Principal's Staff Awards
Karen Thiffault Award for Enhancing the UTM Experience
Principal's Staff Award for Leadership
Principal's Staff Award for Sustainability/Green Initiatives
Principal's Staff Award for Creativity & Innovation
Principal's Staff Awards
Karen Thiffault Award for Enhancing the UTM Experience
A leader, innovator and equity advocate in the Office of the Registrar, Lauren Glynn is a 2024 winner of the UTM Principal’s Staff Awards - Karen Thiffault Award for Enhancing the UTM Experience.
Glynn’s work has had a consistently positive impact on students, staff and faculty. She is praised for her commitment to excellence in every aspect of her current role as Assistant Director, Admissions. Lauren leads by example with her personal brand of student-centric solutions focused on fairness, transparency, efficiency and accuracy in the admissions process.
Known for her deeply collaborative leadership style, Glynn fosters a participatory team environment that emphasizes mutual respect and continuous improvement. She goes above and beyond to mentor, empower and support team members.
Glynn’s dedication to staying informed about the latest trends in admissions is also highlighted; she is praised for keeping abreast of emerging theories and promising practices so that they are imbedded into the admissions process, especially as it relates to the fair and equitable treatment of prospective students.
She has made positive impacts in various areas including her work in managing Pathways Programs, providing students with opportunities to begin their studies at UTM through non-traditional pathways such as Academic Bridging for mature students without a basis for admission; Refugee Student Pathway; or via the former College Articulation Agreements. She also worked closely with new transfer students, offering “Transfer Tuesdays” along with tailored support to students. Outside of UTM, Glynn is an active and valued collaborator within the broader U of T admissions community of practice.
She is a key member of the Office of the Registrar’s Engagement Committee, creating opportunities for staff to connect; and contributed to fun or community building efforts.
The Karen Thiffault Award for Enhancing the UTM Experience is given to those who provide a high level of customer service, create innovative programs, anticipate needs and potential problems, improve the value and sustainability of the services they provide, and/or serve as a role model through positive interactions.
Known for producing memorable events that prioritize inclusivity, sustainability and excellence, Sarah Ogbiti is a winner of the UTM Principal’s Staff Award - Karen Thiffault Award for Enhancing the UTM Experience.
Ogbiti joined UTM’s Institute for Management & Innovation (IMI) as the Events Coordinator in 2022. She is described to have elevated events at IMI and UTM to such a high level of professional standard, resulting in reputational gains, renewed external funding, better attendance and rave reviews from attendees. She is praised for dreaming up novel ideas, creating detailed execution plans, and conceiving remarkable added touches that ensure guests feel included.
Ogbiti is also praised for embedding equity, diversity and inclusion values into every event she’s involved in. Her efforts have led to countless students, staff, faculty, alumni, community and industry partners feeling inspired and included in the UTM community.
In leading the creation of the IMI Events Guide, Ogbiti not only provided logistical details but included robust content about equity, diversity and inclusion at events. She also puts sustainability at the forefront, for example by choosing local and fair-trade options.
Ogbiti coordinates a wide range of gatherings, from major global conferences to student open houses. “When we plan any event, knowing that Sarah is at the helm brings relief,” says one colleague. Summing up Ogbiti’s impact, her nominator puts it like this: “She is the person behind the scenes making everything work like magic.”
The Karen Thiffault Award for Enhancing the UTM Experience is given to those who provide a high level of customer service, create innovative programs, anticipate needs and potential problems, improve the value and sustainability of the services they provide, and/or serve as a role model through positive interactions.
Antonia Lo is a winner of the UTM Principal’s Staff Award - Karen Thiffault Award for Enhancing the UTM Experience. Lo plays an exceptional role behind the scenes, supporting Student Services in UTM’s Budget, Planning & Finance department.
Lo’s positive impact as the Director, Ancillaries, Student Services & Special Projects make her “an invaluable partner” to the wide range of departments, programs and special initiatives that fall under the Student Affairs & Services umbrella. Her overarching goals and services reflect her unwavering dedication to enhancing the overall student experience and driving strategic initiatives in alignment with UTM’s vision.
Lo is credited as the go-to person when there is a complex financial problem that needs solving to maintain or grow excellent student services. She is praised for her significant contribution to the new residence building project. Her supporters consistently praise her for finding ways to prioritize student needs while balancing university resources.
Lo actively mentors and supports colleagues from across the departments she partners with and is also described as stepping beyond her role to enhance the student experience.
The Karen Thiffault Award for Enhancing the UTM Experience is given to those who provide a high level of customer service, create innovative programs, anticipate needs and potential problems, improve the value and sustainability of the services they provide, and/or serve as a role model through positive interactions.
Dianne Ashbourne is the recipient of the UTM Principal’s Staff Award - Karen Thiffault Award for Enhancing the UTM Experience in recognition of the myriad ways she has enriched teaching and learning as the Senior Educational Developer at the Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre.
Since being hired as UTM’s first educational developer, Ashbourne has established a variety of influential programs and services to support the professional development of faculty, instructors and teaching assistants. “The initiatives led by Dianne have advanced the professional portfolios of countless staff and faculty on campus, and UTM’s students are the beneficiaries of these advancements,” says one nominator.
Under Ashbourne’s guidance as the team lead for educational developers, the team has grown to six positions, including three equity-focused roles that address accessibility, indigenous pedagogies and anti-racist pedagogies. Through the Teaching and Learning Collaboration, she and her colleagues offer workshops, individual consultations, reading groups and teaching observations to help instructors improve their pedagogical practices in areas such as collaborative learning and online teaching.
She has played a pivotal role in motivating and supporting the pedagogical endeavours of faculty, offering solutions to challenges faced; and directing them to relevant training, individuals and resources.
Given that Ashbourne’s job is to foster excellence in teaching, it’s no surprise that she’s an outstanding educator. She models great teaching herself, always creating a space where people feel both supported and challenged.
The Karen Thiffault Award for Enhancing the UTM Experience is given to those who provide a high level of customer service, create innovative programs, anticipate needs and potential problems, improve the value and sustainability of the services they provide, and/or serve as a role model through positive interactions.
Principal's Staff Award for Leadership
In recognition of his constant willingness to go above and beyond the requirements of his role to support the wider university community, Peter Wong is the 2024 winner of the UTM Principal’s Staff Award for Leadership.
Wong is the Manager, Financial Information & Processing Support (FIPS) within the Budget, Planning and Finance department. He is praised for his exceptional knowledge of and experience with financial policies, U of T guidelines and audit requirements. Wong’s expertise in auditing and finance matters is so respected, in fact, that UTM departments outside his direct clients contact him for guidance and recommendations.
As a leader in his department, Wong works to bring his colleagues to the next levels of their careers. According to one supporter, he “showed empathy, understanding and commitment to the professional growth of all of our team members.” He is also noted as being constantly engaged in activities to promote UTM as a better workplace in his own department and more broadly.
Wong is described as someone who is dedicated to developing the strengths of those around him. He is a trusted and valuable mentor to undergraduate students, graduate students in the Hart House Mentorship Program, a recent UTM alumnus and several CPA candidates.
He also volunteers in several roles including serving as the Chair of the Hart House Finance Committee and Executive Member of UTM Connections and Conversations. He has attended several Community Welcome events where he provided welcome and guidance to first year international students at the Centre of International Experience at St George Campus.
The Principal’s Staff Award for Leadership is given to those who demonstrate a high level of problem-solving skills, provide a sense of purpose and vision for their co-workers, positively influence others to build consensus around organizational objectives and/or lead by example.
Principal's Staff Award for Sustainability/Green Initiatives
Claire Westgate’s dedication to creating a greener, more sustainable future at the Institute for Management & Innovation and in the wider community has earned her the 2024 UTM Principal's Staff Award for Sustainability.
As the Manager of External Partnerships & Communications at the Institute for Management & Innovation (IMI), Westgate promotes the institute’s vision of solving the world’s most complex challenges. Beyond her official duties, Claire exhibits a genuine passion for sustainability that drives her to take on additional responsibilities and go above and beyond in her role.
In Westgate’s previous role as the Placement and Employer Relations Officer for the Master of Science in Sustainability Management program, she helped place more than 190 students in meaningful sustainability careers, which highlights her commitment to nurturing future leaders in the area of sustainability.
At IMI, Westgate plays a pivotal role in supporting large-scale initiatives such as the Sustainability: Transdisciplinary Theory, Practice, and Action (STTPA) Conference and Sustainability Week, while continually spreading awareness about eco-friendly practices.
At the campus-wide level, she is a member of the Principal's Sustainability Advisory Committee (PSAC) and participated in the creation of UTM's first Sustainability Strategic Plan. Westgate also co-led the Sustainable Change Office Program in 2023 and supports new initiatives such as the Sustainability Ambassadors Program and Climate Camp. She is described as one who has sustainability underlying and embedded in all of her work.
The Principal’s Staff Award for Sustainability is given to an individual or team that has made direct and positive contributions to sustainability on the UTM campus, increased awareness of the need for sustainable behaviour, promoted biodiversity, and/or encouraged and assisted members of the UTM community to adopt more sustainable behaviours.
Principal's Staff Award for Creativity & Innovation
Johnny Chung is a 2024 winner of the UTM Principal’s Staff Award for Creativity & Innovation in recognition of his continual transformation and improvement of services in the Office of the Registrar and the UTM community.
Chung has led the development of multiple new systems and administrative tools used across the Office of the Registrar (OR). He is eager to explore new technologies and techniques and constantly strives to improve the quality of applications and services being used.
UTM’s OR has been a leader in providing online services to staff and students over the last 20 years and Chung has been described as being an integral part of this success.
One of Chung’s key contributions is developing UTM Admin Tools, a central suite of applications that has enabled UTM manage significant enrolment growth while maintaining a high level of service. Chung was also key in developing the Final Exams Submission Application (FESA) and the Course Information and Syllabus System (CISS) used by UTM academic units. In addition, he significantly supported projects such as the OR’s use of ServiceNow and the Academic Culture and English (ACE) program.
Whether implementing new technologies or creating innovative programs, Chung’s initiatives are described as having a profound impact on our organization.
The Principal’s Staff Award for Creativity & Innovation is given to an individual that has made innovative contributions within their field of work, contributed to projects and initiatives to enable a better environment in which to work or learn, created new work methods, developed new approaches, and/or introduced new and meaningful ways of approaching a project or service.
Lynne Hsueh is a 2024 winner of the UTM Principal’s Staff Award for Creativity & Innovation in acknowledgment of the crucial role she has played in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of student services in the Office of the Registrar (OR).
She is credited with having the ability to challenge conventional methods and offer great solutions. These have been instrumental to success in the Office of the Registrar and contributed to the OR winning several awards including the ServiceNow application of the year.
Hsueh played a pivotal role in the successful launch and continuous enhancement of the AskRegistrar application, a transformative initiative which has revolutionized how service to students is delivered. Hsueh has lent her expertise to UTM’s Advancing Academic Advising Project (3AP) contributing to ensuring UTM develops a comprehensive and cohesive advising model to support students, assist their retention and advance students towards graduation.
At the Office of the Registrar and across UTM academic units, Hsueh is known and often called upon for her wide knowledge and capabilities, particularly when it comes to resolving student cases. She is praised for her expertise, attention to detail and ability to consider the impacts of processes and policies on students, academic units and operations.
In addition to her tremendous contributions to the work of the Office of the Registrar, responsiveness to the needs of academic units, and innovative spirit towards improving processes and services, Hsueh Lynne is also described as a pleasure to work with.
The Principal’s Staff Award for Creativity & Innovation is given to an individual that has made innovative contributions within their field of work, contributed to projects and initiatives to enable a better environment in which to work or learn, created new work methods, developed new approaches, and/or introduced new and meaningful ways of approaching a project or service.