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Organizational Effectiveness

Phone
Fax
319-335-2644
Campus Address
121-50 USB
Mailing Address

121 University Services Building, Suite 50
Iowa City, IA 52242-1911
United States

The I.O.W.A. affords supervisors and co-workers the opportunity to recognize staff for initiative, innovation, measurable results, and lasting impact in their workplace. Nominations are taken twice a year and awardees are celebrated in the spring at the annual UI Faculty and Staff Awards Ceremony.

Spring 2024

Individual Winners

Awardee: Leah Koppes

In 2022, Leah Koppes, College of Nursing Events and Marketing Coordinator, was assigned to manage the college’s scholarship application and award process. Leah led a redesign of the College of Nursing scholarship process, changing it from running twice per year to just once per year. Scholarship review time is now half of what it was before the change and reduces barriers for students.
Nominated by: Laura Goddard | Sponsor: Katie Machovsky

Team Winners

Nurses Using Ultrasound for Difficult IV Access (DIVA)

A patient’s greatest fear when having surgery can be having an IV placed.  Literature has shown up to 98% success rate for first attempts when using ultrasound to place an IV.  An ultrasound was obtained by the DIVA team for the unit and 5 nurses were trained. Initial data showed decreases in the number of multiple IV attempts and anesthesia starting an IV. This effort resulted in patient satisfaction with IV placement increasing to 85%!

Team Members: Donna Dolezal, Kathleen Fear, DNP, CRNA, ARNP, Kelsey Wood, BSN, RN, SRNA-DNP student, Jess Berding-Wheat, MSN, RN, CPAN, CNOR, Aimee Cusic, BSN, RN, CAPA, Ben Mirr, BSN, RN, Laura Riss, BSN, RN, Sheri Parman, BSN, RN

Nominated by: Donna Dolezal | Sponsor: Molly Kucera

Courtney Nobis and Emily Wilson

There are many excellent UI Health Care clinical locations within the Quad Cities area; however, there are limited services available, particularly in the access to medications critical for patients experiencing an ectopic pregnancy or bleeding in pregnancy. Courtney Nobis recognized the benefit of patients attaining these medications locally and worked with Emily Wilson to stock them on site, creating a workflow for staff to order. This process now gives Quad Cities patients the access needed to maintain care within UI Health Care.

Team Members: Courtney Nobis, Emily Wilson

Nominated by: Kari Murphy

Fall 2023

Individual Winners

Awardee: Maria Hein

Maria Hein is dedicated to excellence in supporting College of Nursing faculty research studies. Maria is involved with multiple diverse projects in which she tailors her work to the needs of each. In 22-23 alone, Maria worked on 35 separate data management projects for faculty.  Faculty have recognized her significant role in the success of their projects; since starting at the College of Nursing in 2010, Maria has been included as an author on 29 publications. 
Nominated by: Laura Goddard | Sponsor: Linda Hand

Awardee: Joe McKelvey

Joe McKelvey's efforts and leadership in the Senior Director of Revenue and Reimbursement role at UI Health Care has transformed the workplace by innovatively addressing complex governmental regulations and taking operations to new heights.  Through improvements in education and work processes, he has improved enterprise understanding of governmental reimbursement.  Joe's sustained impact is evident in the organization's adaptability to regulatory changes and a culture of continuous improvement. 
Nominated by: Elizabeth Jaggers | Sponsor: Mark Henrichs

Spring 2023

Pediatric Continuity of Care (COC) Team
Nominated by: Janine Petitgout 

Team Members: Janine Petitgout, Lindsay Blaha, Nicole Acheson, Karen Johnson, Sara English, Marcia Gilbert, Ashley Jackson

Patient Financial Services Quality Assurance Team
Nominated by: Heath Barrow | Team Sponsor: Heather McCarter

Team Members: Amy Finley, Heather Ganka, Heather Hansen, Rachel Harthan, Diana Hernandez, Jen Holtz, Kim Kamoss, Lisa McHugh, Danielle Ostlund, Julie Russell, Emily Tobin, Jordan Wink, Elissa Scharff, Heather McCarter, Stephanie Duncan, Chris Kilgore, Kristin Edwards, Heath Barrow, Bree Mess, Kerri Morrison, Gina Harris

Specimen Tracking Project Team
Nominated by: Jim Ross | Team Sponsor: Anne Smith

Team Members: Anne Smith, Colby Hawker, Tanika Moreland, Shel Greek-Lippe

Fall 2022

Awardee: Kimberly Carter
Nominated by: Kevin Kregel | Sponsor: Lois Geist

Dental Hygiene Standards Committee 
Nominated by: Kelby Scandrett | Team Sponsor: Dr. Brian Howe

Team Members: Kelby Scandrett, BSN RN, Tracy Just, RDH, Pat Juffer-Flake, RDH, Terri Pizinger, RDH, Jean Redlinger, Valerie Waterhouse, Debra Mazzocco

Epic Nursing Student ICON Course Transition Team
Nominated by: Kieran Leopold

Team Members: Scott Leeman, Anne Alberhasky, Theodore McNulty, Christina Woline, Sarah Schneider, Kristina Beachy, Becky Hurt, Eiko Oka, Jessica Ashlock, Denise Litwiller, Kieran Leopold

Employee Healthcare Parking Improvement 
Nominated by: Dagong Wang | Team Sponsor: Debby Zumbach

Team Members: Lori Skoff, Erin Shane, Jeff Horesowsky, April Wells, Stuart Wood, Karmen Dillon, Nicholas Dreyer, Thomas Alt, Ben Stone, Sherry Reynolds-Miller, Janet Woo, Changhui Xu, Tong Lu, Tim Blake

Nursing Recruitment 
Nominated by: Michele Farrington | Team Sponsor: Rebecca Schwertfeger

Team Members: Kylie Arras, Rebecca Beggs, Lisa Ellenson, Morgan Finnegan, Kyle Fountain, Lindsey Fudge, Megan Garton, Mercedes Juelfs, Elizabeth Leu, Nicole Peak, Tiffany Perkins, Anne Phillips, Dillon Sampson, Jenelle Sisneros, Payal Vedanayagam

PACS Team- Radiology Engineering  
Nominated by: Greg Lehmann | Team Sponsor: Bryan Garter

Team Members: Chris Doran, Travis Balchunas, Brian Wiese, Blake Sanor, Jenni Schmid, Tom Pearce

University Employee Health Clinic- Call Line Team
Nominated by: Barbara Schuessler | Team Sponsor: Jennifer Miller

Team Members: Jenn Miller, Melissa Gross, Patrick Hartley, Chris Iverson, Claudia Corwin, Deisi Acevedo, Beth Hanna, Colby Hawker, Holly Meacham, John Heinemann, Jeff Vande Berg, Nick Dreyer, Ken Valley, Brian Cassady, Jen Boyd, Sarah Healy, Crystal Lux, Barb Schuessler

OBGYN Sonography Team 
Nominated by: Bridget Toomey

Team Members: Nicole Robertson, Sara Baldus, Allison Corlett, Elisabeth Culek, Kara Fountain, Mercedes Hansen, Rebekah Holmbo, Melissa Lacina, Kristen Leggins, Michelle Lerch, Laura Marler, Nicole Riemenschneider, Mackenzie Spinler, Taryn Stafford, Claire Thiede, Lindsey Williams, Brittany Wykert, Glenda Mueller

Spring 2022

Awardee: Stephen Castillo
Nominated by: Tom Persoon | Sponsor: Kevin Singleman

Awardee: Adam Connell
Nominated by: Bailey Carrol | Sponsor: Heidi Robinson

Awardee: Mary Cross
Nominated by: Maria Lukas | Sponsor: Carrol Reasoner

CLASAN Communications Committee
Nominated by: Diane Hauser | Team Sponsor: Diane Hauser

Team Members: Anna Gaw, Biology/CLAS, Ellie Healy, Chemistry/CLAS, Colleen Kelley, History/CLAS, Andrea Krekel, Communications/CLAS, Anna Newnum, Journalism/CLAS, Allison Wanger, English/CLAS

Center for Academic Excellence Leadership Team
Nominated by: Cassie Walizer | Team Sponsor: Tab Wiggins

Team Members: Kim Castillo, Jennifer Lynch, Cody Pritchard, Cassie Walizer, Tab Wiggins

Intelligent Invoice Automation
Nominated by: Dagong Wang

Team Members: Dani Weber, Brian Wildemuth, Kris Halter, Jacob Feuerbach, Vladimir Avdonin, Sherry Reynolds-Miller, Chris Leichty, Jason Heath,

Mental Health Postvention Implementation Team
Nominated by: Barry Schreier | Team Sponsors: Sarah Hansen, Cheryl Reardon, Tanya Uden-Holman

Team Members: Katie Birdsall, Kelly M. Clougher, Ph.D., Nicole Del Castillo, M.D., M.P.H., Megan Hammes, Kristi Norris, Barry A. Schreier, Ph.D., H.S.P., Bronwyn H. Threlkeld-Wiegand L.I.S.W., Tanya Villhauer

Parking & Transportation and Finance & Business Information Services
Nominated by: Dagong Wang | Team Sponsor: Erin Shane

Team Members: John Ira Thomas, Sarah Crafton, Rachel Marie Maddix, Carol Ann Leinhauser, Delores Lynn Skoff, Jeffry P. Horesowsky, Erin Dalene Shane, Lori L Price, Nathan Hott, Terry Martin Bell, Alex Thurman, Kristina L. Mueller, Christopher C. Wise, Jim Dasen, Changhui Xu, Cody Droz, Chik-Lun Janet Woo, Sherry Reynolds-Miller, Jacob Feuerbach

Spring 2021

Concert Streaming Team
Nominated by Sue Orhon

Team Members: James Edel, Jenny Hall, Sue Orhon, Kayt Conrad, Katie Buehner, Christine Burke, Mark Bennett, Gay Pelzer, Nick Tomlonovic

Dance Digital Audition Team
Nominated by Kayt Conrad

Team Members: Alex Bush, Lance Bolton, Jessica Yoder, Isaac Podolefsky

Implementation of In-Person Instruction in Music
Nominated by Kayt Conrad

Team Members: Laura Goddard, Jenny Hall, Sue Orhon, Kayt Conrad, Jeremy Herrera, Chad Walker, Don Schneider, Kathy Ford, Kathy Reeves, Pauline Wieland Plowman, Kate Vos, Kelly Riessen, John Winget, Rod Hanze, Michelle Worrell

School of Music Online Audition Platform
Nominated by Laura Goddard

Team Members: Pauline Weiland Plowman, Laura Goddard, Kristy Kellbach, Ann Kunkel, Robin Kellbach

Spring 2020

Debra Goodwin, Pharmaceutical Sciences and Experimental Therapeutics
Nominated by Aliasger Salem

Joe Cilek, Health and Human Physiology
Nominated by Tiffany Schier

Fall 2019

Brian Bishop, Human Subjects Office
Nominated by Gabrielle Ursula Chelette

Gordon F. Buchanan, Neurology
Nominated by Alex Petrucci

Meghan Gatlin, Joint Office for Compliance
Nominated by Randi Jelinek

Daniel Khalastchi, Magid Center for Undergraduate Writing
Nominated by Jane Huffman

Christine Leichty, Purchasing
Nominated by David Stenersen

Pauline Wieland Plowman, School of Music
Nominated by Laura Goddard

Carver College of Medicine "Clerx" Software Development Team
Nominated by Hugh Hansen

Team Members: David Calvert, Eric Embree, Patrick Flanagan, Shannon Manley, Duane Staskal, Hugh Hansen, Dana Hartman, Dr. Amal Shibli-Rahhal, Cathy Chavez, Cate Unruh

EGY Work Group
Nominated by Lou Ann Montgomery

Team Members: Cindy Dawson, Emily K. Ward, Lou Ann Montgomery, John Cashman, Robin Norfleet, Jody Kurtt, Sara Caven, Kirsten Hanrahan, Lela Schumacher, Becky Hurt, Heidi Burak

Parking Services Office and FBIS Business Application Development
Nominated by Dagong Wang

Team Members: Vladimir Avdonin, Sarah Crafton, James Dasen, Jacob David Feuerbach, Vamsilatha Gorlagunta, Carol Ann Leinhauser, Rachel Marie Maddix, Valerij Petrulevich, Sherry Reynolds-Miller, Delores Lynn Skoff, Taylorel Stutts, John Thomas, Laurant Vance, Chik-Lun Woo, Changhui Xu

Password Synchronization Team
Nominated by Lee Carmen

Team Members: Michael Cullison, William Dawson, Robert Heitman, Dan Kitzmann, Dan Metzler, Luke Molony, Jordan O'Konek, Daniel Worrell

Crisis Stabilization Officers: a Novel Program to Prevent and Address Hospital Violence
Nominated by Jeff Vandeberg

Team Members: Jody Tate, John Wagner, Dana Cook, Lance Clemsen, Katherine Schneider, Katie Bulin, Alley Harmon, Vicky Kijewski, Paul Van Heukelom, Jeff Vande Berg, Brian Remington, Neil Humble, Jason Morris, Doug Vance

Email Anti-Phishing
Nominated by Ryan Lenger

Team Members: Tracy Scott, Katie Kahler, Ryan Lenger, Matt Kaufman, Craig Wilkinson, Steve Troester, Daniel Worrell, Em Domingues, Jordan O’Konek, Joey Kirkpatrick, Deb Yoder, Teresa Rose, Lisa Schintler, Dan Metzler, Laurie Hafner Dahms, Dan Dirks, Adrienne Coon, Nicole Dahya, Lin Larson, Zach Furst, Nikki Cardenas, Jamie Matthews, Michael Alberhasky, Matt Depaepe