KU Employee and Team of the Year Winners Announced at Employee Recognition Ceremony

The Power Plant Team, named the 2025 Team of the Year, is pictured with Provost Barbara Bichelmeyer.

Mon, 05/12/2025

Christine Metz Howard

Lawrence – During the University of Kansas' Employee Recognition Ceremony on Thursday, Dannah Hartley and Omar Safir received the Employee of the Year awards and the KU Power Plant Team was honored with the Team of the Year award.

Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Barbara Bichelmeyer honored the award winners along with employees with five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55 and 60 years of service. Three employees — Jane Buttenhoff, Kent Miller and Sandy Patchen — were recognized for 60 years of service.

Employees of the Year

The ceremony recognized the Employee of the Month awardees from the past 12 months and selected two from that group to receive Employee of the Year. Each Employee of the Year receives $1,500, a reserved parking space for one year and a Jayhawk trophy.

Dannah Hartley

Exemplifying dedication, leadership and compassion, Dannah Hartley, formerly associate director in Jayhawk Academic Advising and currently assistant dean for the School of Professional Studies on the Edwards Campus, was named a 2025 Employee of the Year.

Over the past 12 years, Hartley has played a pivotal role in shaping the advising experience for students — from leading teams that support new and exploratory students to guiding assistant directors and coordinating efforts across campuses.

Known for her engaging and heartfelt orientation presentations, Hartley has set the tone for thousands of students and families as they begin their KU journey. Parents have consistently praised her humor, empathy and insight, often seeking her out just to say thank you. One parent described her words as “essential wisdom” and her presence as both comforting and inspiring.

Hartley’s leadership style has fostered growth and trust as she taught her teams that student care is a shared purpose, not just a responsibility. With a focus on development rather than blame, she has led by example, ensuring that every student’s first advising experience at KU is welcoming, thoughtful and empowering.

The award recognizes Hartley’s extraordinary contributions to student success, team leadership and the KU community.

Read more about Hartley’s contributions in her Employee of the Month bio.

Omar Safir

Embodying technical excellence and human-centered leadership, Omar Safir, education program coordinator at the Center for Teaching Excellence, was named a 2025 Employee of the Year.

Known as the “Swiss army knife” of his department, Safir seamlessly juggles data analysis, faculty development, student assessment and cross-institutional collaboration with a clear sense of purpose and compassion.

He has transformed his role into a linchpin of innovation, co-leading major initiatives that promote equitable teaching practices and student success across institutions. Safir stands out for his analytical acumen as well as his moral clarity and commitment to centering student and faculty welfare, especially for those from historically marginalized communities.

Respected for his insight, empathy and ability to foster inclusive collaboration, Safir brings people together, builds trust and uplifts everyone around him. From strategic grant work to the everyday moments that build community and connection, Safir’s impact is felt in every corner of the workplace.

The award recognizes Safir’s unwavering dedication, quiet leadership and transformative influence.

Read more about Safir’s contributions in his Employee of the Month bio.

Team of the Year

Working through weekends, holidays and winter storms, the Power Plant Team (Shop 405) has a mission that never stops: the continuous around-the-clock operation of KU’s power plant facilities.

For the group’s unwavering reliability, tireless dedication, technical expertise and exceptional ability to adapt to challenging and unpredictable circumstances, the Power Plant Team, led by Robert Mills, was honored with the 2025 Team of the Year award.

This team of 13 employees has had zero service outages in the past year, despite extreme weather and staffing challenges. The groups’ in-house expertise enabled them to complete more than 340 maintenance tasks, numerous emergency repairs and boiler inspections without a single deficiency.

From repairing valves and chemical lines to swiftly isolating system failures, the team has demonstrated both ingenuity and resilience in every corner of its operation. The team’s ability to solve problems in real time has prevented what could have been catastrophic service disruptions affecting thousands on the Lawrence campus.

“Their work supports the heart of KU’s mission: to maintain a safe, operational and welcoming environment for learning, research and community engagement,” said Cheryl Coon, a member of the Employee Recognition Committee, during Thursday’s ceremony. “Without their consistent performance and commitment, the day-to-day operations of the university simply wouldn’t be possible.”

To celebrate the award, the Team of the Year will have lunch with the provost.

The Team of the Year winner was selected from nominations solicited across campus. In addition to the Power Plant Team, other groups nominated included: