This year we received many wonderful nominations. Thank you to all the supervisors, managers and associate directors who nominated a member of their team.
While it was challenging to select from all of the outstanding nominees, we are pleased to announce the following seven recipients of our SHCS Hero Awards. Congratulations to all!
Nominated by Lawron Leung, Building Services Manager, Facilities and Building Services
“Jess has been an indispensable member of our Building Services team. His positive attitude and genuine care for our residents are truly commendable. Jess is always willing to lend a helping hand to his colleagues, making him a valued team player. Congratulations Jess on your award!”
— Johanna Webber, Associate Director, Building Services
Congratulations Jess!
From Jess's Nomination
“Over the past summer, Jess has gone above and beyond in his role, particularly during a challenging period when both of his colleagues were unavailable. Jess readily adjusted his schedule, willingly adjusted his days off or start/end times, and even took on additional shifts to ensure that our operations ran smoothly.
“For example, May 2 was one of the many days that Jess was working as the sole Utility Worker in the PM shift, and it was a busy evening. There was a flood concern at Tallwood, six urgent work orders at Marine Drive, a safety/privacy concern at Thunderbird, a fire panel error at Sturgeon House and a water leak at Fairview. There was no way that all these maintenance issues could have waited until the next day.
“On May 2, Jess was assigned 23 work orders, and he was able to successfully complete 16 of them—a 70% completion rate! This is high considering that he was assigned work orders at residences all over campus, received no help from other utility workers and relied heavily on his own expertise.
“His ability to remain calm under pressure while delivering excellent service has not only ensured that the needs of our student residents are met, but it has also fostered a sense of reliability and trust within our community. Jess is more than just a hard worker; he has proven to be a true team player who inspires those around him through his actions.”
— Lawron Leung, Building Services Manager, Facilities and Building Services
Nominated by Sam Pat, Systems Manager, IT, SHCS
“Armaan takes pride in the work he does for SHCS. He is hard working, dependable and detail-oriented. Along with his exemplary work ethic, he is also a team player who is considerate and caring towards his many coworkers and customers. He embodies the SHCS motto of cultivating community, inspiring wellbeing and enriching lives. We are proud to have Armaan on our team and in our department.”
— Chris Yong, Director, IT, SHCS
Congratulations Armaan!
From Armaan's Nomination
“These new locks are in Brock North, Brock South, tə šxʷhəleləm̓s tə k̓ʷaƛ̓kʷəʔaʔɬ, West Coast Suites, Gage Apartments and retrofits have also begun at Thunderbird, Totem and Vanier. The new system has provided an improved experience for our residents and hotel guests and better security. It is a huge technological leap and would not be possible without Armaan’s dedication and commitment to user support.
“The system has also presented new challenges to overcome. Armaan has stepped up to these challenges and has taken them on in stride. From training our front desks and utility staff to troubleshooting the locks, optimizing our configuration with the vendor and taking on after hours calls, Armaan has been fully committed to supporting this system and collaborating with our in-house facilities teams, front desk teams and external vendors, like construction teams and access control teams, to ensure the best possible outcome. Armaan’s work has been detailed, exhaustive and outstanding
“I have received compliments about Armaan’s work from both external contractors and internal users alike. Armaan is responsive, efficient, and always puts our users and customers first.”
— Sam Pat, Systems Manager, IT, SHCS
Nominated by Sean Ryan, Associate Director, Student Residence
“Emma Chartrand, as a Residence Life Manager, is often at the heart of some of the most difficult and sensitive situations in residence. Whether guiding residents through conflicts, supporting students in crisis or helping to navigate deeply personal and emotional concerns, she approaches every conversation with empathy, professionalism and an unwavering commitment to fairness.
“Emma has an incredible ability to challenge perspectives while fostering open dialogue, making her a role model for her colleagues. Additionally, her dedication during peak times—particularly around Jump Start and Labour Day move-in ensures that our residence communities open smoothly and successfully each year.”
— Lakshmi Sangaranarayanan, Director, Student Residence
Congratulations Emma!
From Emma's Nomination
“As part of her work, Emma ends up in some of the most contentious, sensitive, emotionally-impactful and challenging conversations with residents…[and she] holds space to help people work through extraordinarily heavy, complicated circumstances.
“Emma also has the wonderful strength of being able to challenge a position, offer an honest critique or call a spade a spade in a way that is simultaneously forthright and disarming. She is able to convey such views or questions in a fashion that invites the other person to think about something from a different perspective, as opposed to creating an adversarial, defensive situation. She does this by keeping her own ego out of the situation and not allowing it to deteriorate into proving that she is right or somebody else is wrong. She is a role model for her colleagues on how to keep a balanced perspective when faced with ambiguity.
“Emma also provides heroic level service in how she can be a cornerstone for our team’s efforts at peak times. For the last several years, Emma is always the duty RLM for the week that includes Jump Start and Labour Day move in. Emma has been very open to taking it on, knowing that it allows all the other RLMs to focus more on training and orientation for their incoming Advisor teams, not to mention prepping for opening Winter Session residences. [We] have complete confidence in [her] ability to cover any of our areas.”
— Sean Ryan, Associate Director, Student Residence
Nominated by Nicole Farrell, School Age Programs Coordinator, Child Care
“I was impressed by Alex’s professionalism and passion for his work at Kid’s Club as soon as I met him. He is kind and thoughtful, a real gift for UBC children. Alex even goes out of his way every year to bring each of us in the office a beautiful flower on International Women’s Day.”
— Karen Vaughan, Director, Child Care
Congratulations Alex!
From Alex's Nomination
“Alex shows a “heroic” level of support to the children he works with every day. He is consistently there for them when they have questions, need to talk or just need to kick a soccer ball around to clear their head. He actively listens to children and wants to get to know each of them each individually. I can see the children feel this care when he’s engaged in conversation with them.
“Alex also has managed some difficult situations with families. When something challenging comes up, he follows processes and procedures and ensures management is informed and up to date on the steps taken and the outcomes. This transparency shows his team a strong work ethic and understanding of the importance of open communication in the field of child care.
“For the past couple of years, Alex has led his team in working closely with UBC Childcare’s Indigenous Relations and Engagement Pedagogist Enalyne Pointe by planting gardens in two programs with Indigenous plants in hopes of bringing back bees and butterflies that used to flourish here on Musqueam land. Alex and his team have also worked with the David Suzuki foundation and the Butterfly Way project to learn about gardens and the importance of bringing back pollinators to the environment.
“Alex is thoughtful, respectful and shows great care toward his work, his team of educators, and the children and families he works with.”
— Nicole Farrell, School Age Programs Coordinator, Child Care
Nominated by Shane Gopaulsingh, Store Manager, Bookstore
“There was only one person I knew who would take on this challenge and deliver a top-notch pop-up experience. Joanna was that individual, and once she was involved, what started off as a small endeavour soon engaged the entire store. Through her conduct and influence, she has played a pivotal role in making the Bookstore a better place to work, creating a culture of respect, trust and collegiality.”
— Shane Gopaulsingh, Store Manager, Bookstore
Congratulations Joanna!
From Joanna's Nomination
“When the opportunity to participate in a week long pop-up shop at Gage was brought to the Bookstore by Gillian Wallis and the Residence Life team, there was only one person I knew who would take on this challenge and deliver a top-notch pop-up experience, Joanna Kwong.
“Once Joanna was involved, what started off as a small endeavour soon engaged the entire store. Joanna mapped the space and built a custom planogram for the pop-up store. She oversaw the selection of all items to be sold in the store along with great support from our visual supervisor, the warehouse and Campus Mail.
“The Residence Life team was so impressed with the execution of the Gage pop-up store that they invited the Bookstore to set up displays at the other residence locations. Joanna was pivotal in securing those additional locations and ensuring the displays were visually impactful and in high traffic locations.
“The success of the first pop-up shop has prompted additional conversations at the leadership level to have pop-up shops at all residence locations for the fall 2025 intake.
“Through her conduct and influence, Joanna has played a pivotal role in making the Bookstore a better place to work, creating a culture of respect, trust and collegiality.”
— Shane Gopaulsingh, Store Manager, Bookstore
Nominated by Johnny Bridge, Sous Chef, Residence Dining, Food Services
“JB is a well-liked member of the Gather culinary team and his positive energy, dedication, talent and attitude make him an invaluable asset to any kitchen team.
“What sets him apart is his passion for teaching and mentoring others. He willingly shares his knowledge, patiently explaining techniques and encouraging colleagues to grow their skills. His natural ability to lead fosters a supportive and collaborative environment, helping the entire team thrive.
“He’s a true team player who values hard work, continuous improvement and a strong sense of camaraderie.”
— David Speight, Executive Chef and Culinary Director, Food Services
Congratulations John Bryan!
From John Bryan's Nomination
“His ability to remain calm under pressure and maintain a friendly and encouraging demeanour inspires everyone around him. This attitude not only fosters a strong sense of community within our team but also enriches the dining experience for our guests at Gather.
“During a particularly busy lunch service in early September, we experienced an unexpected rush of customers and a shortage of product. Despite the overwhelming demand, John Bryan remained calm and composed, stepping up without hesitation to support both the kitchen and front-of-house staff in his corner. He quickly took charge of multiple stations, ensuring that dishes were prepared efficiently and with the highest quality, while simultaneously helping his colleagues stay organized and focused. This level of adaptability and leadership ensured that we maintained our standards and delivered an excellent dining experience to thousands of guests that day.
“John Bryan consistently demonstrates a level of dedication and kindness that sets him apart. When a new team member joined us in mid-August, he took it upon himself to mentor the newcomer, patiently walking them through each station and sharing his tips and tricks to make their transition smoother. His supportive guidance not only helped the new staff member gain confidence quickly but also fostered a sense of belonging within the Gather team. John Bryan’s willingness to invest in others’ growth and well-being makes him a true role model and hero in our kitchen.“
— Johnny Bridge, Sous Chef, Residence Dining, Food Services
Nominated by Carol Young, Associate Director, Service Development and Operations, Student Residence
“Venisha Williams, in her role as Overnight Mobile Unit Services Manager, has been instrumental in the success of the Overnight Mobile Team since its inception. From personally mapping out routes for efficiency to being a hands-on leader who supports her team during the busiest nights, Venisha’s thoughtful approach has created a well-coordinated, responsive and trusted team.
“She leads with grace and a strong sense of community, ensuring that her team members feel valued and supported, and her work has been essential in strengthening overnight residence operations.”
— Lakshmi Sangaranarayanan, Director, Student Residence
Congratulations Venisha!
From Venisha's Nomination
“We have just passed the first anniversary of the creation of the Overnight Mobile Unit. When we transitioned to this mobile overnight service model, there was understandable apprehension about the change. Venisha navigated this path with positivity and openness, knowing that there may be unanticipated hurdles to overcome.
“Venisha has demonstrated remarkable initiative and meticulous planning by personally mapping out the routes for the OMT members to conduct rounds of all residence buildings. She precisely factored in potential calls they might receive, practiced the routes herself and ensured that every Overnight Mobile Unit Representative (OMUR) was thoroughly familiar with them. This level of detail not only ensured efficiency but also helped the team respond quickly and effectively to any situation, establishing a strong foundation for the OMT’s success.
“One of the areas in which Venisha excels is with her team. Supporting her team and creating a real sense of community among them is so important to Venisha. She goes out with the team on calls to see what’s happening, help with the workload on busy nights and to fully understand the role of the staff, so that she can make thoughtful and informed decisions on behalf of the team. This hands-on approach not only demonstrates her commitment but also fosters a sense of respect and trust within her team, making them feel valued and motivated.
“Venisha handles everything with grace, instilling a sense of confidence in our entire team, knowing that the residence operation is in capable hands under her leadership. The presence of a manager like Venisha truly brings assurance and stability to the overnight operation, demonstrating her commitment to excellence.”
— Carol Young, Associate Director, Service Development and Operations, Student Residence
