At Tech Forum 2025, we recognized IT professionals who demonstrate strong leadership at various stages of their careers. The IT Leadership Awards are sponsored by the IT Leadership Development Team, along with CIOs Steve Fleagle and Lee Carmen. 

Lifetime Achievement: Ed Hill

Ed, executive director for Administrative Information Systems, has been instrumental in major initiatives like MAUI, Campus Data, and IT responses during critical times. He oversees essential systems that impact academics, human resources, finance, research, data analytics, and our broader university community.

While his skills as a developer have been crucial, it’s his role as a mentor where he truly shines. His patient, steady approach combined with his deep understanding of his colleagues' strengths, cultivates a culture of customer focus and personal integrity. Ed’s exceptional leadership, extensive contributions, and dedication to mentoring have created a legacy that will benefit our university moving into the future.

Transformational Achievement: Ryan Gore

Ryan, senior IT security engineer in the Information Security and Policy Office, was nominated for his extensive work in developing IPRO, a phishing response tool. His work significantly reduced the FTE hours that ISPO spends on phishing by notifying ISPO when a mass phishing campaign is occurring, alerting on-call staff when a malicious email comes in via phishing reporting, and leveraging automation to reduce the steps to respond to phishing/malicious emails.

Team Achievement: CAI Development Team and MAUI Financial Aid Team

The Course Activity Insights Development Team includes Michael Espey, Salim George, Ross Miller, Dawn Moore, Teju Shirudkar, Anna Marie Smith, and Jack Stockley.

The team diligently worked on the development and rollout of the Course Activity Insights (CAI) application. By integrating data from various instructional technologies, they provided instructors with unprecedented insights into student engagement and opportunities to identify students who may need additional support. The initiative demonstrated by the team has been remarkable, and this tool has been instrumental in fostering a culture of data-informed teaching across campus.

The MAUI Financial Aid Team includes David Coughlin, Scott Hendrickson, Diana Lynch, Robin Kellbach, Jay Paulsen, Adam Pyatt, Siddharth Sarathe, and Barb Tepper. 

The team played a critical role in the successful implementation of the FAFSA project, ensuring that the university was one of the first in the Big Ten, and the first in Iowa, to package financial aid offers for fall 2024 students. Their technical expertise, problem-solving abilities, and commitment to student success were instrumental in delivering financial aid packages under an unprecedentedly compressed timeline. The team’s work ensured that thousands of students received timely aid offers, giving them the confidence to plan for their future. 

Community Engagement: Dan Mentzer

Dan, senior systems administrator in the UI College of Engineering, fosters relationships and shares knowledge about his user base and college needs. He has significantly impacted projects, including ITAR and NIST compliance issues. He is part of the IT support for Research Program, contributing to the Compliance Team and the Needs Assessment Team. Dan readily volunteers, identifies gaps, and fills them easily. 

Welcoming and Respectful Workplace: Nathan Smith

Nathan, support consultant for UI Health Care telecommunications, has been an amazing teacher. He walked a colleague through the hospital, showing them where the equipment was and how to get around easier with short cuts. Whenever the colleague has a question about Nurse Call, Nathan takes the time to answer. Without Nathan’s teaching, the colleague said they would not be where they are today.

Unsung Hero: Mike Frangi, Gabby Perez

Mike, director for the IT Project Management Office, has been a cornerstone of support and leadership for all ITS departments. His involvement in projects and his willingness to assist with nearly every project that comes through the PMO have made him one of the most recognizable and respected figures in ITS. Mike has been instrumental in initiating many important projects on campus. A notable example is his project management efforts for the Digital Accessibility Task Force, which have ensured that the university stays on track to meet the upcoming federal deadline. 

Gabby, compliance and education manager for ITS-Research Services, has technical expertise and strong interpersonal skills that allow her to translate challenging compliance concepts into actionable guidance that keeps our research programs compliant and productive. What truly distinguishes Gabby is not just her technical competence but her exemplary approach to leadership through service, positivity, and human connection.

Rising Star: Trisha Gardner, Emily Pelikan

Trisha, lead application developer for HCIS-Admin Apps, managed interdependent projects across functional application areas such as Care Everywhere and MyChart. For nearly two months during the pandemic, Trisha worked as the only member of the Cadence and Referrals team, and through it all, remained positive. Her project leadership, management of application changes, and countless hours of personal application development contributed to UI Health Care's successful delivery of COVID-19 testing and vaccination requirements. Trisha continues to produce outstanding outcomes and has truly become the go-to expert for her respective applications.

Emily, senior IT support consultant in Enterprise Services, consistently demonstrates a commitment to every role she undertakes, always striving to provide the best service possible. Her journey through ETS has been marked by her active involvement in various workgroups, showcasing her dedication to not only serving end-users but also improving the efficiency and effectiveness of ETS operations. Emily's ability to foster positive relationships have made her an invaluable asset to our team.