October 2026 UC Spotlight: Meet the staff who’ve inspired us lately
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Our UC Spotlight column recognizes and celebrates how UC staff and their teams are making a difference for Californians and the world beyond our state. Meet the people who are bringing UC’s values to life!
To jump to a section, use the links below:
- First-hand perspectives on working at UC
- Advancing our public-service mission
- Supporting students and colleagues
- Putting innovation to work
- Awards, milestones and publications
- Submit your achievements!
First-hand perspectives on working at UC
Every UC career has a story. These colleagues shared the experiences, relationships and everyday moments that make their work meaningful.
Multiple campuses
UC Tech News profiled three colleagues about their experiences working in the UC technology space: Brad Starkey-Owens, UC Davis, on putting people at the center of digital accessibility; Crystal Harris, UC San Diego, on building resilient systems and balancing access with security; and Lily Barger, UC Riverside, on leading with curiosity, responsibility and a human-first mindset.
UC Davis
Karl Engelbach, chief strategy officer and chief of staff to the chancellor, reflected on a UC Davis journey that began with a work-study job and grew into more than four decades of service in higher education. As he prepared to retire, he shared lessons about collaboration, resilience and helping others succeed.
Facilities Management colleagues shared how they keep campus running: Dan Goodwin on planning reliable, efficient building systems; the Lock Shop — Richard Knee, Rodger Young, Matthew Emert and Kyle Morrill — on maintaining safe, accessible entrances; and the Instrumentation & Controls Team — Brian Keating, David Inglesby, Damodar Homagain, Scott Peuse, Emilio Solorzano, Jesus Orosco and Nick Harden — on keeping essential utility systems working.
UC Los Angeles
Adriana Galván, vice provost and dean of undergraduate education, shared how her work as an educator, scientist and campus leader helps students find opportunities to thrive. Her profile explores how belonging and access to resources shape her approach to excellence.
UC Merced
Jose León, associate vice chancellor and dean of students, reflected on the relationships that shaped his own college experience and his commitment to listening. He brings those lessons to helping students find resources, navigate challenges and feel part of the campus community.
UC Office of the President
Sira Hotsinpiller, a data analytics engineer, shared how Toastmasters helped her take her ideas beyond the keyboard. The story highlights how practice, feedback and encouragement from fellow members build confidence in explaining technical work and speaking up.
Sugey Ochoa, UCPath’s assistant director of employee services, shared how her team helps protect employees’ personal information while providing thoughtful, responsive support. Her profile highlights collaboration with information security colleagues, improvements to direct deposit fraud monitoring and her commitment to balancing security with access.
UC Riverside
Greg Paules, director of intercollegiate athletics, shared what excites him about the Highlanders and the campus community. From getting to know student-athletes to building relationships across Riverside, he’s finding plenty of possibilities for the program’s future.
Former UCR Health medical assistant Carlos Diaz shared how caring for patients and encouragement from physician mentors led him to medical school. Roopa Viraraghavan, Nandini Gowda and Denise Martinez were among the colleagues who helped him imagine — and pursue — a new path.
UC San Diego
Haydee Salazar, coordinator of the OASIS 2nd Year Experience Program, reflected on her journey from a student searching for community to a staff member helping others find theirs. After 15 years on staff, she continues to find purpose in connecting students with resources and helping them recognize their potential.
Catheryn Yashar, Diana Davalos and Sarah Chaides shared their perspectives as women in medicine, from residency to nursing leadership to the chief medical officer’s office. Their stories highlight the importance of mentorship, teamwork and the connections that keep them engaged in patient care.
Danielle McLaughlin, director of patient access, clinical operations and supportive care, shared how her experience as a teenage cancer patient shapes her work today. She brings a personal understanding of the need for coordinated, compassionate support to expanding cancer care at UC San Diego Health.
Advancing our public-service mission
UC colleagues bring knowledge, care and practical support to communities throughout California and beyond. Here are some recent ways they’re making a difference.
Multiple campuses
Camille Crittenden, executive director of CITRIS and the Banatao Institute, shared her expertise on AI safeguards in a CBS News interview. Her comments highlighted responsible AI development and the importance of guardrails, building on her work shaping AI policy across UC.
UC Agriculture & Natural Resources
Anne Megaro, director of government and community relations, moderated a congressional briefing featuring Cindy Kron, Ali Pourreza and Mark Hoddle. The UC Cooperative Extension experts explained how federal capacity grants help farmers fight invasive pests, improve efficiency and protect the food supply.
UC ANR colleagues, researchers and community partners gave members of the UC President’s Advisory Commission on Agriculture and Natural Resources and UC ANR Governing Council an up-close look at research in action. Visits to Blodgett Forest Research Station and the Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center showcased work addressing wildfire, climate and agricultural challenges.
UC Davis
The UC Davis Health Cardiac Rehabilitation Program brought patients, staff and supporters together for a record-setting Sacramento Heart & Stroke Walk. Led by team captains Patricia “Trish” Smith and Kai Cha, more than 60 participants raised over $7,700 while celebrating patients’ progress and their lasting connections with the care team.
Respiratory therapist Audrey Chikalla and pediatric pulmonology and sleep medicine colleagues are helping children overcome barriers to sleep apnea treatment. Their CPAP clinic provides individualized support to help families find comfortable equipment and build habits that make treatment easier to maintain.
The Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy team hosted Peanuts PaintFest at UC Davis Children’s Hospital, inviting patients, families and staff to paint a mural featuring Snoopy and friends. The collaborative project brought a little extra color — and joy — to the hospital.
UC Irvine
UC Irvine clinicians, researchers and community partners are creating a countywide system of early psychosis support for young people ages 15 to 25. The effort connects screening, assessment and treatment so that families can find help before a crisis develops.
UC Los Angeles
UCLA Library’s Modern Endangered Archives Program is supporting 30 cultural preservation projects in 21 countries. The projects will help protect vulnerable collections, including human rights records, photographs, Indigenous languages and oral traditions, and make them accessible to future generations.
More than a thousand Bruins joined UCLA Volunteer Day, taking part in over 30 projects across Los Angeles and beyond. Staff, students, faculty, alumni and community partners planted gardens, supported schools, distributed resources and cared for public spaces.
UC Merced
Executive director Molly Stephens and faculty director Asmeret Asefaw Berhe are leading the new UC Merced Earth Institute, which brings together the Sierra Nevada Research Institute and UC Merced Climate Institute. The combined institute connects expertise across disciplines to address environmental and climate challenges facing communities and ecosystems.
Retired campus engineering services director Jim Brugger helped showcase UC Merced’s sustainable design during a campus tour with the U.S. Green Building Council. Visitors explored how sustainability informs campus buildings, operations and the university’s broader work in the San Joaquin Valley.
UC Riverside
Alicia Hernandez, executive director of the Center for Educational and Community Outreach Programs, shared how UCR’s Talent Search program helps about 700 San Bernardino high school students prepare for college. The program supports students from low-income families and those who would be the first in their families to earn a four-year degree.
The School of Medicine brought students, physicians and community members together for its fourth annual National Latino Physician Day celebration. The event recognized Latino physicians and helped connect aspiring doctors with the medical community.
UCR also hosted the second annual UC Latino Physician Consortium gathering, bringing together colleagues from UC medical schools and health systems. Workshops, panels and discussions focused on Latino health equity, medical education and professional development.
UC San Diego
UC San Diego Health’s brachytherapy team introduced a radiation therapy bandage for skin cancer, making the health system the first in the country to offer the treatment. For eligible patients, the bandage offers an alternative that may reduce the need for surgery or repeated treatment visits.
UC San Diego Health colleagues are helping young breast cancer survivors find support after treatment ends. Survivorship retreats and support groups give patients space to discuss concerns about family, careers, body image and recurrence — and build friendships with people who understand.
UC San Francisco
Katherine Nielsen, director of UCSF’s Science and Health Education Partnership, shared how the Bay Area Science Festival connects the community with scientists and hands-on learning. The Oct. 17 celebration at Mission Bay will feature lab tours, demonstrations and activities supported by volunteers from across UCSF.
Supporting students and colleagues
From welcoming new students to making the workplace more connected, UC teams are creating places where people can learn, work and belong.
UC Berkeley
The Haas School of Business is bringing AI into teaching, research and operations through its AI Living Labs initiative. More than 40 courses have been created or revised, with an emphasis on pairing practical AI skills with human judgment.
UC Davis
Becky Grunewald and Environmental Health and Safety colleagues used Employee Experience Survey results to make everyday work better. Changes to team meetings and communication are helping colleagues stay connected while addressing concerns about workload and stress.
Student Affairs leadership and human resources colleagues turned employee feedback into a cohort learning experience for leaders. The initiative helps managers strengthen trust, navigate challenging conversations and create more supportive workplaces.
GIS specialist Naomi Kalman shared how she helps people make sense of an ever-changing campus through a new campus map. A short video featured in the Finance, Operations and Administration Digest highlights her work connecting buildings, parking, gardens and campus landmarks.
UC Los Angeles
UCLA Facilities Management’s Hardware Shop is opening doors to accessibility by installing automatic door operators at four campus locations. The improvements help students, employees and visitors enter buildings more easily and independently.
The UCLA Latinx Success Center hosted the fifth annual Latinx Welcome, filling Wilson Plaza with music, dancing and cultural pride. A resource fair and community celebration helped Bruins connect with campus support and one another.
UC Merced
UC Merced and UCOP colleagues helped 26 incoming students explore finance, entrepreneurship and career possibilities through the first Summer Investment Academy. Kurt Schnier, Craig Huie and Jack Zhu were among the UC leaders and investment professionals who supported the experience, which combined practical learning with opportunities to build a network before classes began.
UC Office of the President
UC Investments and Digital Innovation and Technology welcomed summer interns who created tools to support work beyond their time at UCOP. Christian Castillo, Shivam Sharma, Harkirit Dhillon and Victor Silverman shared projects ranging from investment dashboards to an AI-powered UCPath assistant, along with what they learned about technology and human oversight.
The Latinx Staff Association brought colleagues together for Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations, including a leadership conversation with Alex Bustamante. UCPath celebrations included Café con Conchas, daily trivia and creating greeting cards and animal masks for children receiving care at Loma Linda Hospital.
The UCOP Black Staff and Faculty Organization hosted a conversation on prostate health, prevention and wellness as part of its Health and Wellness Month series. Led by Chair Joyce Price and Co-chair Roni Wilson, BSFO brought together UC experts Samuel L. Washington III, Nynikka Palmer, Peter R. Carroll and Isla P. Garraway to discuss prostate health, cancer care and factors that shape health outcomes.
UC Riverside
Nearly 1,000 employees gathered for the Chancellor’s Faculty and Staff Picnic to welcome the new academic year. Campus leaders served lunch, colleagues connected with campus organizations and additional meals were provided for staff whose shifts kept them from attending.
The School of Medicine’s Office of Faculty Development and Office of Strategic Initiatives hosted the Celebration of Women in Medicine and Science. Rosemary Tyrrell, director of faculty development, and colleagues created opportunities to share experiences, discuss mentorship and recognize women’s contributions across the school.
Edna Yohannes, executive director of development, and School of Medicine colleagues brought the community together for the Celebration of Medical Education Gala. The sold-out event raised $211,700 to support a future medical student through the Mission Award Scholarship.
UC San Diego
Moores Cancer Center colleagues hosted their Annual Scientific Retreat, bringing staff, faculty, trainees and collaborators together to exchange ideas. Presentations and conversations connected research across disciplines while giving participants time to build relationships.
UC Santa Barbara
A new minor in environmental humanities gives students a way to explore environmental challenges through history, culture, ethics and storytelling. A collaborative effort among deans, faculty and staff created a pathway connecting courses across 12 departments and programs.
Putting innovation to work
Behind new technologies and smoother processes are colleagues asking how things could work better. These teams are turning that question into practical improvements.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab)
Designer Eduardo de Ugarte partnered with Lida Gifford and Biosciences colleagues to create an animated holiday card with help from AI. The project shows how creative expertise, careful editing and new tools came together to celebrate the BioEPIC building — and a memorable bobcat sighting.
Jean-Luc Vay, Thorsten Hellert and Berkeley Lab collaborators are developing AI tools for particle accelerators. Their Osprey accelerator assistant helps operators set up experiments, adjust beam settings and troubleshoot equipment, with work underway to extend its capabilities to additional facilities.
UC Berkeley and UC Office of the President
Russell Chung, UC Berkeley’s chief procurement officer, and Bob Puerzer, a UC systemwide procurement category manager, are helping create a more coordinated approach to contingent workforce management. Beginning at Berkeley, the effort brings hiring, purchasing and vendor information together to reduce administrative work and improve oversight.
UC Irvine
UCI Health’s surgical team became the first on the West Coast to use the Hugo robotic-assisted surgery system for patient care. David Lee performed the first procedure, building on the health system’s longstanding work in minimally invasive surgery, education and research.
UC Riverside
UCR Library colleagues Barbara Martinez Neda, Dan Szilagyi, Joel Valdez and Scott Metoyer helped engineering researchers bring autonomous vehicle data to life. Their web-based viewer lets researchers explore 3D sensor data and driving sessions before downloading large datasets, making complex information easier to use.
Awards, milestones and publications
UC colleagues’ contributions are being recognized within the university and far beyond it. Join us in celebrating these recent achievements.
UC Agriculture & Natural Resources
Ryan Cleland, 4-H civic engagement program coordinator, and UC ANR’s Government Relations team helped secure a state resolution recognizing National 4-H Week. The recognition celebrates the program’s work helping young people learn, lead and serve their communities.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab)
Physical Sciences Area colleagues were honored with 2026 Berkeley Lab Director’s Awards, recognizing exceptional achievement by staff members and teams.
UC Davis
Chancellor Gary S. May was named a recipient of an Onyx Award from The Sacramento Observer. The awards honor people whose leadership and work are transforming Sacramento’s Black community.
The Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing received a national Higher Education Excellence and Distinction Award. The honor recognizes the school’s commitment to inclusive excellence and a learning environment where students, faculty and staff feel supported and able to succeed.
UC Irvine
UCI Health — Orange’s trauma team received First Responder Awards from the Orange County Business Council for its work saving a young woman’s arm after a train accident. Honorees included Carly Passaglia, Eric Wang, Tyler Johnston, Carrie Chandwani and Michael Lekawa, whose coordinated care helped make the complex surgery possible.
As UCI Health marks 50 years, colleagues reflected on the evolution of trauma care in Orange County. The story highlights the physicians, nurses, and staff whose expertise helped build a trauma program that provides lifesaving care around the clock.
UC Law SF
Melissa Hooper, executive director of the Center for Constitutional Democracy, published a white paper examining attacks on judicial independence. Developed with Berkeley Law’s Edley Center on Law and Democracy, it also explores ways to strengthen public trust in independent courts.
UC Los Angeles
Women’s basketball head coach Cori Close received the UCLA John Wooden Global Leadership Award. The honor recognizes her leadership, commitment to student-athletes’ personal development and values-based approach to coaching.
UCLA Strategic Communications’ Research Powers Progress campaign earned finalist recognition for a Shorty Impact Award and an honorable mention in the PRNEWS Platinum Awards. The campaign highlights the life-changing and lifesaving impact of UCLA research. Kudos to the team behind this work!
The UCLA Meyer & Renee Luskin Conference Center celebrated its 10th anniversary. Staff have welcomed scholars, dignitaries, families and collaborators from around the world while supporting UCLA’s academic mission and creating a gathering place open to everyone.
UC Merced
UC Merced became one of the first 14 institutions nationwide to earn the Carnegie Elective Classification for Sustainability. The recognition reflects work across campus operations, teaching, research and community engagement — and the many colleagues who make that commitment part of daily campus life.
UC Office of the President
UCOP Communications received six University & College Designers Association awards for projects that help prospective students navigate admissions, highlight UC research and build support for the university. Recognized work included the Stand Up for UC campaign, Boldly Californian postcards and posters, and videos about solar innovation. Apollonia Morrill, Jess Wheelock, Raphaelle Steinzig and Zak Long earned gold and Judge’s Choice honors for a video evaluating TikTok admissions advice.
UCOP recognized Frank Perez, Kisha Cunningham, Belinda Vea, Jennifer Damico, Rachal Valtakis, Sarah Houghton and Cynthia “Cindy” Chavez as Accessibility Champions. Their contributions range from creating accessible PDFs and compensation reports to sharing practical resources and establishing EquitAbility, an employee resource group supporting people with disabilities.
Radhika Mellin, Marla Cox, Stephen McNally and Melissa Rivas also received Accessibility Champion recognition for helping make UC’s digital content accessible to people with disabilities. Their work includes how-to guides, retirement webinar materials, video audio descriptions and K–12 program resources. Doug Harriman was recognized for sharing his expertise on accessibility training resources.
UC Riverside
The School of Medicine received its third consecutive Higher Education Excellence and Distinction Award. The recognition celebrates the school’s work advancing academic excellence, belonging and community building.
UC San Diego
More than 115 UC San Diego Health physicians were recognized as Top Doctors in San Diego Magazine’s annual peer survey. The honorees span nearly 50 specialties and were selected by fellow physicians asked whom they would trust with their own families’ care.
UC San Francisco
The opening of Temescal Hall marked the first major milestone in the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland modernization project. The building brings about 160 employees, including Social Work, Child Life, Palliative Care and other teams, closer to the patients and families they support.
UC Santa Barbara
UC Santa Barbara’s IT team received recognition through the 2026 AWS Champions Program for moving more than 800 servers to cloud infrastructure. Shea Lovan and Josh Bright celebrated colleagues’ work reducing costs, retiring aging technology and freeing campus space for research needs.
UC Santa Cruz
Anouk van den Bout, manager of the Colligan Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory, led the team’s effort to earn College of American Pathologists accreditation. Colleagues Jaidan Jenkins-Kiefer, Joanna Moreno and Maryke Grobler, along with technical supervisor Olena Vaske, celebrated the milestone, which supports the lab’s work helping children with cancer find treatment options through RNA analysis.
Submit your achievements!
UC Spotlight celebrates the people and teams who make UC a great place to work and help the university serve California. Have an achievement or recognition to share? Send a story link, along with photos or additional information, to the UCnetwork editorial team. This feature focuses on staff achievements. Submissions are selected at the editor’s discretion; faculty-, student- and alumni-focused recognitions, funding announcements and hiring or promotion announcements are generally outside its scope.