Commitment to Excellence
The Andy Award for Commitment to Excellence honors staff members who take great pride in producing excellent work. They serve their customers with a steadfast commitment to quality performance. Nominees have an upbeat attitude and are consistently willing to invest considerable time and effort to overcome obstacles so that outstanding work might be delivered.
Criteria include consistently performing above and beyond the responsibilities of a job description, regularly delivering exceptional work products and realizing accomplishments that exceed goals and requirements.
2025 Award Recipient (Rookie)
Maila Rible
School of Computer Science
2025 Nominees (Rookie)
Lindsey Breyak
College of Engineering
Lindsey’s extraordinary dedication, adaptability and positive attitude make her a valuable asset to our department. She demonstrates an unwavering commitment to excellence and brings enthusiasm, composure and professionalism to every task she handles.
Markita Briggs
Office of the Provost
Markita has distinguished herself as a dynamic, driven and student-centered professional whose commitment to quality, collaboration and inclusive excellence exceeds the expectations of her role. Over two years at Carnegie Mellon, she quickly became a trusted colleague, a campus connector and a powerful advocate for students who benefit tremendously from her presence
Justina Cincotti
College of Engineering
Justina has distinguished herself in just two years at CMU as an exceptional professional whose strategic thinking, relationship-driven approach and dedication to operational excellence consistently exceed expectations. Her ability to build authentic alumni connections, lead collaborative initiatives and drive innovative programs reflects a deep commitment to excellence and a lasting impact on the university community.
Erin Johnson
Computing Services
Erin consistently demonstrates a remarkable commitment to quality, professionalism and service in his role within the Shipping and Receiving Department. He takes great pride in his work and his dedication to delivering excellence is evident in everything he does, from day-to-day logistics to long-term process improvements.
Taia Pandolfi
College of Engineering
Since joining CMU in February 2024, Taia has excelled in her role. She ramped up quickly and always goes the extra mile, which has had a ripple effect on the entire team — enabling everyone to work smarter, be more productive and have stronger communication.
Maila Rible
School of Computer Science
Maila demonstrates exceptional leadership and initiative in figuring out how her communications expertise can serve the missions of CMU and the Center for Transformational Play in multiple ways.
Alisha Roudebush
School of Computer Science
Alisha deserves praise for her exceptional transformation of the PhD experience across two academic programs through proactive and relentless process improvements and unwavering commitment to supporting faculty and students. In two years as academic coordinator, she has systematically streamlined complex processes while consistently providing exceptional support to students and faculty with remarkable initiative and positive impact.
Emily Shank
College of Engineering
Emily works extremely hard and has made great strides in just two years as a student advisor. She embodies the principles of excellence in her role: a steadfast commitment to quality performance, an upbeat attitude and a willingness to invest time and energy to overcome obstacles.
Natalie Simon
College of Engineering
Natalie exemplifies Carnegie Mellon’s commitment to excellence through her proactive leadership, exceptional service and consistent delivery of high-quality work. Her ability to anticipate needs, build meaningful relationships and exceed expectations makes her an invaluable asset to the department.
Emily Toal
Mellon College of Science
Emily’s hard work produces outcomes that consistently exceed expectations. She approaches every task with a "deeper lens," not simply completing assignments but critically thinking through projects, asking insightful questions for clarity and proactively implementing changes that invariably enhance the final product.
Nicole Weaver
Student Affairs
Nicole has shown extraordinary dedication to operational excellence through her proactive support of students and employers and the pride she takes in every detail of her work. She brings professionalism, heart and precision to everything she does.
2025 Award Recipient (Veteran)
Amy Stoebe
Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences
2025 Nominees (Veteran)
John Fulmer
College of Engineering
John has lived up to this award’s criteria every day over the 21 years. He consistently goes above and beyond to ensure the safety of everyone who uses equipment in our machine and wood shops. John doesn’t just supervise; he actively teaches. He patiently answers every question, providing clear, step-by-step guidance on fabricating parts. His dedication to student learning is evident in every interaction.
Linda Gentile
Office of the Provost
Linda has led CMU through countless changes in governmental, immigration and health care policy. Her commitment to excellence has led CMU's trajectory as a strong, collaborative and global leader in higher education.
Marlana Ivey
School of Computer Science
Marlana is the type of colleague you want on your team. She is always willing to go above and beyond her stated job description to help colleagues and meet program and department goals.
Kim Kelly
Student Affairs
Over the past 20 years, Kim has displayed unwavering dedication to our students and has had a transformative impact on Carnegie Mellon. Her extraordinary work ethic, compassionate leadership and institutional commitment have elevated every facet of our athletics program and strengthened the broader university community.
Mara Kudrick
College of Engineering
Mara consistently exceeds goals and expectations. Her professionalism, drive, and attention to detail make her an invaluable asset to our team and the university. Mara has an unwavering dedication to customer service and an exceptional commitment to aligning donors’ goals with the university’s needs and priorities.
Allison McLachlan
College of Engineering
Allison consistently demonstrates an exceptional commitment to professionalism and excellence, adapting to new roles and proactively driving key departmental initiatives from alumni relations to industry partnerships. Her contributions, marked by a can-do attitude and unwavering dedication, make her an exemplary and deserving candidate for this award.
Natalia Pascal
Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy
Natalia began her role in September 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. At a time when informal, in-person exchanges of information were impossible, Natalia became an essential point of contact for navigating the still new landscape of Heinz College and CMU. Her guidance and responsiveness during those disorienting months were invaluable and her role has grown more central in the years since.
Shirley Pavlischak
College of Engineering
Shirley has served as Chemical Engineering's sole pre-award research administrator for nearly a decade. Her dedication, commitment and positive attitude benefit our department every day.
Amy Stoebe
Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Amy takes extraordinary care of students, faculty and grad students. She is forward-thinking in her data-driven innovations to the English program and is respected by everyone from adjuncts to the highest level of leadership in the department.