The Officers of Administration Council selected ten OAs for their outstanding service and contribution to the University of Oregon. This year’s stars were chosen from a pool of 99 nominations from the UO community. The honorees will be recognized at the OA Council’s fall open meeting Oct. 30. The ten honorees will receive a certificate and have already received a seat in the presidential suite at a home football game.
Officers of administration selected to receive OA Star Awards distinguish themselves by applying their professional efforts for the betterment of the entire institution and the university community. They not only excel in their positions and departments, but they also embody a spirit of collegiality and vision, working with peers and partners across departmental and divisional lines. They strive for continuous improvement and look to build relationships and solutions that improve the university for all stakeholders.
Below are the OA Stars, along with some highlights from their nomination entries.
Betsy Boyd, Senior Associate Vice President for Federal Affairs with State and Community Affairs, Government Affairs
Boyd’s work has had an exceptionally significant and positive impact on the UO campus by steadfastly advancing federal support for research, student aid and public safety initiatives over a remarkable 24-year tenure.
Notably, Boyd played a pivotal role in advocating for innovative public safety projects such as ShakeAlert, the earthquake early warning system, representing the UO at the 2016 White House Earthquake Resilience Summit.
Her leadership in organizing impactful advocacy campaigns such as #SaveStudentAid has connected U.S. senators with students and faculty, amplifying voices on campus and influencing policy decisions that support college affordability. Boyd’s long-standing efforts have also strengthened university-museum partnerships, ensuring Oregon’s cultural treasures are preserved and accessible, enriching campus life and education.
Becky Crabtree, Director International Student Services, Division of Global Engagement
Crabtree is one of the most dedicated and beloved educators in international higher education. Her extensive experience in the field makes her one of the most knowledgeable individuals on campus. As an advisor to international students and scholars, she consistently demonstrates confidence, resilience and unwavering support.
A fearless leader, Crabtree guided the ISSS team through challenging times with steadfast care and a deep commitment to student success. She is also an exceptional mentor, effortlessly training new advisors with grace, patience and confidence — fostering a warm, supportive culture within the ISSS team year.
Crabtree has profoundly impacted the lives of countless students and colleagues, a truth reflected in joyful welcomes, tearful farewells and bittersweet celebrations. We often hear international alum talking about how wonderful it was to have Crabtree and team in their life at UO, especially compared to their later experiences with other institutions and with work.
Shawna Gilbert, HR Training Coordinator, Human Resources
As a human resources professional working in university HR, Gilbert brings empathy, generosity and the ability to maintain and share perspective on what truly matters when challenges arise. In her role as HR training coordinator, she connects with a variety of people across campus and looks for ways to make learning processes better for all. She advises and supports with a wonderful balance of compassion and humor while being refreshingly outspoken in a way that creates honest conversations and genuine connections. Gilbert always makes time for a quick question, a call, even if it may be a repeat, and gives grace to folks who are trying to learn complex things in a complex environment.
Gilbert embodies collaboration. She identifies when help might be needed and often does so without being asked, is always willing to volunteer when a call goes out and is ready to help when projects reach an “all hands-on deck!” moment. She is there to assist in staffing searches, listen to the struggles of a colleague, nominate someone for recognition, proofread documents or help at commencement.
Katie Harsh, Manager User Support Services, Information Services
Harsh plays a vital role in supporting the success of our campus community. Her thoughtful leadership and steady dedication have a meaningful impact on students, staff and faculty alike. Harsh is especially known for her commitment to compassionate service, which sets her apart in every interaction.
She works diligently to ensure that technology is a tool for success, not a barrier. Whether she’s helping a student navigate a technical issue, helping staff on a technology committee or collaborating with faculty on computing solutions, Harsh brings clarity, patience and a practical, problem-solving mindset.
Under her guidance, the service desk has become a trusted and reliable resource. Her collaborative approach and focus on continuous improvement have helped build a team that consistently delivers responsive, empathetic, and effective support. Her work may often happen behind the scenes, but its impact is felt across campus every day.
Celia Marie Nittman, Accommodations Coordinator, Office of Equal Opportunity and Access
Nittman, in her role as workplace ADA coordinator, has strong relationships with the student accommodations center, employee labor relations, general counsel, the provost's office and the other units. She recently chaired an ADA coordinator work group that recommended streamlining the university’s ADA response with more centralized resources and website and the creation of an ADA coordinator position.
Most importantly, Nittman oversees the “interactive process” where she works with employees with disabilities to understand their limitations and to identify and implement reasonable accommodations, and then with the units to help accommodate their employees. This process is time-consuming and individualized, and Nittman is exceptional at making individuals feel appreciated and heard.
This work is central to a flourishing community, one of the Oregon Rising goals, by ensuring equal access to programs, activities and workplaces for individuals with disabilities, and also helping those who work with or supervise them to understand the process and in turn build trust, belonging and a shared commitment to accessibility.
Gary Sullivan, Senior Director User Support Services, Information Services
Sullivan embodies a rare blend of vision, resilience and collaboration that has profoundly shaped the UO’s IT landscape. In 2020, amid one of the most uncertain periods in our university’s and world’s history, Sullivan led the formation of our new centralized IT unit, User Support Services. While navigating the complexities of supporting a remote campus, he guided us through a major organizational transformation that many have attempted but few have achieved successfully.
Internally, Sullivan fosters a culture of autonomy and support. He empowers his teams to lead with creativity and confidence, while always being available as a steady, thoughtful guide. This balance has enabled us to deliver innovative, user-focused solutions that benefit the entire campus community.
Much of Sullivan’s work happens behind the scenes, and he rarely receives the recognition he deserves. Yet the results speak volumes: a thriving, collaborative IT organization that stands as a model for successful consolidation and continuous improvement. His leadership has made the university stronger, more connected and better equipped for the future.
Rick Tabor, Associate Director of Utilities, Campus Planning and Facilities Management
Ask Rebecca Albrich (data center), Jeff Madsen or Tom Shepard (design and construction), Rob Berg (facilities) or any of the 25-ish staff in utilities and energy.
Tabor cares deeply about the design, safety, reliability and efficiency of UO's electrical distribution system. Whenever power to a building or data center needs to be shut down, Tabor works collaboratively and often late in the evenings with stakeholders to minimize impacts to sensitive equipment.
Time and again, Tabor’s contributions to design reviews result in creative solutions that improve safety, resilience and efficiency. Recently Tabor worked with design and construction to reimagine the “Feeder 12” project and helped save the institution millions of dollars extending Feeder 12 to the new housing projects in the southeast campus.
Finally, Tabor has created a positive culture in U&E. His staff are focused on preventative maintenance — the gold standard of complex electrical distribution systems. Staff have deep appreciation of his knowledge and expertise. Tabor is a thoughtful, caring and creative OA responsible for tens of millions of dollars of equipment and the safety and training of the team of electricians charged with its care.
Holly Tate, Job and Internship Developer and Engagement Manager, University Career Center
Tate’s work is a catalyst for student success and institutional excellence at the UO. As a leader in employer relations and student engagement, Tate has redefined what’s possible for student career readiness. Her strategic and student-centered initiatives have significantly expanded job and internship pipelines for students. Through signature events such as industry-specific employer panels, targeted networking nights and innovative career tours, she creates meaningful touchpoints between students and employers. These events have drawn record-breaking employer participation and resulted in outstanding feedback from students and recruiters alike.
Tate leads with a systems-thinking mindset, streamlining operations and leveraging data to optimize outcomes. She redesigned the Career Center website, creating an accessible, equity-informed digital hub that meets students where they are. Under her mentorship, two student teams — the Career Ambassadors and the Marketing and Communications Team — have flourished, increasing visibility and impact across campus.
A champion of access, Tate partners with programs such as TRIO and PathwayOregon to ensure historically underrepresented students are fully supported and connected to resources.
Lisa Thornton, Public Records Officer, Office of Public Records
Thornton is an unsung hero of the UO, having led the public records office since its inception in 2011. Over the years, the number of public records requests the university receives has steadily increased from 263 in 2011 to 569 (and counting) in FY25. Despite this significant increase, the office has remained staffed at just two full-time employees. By law, the university has five days to acknowledge a public records request and 10 business days to provide the records. Remarkably, under Thornton’s leadership, the office has managed to maintain an average turnaround time of just seven days.
Thornton is also a leader in her field nationally. She serves on the board of directors of the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws, and she hosts an annual roundtable of public records officers in the region to share best practices, positioning the UO as a stand-out institution that manages public records well.
Jason Younker, Associate Vice President and Advisor to the President on Sovereignty and Government to Government Relations, Office of the President
Younker is a great example of visionary leadership and collegiality through his deep commitment to inclusive collaboration and continuous institutional improvement. He has built bridges across departments, divisions and communities with grace and purpose. His leadership of the Native American Future Stewards Program and his long-standing service to Tribal governments reflect his ability to align academic missions with cultural stewardship, benefiting students, faculty and Native nations alike.
Younker’s work consistently fosters partnerships that cross traditional boundaries — integrating anthropology, education, technology and public service. He brings people together by creating spaces of mutual respect, especially for Native voices in academia. His role in launching initiatives such as tuition-free education for in-state Indigenous students at UO showcases his creative, systemic thinking and commitment to equity. Through his involvement with the Association of Indigenous Anthropologists and national advisory roles, he mentors across institutions, lifting others as he leads.
He is not only a visionary, but also an incredibly warm, generous colleague. Younker’s unique ability to weave together relationships makes him a transformative force in higher education.
—By Adrian Cruz, OA Council Vice Chair