Individual Awards

Amber Van Meter: Program Coordinator with Sustainability and Climate Change. Since assuming the role as the Program Coordinator for the Office of Sustainability in August 2022, Amber has consistently demonstrated exceptional dedication and competence. Notably, Amber has assumed full ownership of the Haas TGIF grant for the pollinator garden and Haas Hives, as well as taken the lead in the Fill it Forward campaign, substantially reducing her colleague’s workload and enabling them to concentrate on crucial projects such as carbon greenhouse gas analysis and the plant forward initiative. Her reliability and enthusiasm have earned her the trust of her peers and superiors, with her recent collaboration with a student artist resulting in a graphic poster representing the Haas Sustainability Office’s achievements, which was prominently featured at the Haas Sustainability Reception in May and has been widely shared among stakeholders. Moreover, Amber’s commitment extends beyond her department, as she generously contributes her time and expertise to support the SAIF team in their endeavors.

Anna Nicholls: Director of Corporate Partnerships with MBA Career Management Group. In the recent initiatives aimed at improving the working culture within the Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) department at the Haas, Anna stood out for her remarkable contributions to the working group focused on shaping the department’s cultural vision. Leveraging her extensive expertise in navigating corporate relationships, Anna made a profound impact by steering discussions towards actionable next steps. She played a pivotal role in guiding the group towards the decision to engage an external partner to facilitate this transformative work. Anna diligently conducted research to identify potential vendors and partners, evaluated their suitability, and provided insightful recommendations on the most effective collaboration strategies. These efforts aligned seamlessly with the team’s overarching objective of fostering greater inclusion and a sense of belonging within Haas and the DAR department.

Holden Reyes: Associate Director, Student Life & Leadership with FTMBA Academics and Student Experience. Each year, CMG collaborates with the FTMBA Program Office to encourage students to promptly report their outcomes, and this partnership is greatly enhanced by the cooperation of the Student Life team, who links reporting to the distribution of graduation tickets, thereby streamlining data collection. In his inaugural year on the project, Holden not only met but exceeded expectations. Holden’s responsiveness and collaborative spirit facilitated a deep understanding of project requirements and processes. He also introduced valuable communication enhancements and, in a commendable display of initiative, personally reached out to over 90 students before ticket distribution to ensure their experience aligned with the goals of the Student Experience taskforce. As a result of Holden’s contributions, CMG has achieved an unprecedented level of data collection at this point in the calendar, marking a significant milestone in the project’s success.

Julie Oliver: Office Coordinator with the Master of Financial Engineering Program. Julie assumed a leadership role in organizing the inaugural financial innovation conference, demonstrating diligence, proactivity, and exceptional collaboration with a diverse range of stakeholders, including catering, events staff, and attendees. Her meticulous planning and tireless efforts resulted in a highly successful event, with more than 200 attendees, and seamless operations throughout the day. Julie’s ability to foster teamwork and achieve collective goals was unmistakable, making her a key driver of success in this initiative.

Kat Baird: Associate Director, Sustainability with Sustainability and Climate Change. Kat has exhibited dedication in ensuring that all Haas MBA students depart business school equipped with a fundamental grasp of the implications of climate and sustainability in their careers, companies, and the global landscape. Her impactful contribution includes the successful launch and growth of the Michaels Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Business, designed to empower emerging leaders in catalyzing the transition to a climate-resilient, low-carbon, and equitable future. Recognizing students’ desire for a one-unit course on the essentials of climate change and its business implications, Kat collaborated to bring forth “Climate Change Essentials for Business Leaders” in the fall. Moreover, her partnership with core faculty members has facilitated the integration of sustainability and climate concepts into the MBA curriculum, resulting in an impressive 45% of core faculty now incorporating sustainability topics into their courses.

Group Award

DAR Group (Alex Wong, Anna Nicholls, Velerie Gilbert, Priscilla Lopez, Liliana Cardile, Callum Rutherford, Jake Schroth, Hazel Zambrano, David Moren, Lisa Long, Rebecca Neu, Kevin Wong, Lizzie Coyle): Several members of the DAR team volunteered to participate in dedicated committees aimed at addressing and enhancing the organization’s culture. These committees conducted frequent meetings and engaged with both internal and external stakeholders to evaluate potential solutions, ultimately formulating recommendations for the broader DAR team. The collaborative efforts of these committees culminated in a partnership with People and Culture, as well as an external consultant, to orchestrate a team retreat. This retreat proved instrumental in defining the team’s cultural commitments and initiating the essential skill development required to embody these principles effectively.

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