Our staff work tirelessly to support our students, faculty and programs in service to advancing the health of all New Mexicans. Their critical contributions deserve to be celebrated and recognized. Created by Dean Emeritus, Paul B. Roth, MD, MS, the UNM School of Medicine Dean's Staff Award program has been highlighting their outstanding work and invaluable contributions for more than 25 years.
The deadline for nominations is October 24th, 2025 at 11:59pm.
The Dean's Staff Awards Committee is comprised of seven staff members, including a recent award recipient and representatives from various School of Medicine departments.
A call for nominations is sent out throughout the UNM School of Medicine each autumn. Nominees are graded by each committee member and ranked collectively by the committee to determine each year’s recipients.
The committee looks particularly closely for staff who exemplify the School of Medicine's core values of excellence and accountability, compassion, diversity, integrity, professionalism and ethical behavior, social responsibility, creativity and innovation.
Historically, our DSA winners are our higher grade individuals, so in an effort to reward superstars of all grades, we will be awarding 5 awards for grades 5-12 and 5 awards for grades 13-20 and that will give us our 10 winners!
The School of Medicine dean's office hosts an awards event attended by all nominees. Award recipients receive a trophy and $1,000.
Heather Armstrong
Dept Administrator R2
Biochemistry Molecular Biology
Jennifer Daniels
Program Coordinator
FCM/Adobe
Francesca De Leon
Program Specialist
Biomedical Rsrch Edu Prog
Aaron Lee
Education Specialist
Pediatrics Center for Development
Christopher Mazon
HS Research Tech 1
Neurosciences
Cassandra Misenar
Operations Manager
SR ASSOC DEANS OFFICE
Tonya Morgan
Unit Administrator 3
IM Translations Informatics
Ann Marie
Parmenter Program Operations Director
Pediatrics Center for Development
Sylvia Sarmiento
Speech-Lang Pathologist
Pediatrics Center for Development
Rene' Smith
Admin Assistant 3
SOM Diversity Office
Carlos Abeyta
Dept Administrator C2
Neurosurgery
Jessica Ahiyite
Operations Specialist
UME Teacher Development
Lee Allers
IT Support Tech 3
Molecular Genetics Microbiology
Teah Amirkabirian
Data Analyst
Assessment & Learning
Victoria Angel
Admin Assistant 3
Pediatrics Administration Division
Jezebel Aragon
Faculty Services Rep
Anesthesiology Administration
Nicole Baca
Medical Education Prog Coord
Family Community Medicine FCM
Michael Backus
Admin Assistant 3
Assessment & Learning
Shane Barton
Programmer Analyst 1
Peds Prvn and Population Sciences
Kristen Broesder
Medical Education Prog Mgr
Pathology
Lori Callison
Mgr, Administrative Opns
Senior Associate Dean Operations
Misty Carpenter
Dept Administrator C2
Radiology General
Audra Castillo
RN Case Manager (Senior)
Pediatrics Center for Development
Alex Chang
Dept Administrator C2
Department of Dental Medicine
Cameron Colbert-Olivas
Medical Practice Specialist
Psychiatry Administration
Jonathon Cordova
Technical Analyst 1
Dental Services
Dianne Day
Admin Assistant 1
Pediatrics Administration Division
Rosalia De Leon
Coord, Education Support
Pathology Medical Lab Sciences
Mari Sol de Leon
Program Coordinator
SOM Surgery Administration
Jaclyn Gallegos
Admin Assistant to Exec Dir
Dermatology Administration
William Gurule
Dept Administrator C2
SOM Surgery Administration
Kalena Harmon
Admin Assistant 3
Pediatrics Center for Development
Tiffany Harrell
Dept Administrator C1
Ophthalmology Administration
Amy Herrera
Medical Practice Specialist, Sr
OB GYN Administration
Anne Hittson
Program Specialist
Pediatrics Administration Division
Anabel Johnson
Medical Practice Specialist, Sr
Family Community Medicine FCM
Brianna Kerwin
Operations Specialist
FCM Physician Assistant Program
Crystal Krabbenhoft
Operations Manager
Orthopaedics Physical Therapy
Marianne Lachica
HS Research Tech 2
IM Clinical Trials Unit CTU
Jeffrey Maloney
Medical Education Prog Mgr
Neurology Administration
Shelly Marek
Program Therapist
TEASC
Luisa Mariscal
Medical Education Prog Splst
SOM Neurosurgery
Gloria Martinez
Coord, Clinic
Surgery Urology
Stephanie Martinez-Pena
Program Therapist (Senior)
Pediatrics Center for Development
Katherine McDaniels
HS Research Tech 2
IM Clinical Trials Unit CTU
Debbie Montana
Program Specialist
Pediatrics Center for Development
Mohammad Oweis
Sr Fiscal Services Tech
Neurology Administration
Sandra Peters
Medical Education Prog Splst
Family Community Medicine FCM
Beatrice Rodriguez
Faculty Services Rep
SOM Faculty Affairs
Taryn Roe
HS Research Tech 2
IM Clinical Trials Unit CTU
Jessica Salazar
Unit Administrator 3
Pediatrics Hematology Oncology
Mary A. Salazar
Medical Education Prog Coord
Radiology General
Cheryl Sampson
Dir, Clinical Trials/Affiliates
CRTC Clinic Rsrch Data Management
Tiffany Sanchez
Medical Practice Specialist
SOM Neurosurgery
Therese Sears
Director Fiscal Operations
SOM Dean's Office
Amber Seik
Nurse Mgr/General Care
TEASC
Miriam Troy
Unit Administrator, Division of Cardiology
Dept of Internal Medicine
Ryan Van Otten
Medical Education Prog Mgr
Emerg Med Education & Residency
Erin Watts
Program Coordinator
Psych Community Behavioral Health
Kristel Wintheiser
Nurse Mgr/Critical Care
Pediatrics Hematology Oncology
Krystal Zaragoza
Manager Student Success
Department of Dental Medicine, Division of Dental Hygiene
Agnes (Nesia) Zurek
Research Scientist 1
Anesthesiology Research
Felicia Nevarez
Education Consultant
Pediatrics Center for Development
Allison Salazar
Education Specialist
Pediatrics Center for Development
Ksenia Bosina
Unit Administrator 1
Peds Prvn and Population Sciences
Galen Billings
Admin Assistant 3
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Lovena Willoughby
Dept Human Resources Rep
Pediatrics Center for Development
Xiaoya Wu
Data Manager
Psych Community Behavioral Health
Dolores Garcia
Residency Program Manager
DFCM
Natalie Weiss
Nurse/Clinical Research Coord
IM Clinical Trials Unit CTU
Susan Core
HS Sr Research Specialist
Molecular Genetics Microbiology
LaTomia French
Administrative Officer (Div)
Pediatrics Administration Division
Ruth Kief
Operations Manager
Pathology
Lu Li
HS Associate Scientist 3
Neurosciences
Catherine Abuhilu
Operations Manager
Continuing Med Educ Operations
Robert Ackerman
IT Support Tech 3
SOM Neurosurgery
Jessica Ahiyite
Operations Specialist
UME Teacher Development
Kristy Allocca
Financial Analyst
Senior Associate Dean Operations
Angelica Alvarado
HS Research Tech 3
CRTC Clinic Rsrch Data Management
Carrie Anaya
Faculty Services Rep
SOM Surgery Main
Jezebel Aragon
Faculty Services Rep
Anesthesiology Administration
Kathleen Bell Pena
Medical Education Prog Mgr
Anesthesiology Administration
Galen Billings
Admin Assistant 3
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Ksenia Bosina
Unit Administrator 1
Peds Prvn and Population Sciences
Meagan Brey
Training Support Analyst
Pediatrics Center for Development
Ruth Carpenter
Unit Administrator 1
IM Palliative
Gail Case
Dept Administrator C2
Orthopaedics Administration
Kari Cervantes
Admin Assistant 3
Assessment & Learning
Alexandria Chang
Dept Administrator C2
Department of Dental Medicine
Virginia Chavez
Sr Contract & Grant Admnstrtr
Family Community Medicine FCM
Joshua Corbin
Dept Administrator C3
Psychiatry Administration
Susan Core
HS Sr Research Specialist
Molecular Genetics Microbiology
Jackie Cremar
Unit Administrator 1
IM Rheumatology
Cassandra Darley
Clinical Research Supervisor
OB GYN Urogynecology Pelvic Supp
Michelle DeHerrera
Sr Fiscal Services Tech
Radiology General
Rosalia DeLeon
Coord,Education Support
Pathology Medical Lab Sciences
Elizabeth Donsbach
Sr Program Manager
TEASC
Katie Fletcher
Operations Manager
Family Community Medicine FCM
LaTomia French
Administrative Officer (Div)
Pediatrics Administration Division
Jaclyn Gallegos
Admin Assistant to Exec Dir
Dermatology Administration
Dolores Garcia
Residency Program Manager
DFCM
Cheryl Garcia
Admin Assistant 3
Pediatrics Child Abuse Services
Jennifer Gomez
Supv,Med Billing
Pediatrics Center for Development
Elizabeth (Liz) Hatch
Data Manager
FCM Physician Assistant Program
Amy Herrera
Medical Practice Specialist,Sr
OB GYN Administration
Bobbi Jaramillo
Dept Administrator C3
Pediatrics Administration Division
Chenoa Jennings
Medical Education Program Specialist
Surgery - Education Division
Franceska Kelly
Clinical Research Associate
Pediatrics Administration Division
Mike Kendall
Program Specialist
School of Medicine Administration
Ruth Kief
Operations Manager
Pathology
Carmen Lazos-Guerrero
Admin Assistant to Dir
Emerg Med EMS Academy
Delores Lee
Nursing Technician
Infusion Suite
Lu Li
HS Associate Scientist 3
Neurosciences
Natalie Lopez
Accessioning Tech,Sr
Office of the Medical Investigator
Annemarie Madaras
Program Operations
Director IM Epi
Hollie Medina
Senior Operations Manager
Graduate Medical Education GME
Martin Mera
Accountant 2
Peds Prvn and Population Sciences
Angie Miller
Sr Fiscal Services
Tech Pathology
Leann Misquez
Medical Education Prog Splst
Surgery Vascular
Beatrice Montoya
Executive Asst/Enterprise Unit
CRTC Directors Ofc Administration
Emma Naliboff
Pettit Compliance Splst
SOM Learning Environment Office
Felicia Nevarez
Education Consultant
Pediatrics Center for Development
Ann Marie Parmenter
Program Operations Director
Pediatrics Center for Development
Allison Salazar
Education Specialist
Pediatrics Center for Development
René Smith
Admin Assistant 3
SOM Diversity Office
Miriam Troy
Unit Administrator 2
IM Div of Cardiology
Azucena Villa
Dept Administrator C1
Dermatology Administration
Leorrie Watson
Research Scientist 3
Orthopedic Research
Natalie Weiss
Nurse/Clinical Research Coord
IM Clinical Trials Unit CTU
Lovena Willoughby
Dept Human Resources Rep
Pediatrics Center for Development
Kristel Wintheiser
Nurse Mgr/Critical
Care Pediatrics Hematology Oncology
Ryan Wood
Operations Manager
Orthopaedics Administration
Xiaoya Wu
Data Manager
Psych Community Behavioral Health
Krystal Zaragoza
Academic Advisor,Sr
Dental Hygiene