Nanette Ramzan Presented with 2015 Abe Ackerman Staff Excellence Award at Staff Appreciation Event

UCLA Anderson’s longstanding and highest honor in staff achievement was presented to Nanette Ramzan, program manager for the executive MBA program at the third annual staff appreciation event. The award has been presented for 18 years as a memorial to Abe Ackerman, a beloved Anderson School employee who passed away in 1997. 

Dean Judy Olian opened the staff appreciation event sharing sentiments of deep gratitude for the hard work and dedication of the Anderson staff. Dean Olian applauded the crowd for another incredible academic year and urged the staff to take some time to refresh, “fun matters, find a celebration in every day, take a moment to step back and breathe.” 

Following Dean Olian’s address, Senior Associate Dean of Finance and Operations, Jami Jesek, took the stage to echo those sentiments. Jesek, who has worked at UCLA for 25 years (17 of those at Anderson) described the Anderson staff as a community, people who are supportive, dedicated and who “come for the job, but they stay for the people.”

Visiting from across campus, Julie Sina, PhD, Associate Vice Chancellor, UCLA Alumni Affairs, and CFO, UCLA Foundation, served as the keynote speaker. Sina reflected on her experiences working in various roles, and as a part of numerous teams at different universities across the country. Speaking on the efficiency of working in teams she said, “It’s all about having the right people in the right place.”

Former Anderson employee Mary Petersen presented the annual Mary & Pete Petersen Staff Enrichment Awards. This year’s recipients included Scott Encarnacion (Staff Personnel) and Melinda Huang (Marketing and Communications). This award was established by a generous endowment given by Mary in 2012.   

The retiring staff also received a special recognition including, Michael Heafey, David Fujioka, Susan Judkins, Jackie Reynolds and Sally Stall. Acknowledgement milestone awards were also presented to staff who have worked at the school for five, 10-15, 20-25 and more than 30 years. The combined experience of the individuals recognized this year amounts to more than 470 years of service to Anderson.