Each year, the University of South Florida recognizes employees who demonstrate "above and beyond" performance excellence and uphold the core values of USF's Strategic Plan, “in pursuit of excellence,” with the Outstanding Staff Awards. This year, two teams from USF’s College of Public Health (COPH) were celebrated for their exceptional contributions to the university’s success--the Family Study Center (FSC) and the COPH Lifelong Learning Academy (LLA).
The FSC team, celebrating its 20th anniversary and nominated by Dr. James McHale of USF St. Petersburg, was recognized for their outstanding work and collaboration with USF’s Center of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health Education, Science and Practice (CoE). Their work has been a leader in community engagement, working to include men and fathers—both residential and non-co-residential—across diverse backgrounds. It challenged misconceptions about fatherhood and emphasized equity and inclusion.
Kristina Hamp, MPH, poses with the award after the FSC team attended the award ceremony. (Photo courtesy of Hamp)
“I was both surprised and appreciative to receive the award!” said Kristina Hamp, team member and program planner analyst for the CoE. “It highlights the incredible things we can achieve when we combine our collective efforts across campuses.”
Notable achievements include:
- Hosting "Supporting the Mental Health and Well-being of Men," which addressed the unique challenges fathers face as caregivers.
- A year-long global lecture series with family scholars from multiple countries
- Organizational training benefiting 2,727 individuals
- $2 million in external funding for community-based projects
"Our work ensures communities feel heard, valued and respected. We co-create solutions with them, not for them,” Hamp said. “The event sparked meaningful conversations around inclusion, and I was grateful to have played a role in coordinating it.”
Other FSC team members include: Ebony Miller, Jackie Malone, Jessica Lassiter, Kacey Jenkins, Russia Collins, Serina Lewis, Sue Girling and Yana Sirotkin.
The LLA team members accepted the award on stage alongside USF President Rhea Law. (Photo courtesy of Ann Joyce)
The LLA team, in collaboration with the USF OSHA Training Institute Education Center (OTIEC), updated 58 occupational safety and health courses.
Their work, nominated by Drs. Luis Pieretti Irizarry and Ann Joyce, has enhanced USF’s reputation and expanded its reach, benefiting employers and workers both locally and nationally.
Dr. Ann Joyce praised the team for their performance and said, "The USF COPH LLA team isn’t just great, they’re outstanding!"
Notable standouts include:
- Integrating cutting-edge software and design techniques
- Novel online system
- Innovative features like promotion codes and digital badges
- Introduced micro-certificates to expand workforce capacity beyond traditional degrees--something that sets USF apart from the competition.
“This remarkable interdisciplinary team, in collaboration with esteemed partners, embodies USF’s core values: inquiry, innovation, integrity and inclusion,” Joyce said. “They’ve gone above and beyond.”
LLA team members include: Amethyst Clare Surpris, Brianna Colton, Mary Toth, Neil Bleiweiss, Parnia Roghani Shareef, Sandra Miller, Silvia Moreno, Danielle Secker and Kevin Hitt.