology
"Danielle brings an infectious sense of joy and energy to our work environment. She doesn’t just complete tasks—she builds systems, shares knowledge, and inspires others to do their best. Whether she’s refining policies, managing budgets, or organizing wellness initiatives, Danielle approaches every challenge with thoughtfulness, energy, and a deep sense of purpose. She is a true asset to our department and a shining example of what it means to lead with both heart and excellence."
Sonja Stella
Division Administrator, Hematology and Oncology
"As the long-standing administrator for the Division of Hematology/Oncology and a dedicated employee at the University of Washington for 25 years, Sonja exemplifies excellence in every facet of her work. Her calm demeanor, steady professionalism, and thoughtful approach have been a cornerstone of the division’s success—even in the most stressful or complex situations. Sonja brings an unsurpassed knowledge base and a rare ability to maintain equipoise while managing the intricacies of faculty relationships across multiple institutions, including Fred Hutch, Harborview, the VA, and WACBD. She is a strong advocate for both staff and faculty, deeply committed to equity, and approaches sensitive HR issues with skill, discretion, and grace. Sonja brings clarity and vision with her 20,000-foot view, offering objective counsel that consistently improves our organization. She is truly an extraordinary colleague and an irreplaceable asset to our team."
Jacquelin Vandermeer
Research Coordinator, Hematology and Oncology
"Jackie handles the complexity of the clinical trial landscape extremely well for all of her trials, setting an example not just for our group but also for the entire Cancer Center. Thank you Jackie for everything you do on behalf of our UW and Fred Hutch patients!"
Blyss Vincent
Human Resources Manager, General Internal Medicine
"I cannot speak highly enough about Blyss's relentless professionalism and dedication to making a positive impact in the UW community. She kept complex deliverables tracked carefully and never missed a deadline or a promise over a year of engagement with the challenging staff situation. Her deep understanding of the UW process allowed her to give extremely practical advice and to determine ways to accomplish goals while staying in harmony with UW values."