University of Iowa staff who have demonstrated strong leadership at various stages of their careers in information technology organizations were presented with IT Leadership Awards at the UI Tech Forum on June 3 at the Iowa Memorial Union.  

The awards were presented by the IT Leadership Development Team, Associate Vice President and Chief Information Officer (CIO) Steve Fleagle, and Health Care Associate Vice President and CIO Lee Carmen. 

Transformational Achievement: Nick Dreyer

Nick Dreyer is the assistant director of Clinical Applications in Health Care Information Systems (HCIS) and leads a variety of high-profile and mission-critical Epic applications. Dreyer has led several significant initiatives related to the electronic release of health information, including the 21st Century Cures Act: Information Blocking project

He conducted his own review of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology final rule, assembled team members, led an evaluation of current policies, and developed a plan to address each area, including workflow, written policies, and technical changes to Epic electronic medical record. He partnered with his team leads, which resulted in his team members having an opportunity to participate and feel ownership of the changes.

As a result of Dreyer’s dedication and hard work, UI Heath Care was able to comply with the regulations before they took effect. He remains steadfast in his analysis and comprehension of the regulations, understands the risks to our organization, and plays an essential role ensuring compliance with requirements.

Team Achievement: Greg Nims and Mark Pittillo; University Housing and Dining

Nims and Pittillo’s exceptional work with University Housing and Dining has led to a successful migration of the housing management system to the Cloud server. Nims and Pittillo tested every piece of the process, built in new and improved features, and collaborated with countless stakeholders to enhance the experience for staff and students.

Although they knew this change was coming, the time and energy required to execute it could not have been predicted. Nims and Pittillo expertly navigated all of this, and the result of their work was a successful migration that was immediately available to end users. 

Their collaborative efforts, problem-solving skills, and unwavering commitment to excellence have transformed the operational landscape of University Housing and Dining. 

Community Engagement Award: Victoria Maloy

Maloy is the associate director of Academic Technologies in the ITS Office of Teaching, Learning, and Technology. Her contributions have significantly shaped the OneIT community and fostered engagement across campus.

Her notable achievements include leading the Support Community for Instructional Technology (SCIT) and the UI Course Materials Advisory Committee (CMAC) to enhancing collaboration and problem-solving. She also revived ICON Day and initiated the ICON All Stars Award to celebrate faculty’s innovative use of instructional technology.

Maloy’s leadership in these initiatives, often beyond her regular duties, exemplifies her dedication to community building and her unwavering commitment to excellence in academic technology.

Welcoming and Respectful Workplace: Peter Franke

Franke is a senior IT support consultant in ITS Enterprise Services.

He has been an exceptional mentor to a first-year student worker. Franke has gone above and beyond to help the student acclimate to this new environment and feel welcome. He has shared his excitement for technology and made efforts to support the student in building IT experience. 

The student has found reassurance and encouragement in Franke’s willingness to answer questions and share knowledge. His friendly demeanor and helpful guidance have made a significant impact, leaving the student grateful for the opportunity to work under his supervision.

Unsung Hero Award: Jennifer Graham, Ann Lampe, and Warren Staal

Graham is a senior application developer for College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Technology Services (CLAS TS).

While the team has been navigating the increased workload, Graham has not only managed her responsibilities with exceptional skill but has also been developing several applications. Beyond her technical contributions, she frequently lends a helping hand to junior developers and student employees. Her support uplifts everyone in CLAS TS. 

Lampe is the lead IT support consultant for the Identity and Access Management team for UI Health Care.

She has dedicated 40 years to our department, and her vast institutional knowledge and leadership have been pivotal in advancing our goals for automation and accuracy. She’s a key figure in defining access rules for new business units and job codes, maintaining crucial documentation on access exceptions, and creating the Epic exception form process to ensure precise documentation for non-clinical access to patient records.

Lampe is an unwavering force who leads her team with wisdom and by example. Her leadership is a critical component that significantly contributes to the throughput that the IDAM team achieves and her behind-the-scenes work supports the entire institution. 

Staal is an IT security architect in ITS Information Security and Policy. 

He has done extraordinary things for the IT community throughout his many years within the division. 

His contributions span across various IT communities and committees, including a critical role in ISPO. Warren is the go-to expert for intricate processes, such as coordinating with UI police, human resources, and legal during high-risk terminations or managing data access post-employment. 

His engagement with IT staff and the Provost Office on Defense Contract Management Agency matters showcases his professionalism, often turning challenging situations into positive experiences for students.

Rising Star: Nikki Cardenas, Nick Carino-Marek

Cardenas is the security operations director in the Information Security and Policy Office.

She has done a great job pulling together various IT groups and identifying the needs of each division to achieve the goals set by the organization. 

Cardenas worked tirelessly with central and non-central IT groups on campus to work through how best to accomplish the migration to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint for over 60,000 hosts. Within a short timeframe of a few months, she helped lead these groups to achieve this goal. 

Carino-Marek is a senior IT support consultant with ITS Enterprise Services. 

He inspires motivation, shows support for all team members, communicates clearly and consistently. Carino-Marek leads by example with personal investment in day-to-day challenges and shows patience and a willingness to listen carefully before offering an opinion or advice.

Carino-Marek defines vision, direction, and support, and he is ready and willing to do anything asked of the team.