The Kevin McCauley Outstanding Staff Award

The Kevin McCauley Memorial Outstanding Staff Award was created in 2015 as a memorial to Kevin McCauley, a long-time UC staff member who passed away in January of that year. This award recognizes staff members with the University of California who are supportive and inclusive of staff, encourage equity, diversity, and inclusion, are forward thinking, and do not compromise quality for fellow staff, students, or faculty.

About Kevin McCauley

Kevin McCauley was an accomplished and beloved staff member of the University of California. In his nearly two decades of service with UC, Kevin dedicated his career to improving conditions for staff and students at the University of California Santa Barbara, and later, at the Office of the President.

Kevin was well known across the UC System for his remarkable contributions to the betterment of staff and the surrounding community.

Kevin passed away in January 2015. Later that year, CUCSA decided that they would honor Kevin’s memory by creating the Kevin McCauley Outstanding Staff Award.

At UC Santa Barbara, Kevin was the executive assistant to Chancellor Henry Yang where he was known for his inclusiveness, accessibility, and collaborative nature. Kevin was known for being approachable and a skilled negotiator and problem solver for students and staff. Kevin actively promoted the role of staff at UCSB both publicly and behind the scenes. Kevin advised the Chancellor’s Staff Advisory Council and was a trusted ally and mentor to the Staff Assembly Executive Board, which benefited from his practical and balanced advice.

A natural liaison and civic leader, Kevin used his skills at Office of the President working tirelessly to improve relations and outreach in the surrounding community.  Kevin was an advocate for all staff, not just those that he worked with directly, and was dedicated to advancing the role of staff systemwide.

Selection Process

Individuals are nominated by CUCSA delegates and a vote on submitted nominees is held at the March CUCSA meeting.

Eligibility: Staff members who hold positions designated as non-represented by a collective bargaining unit and non-faculty. Must be full-time, career staff.

The categories that are taken into consideration for the Outstanding Staff Award are:

  • Support of Staff – Examples include: volunteering for staff events, organizing staff, providing for staff needs that are otherwise unmet by your campus.
  • Communication with Staff – Examples could include:  town halls, brown bag lunches, emails to the campus, etc.
  • Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Community – Examples include:  participating in specific events or forums to support equity, diversity, and campus community building programs
  • Support of Local Staff Assembly – Examples could include:  volunteering with Staff Assembly, leadership roles in staff organizations.
  • Support of System wide initiatives that affect staff – Examples include: System wide committee service, Multi campus initiatives
  • Other – For example, volunteerism in the local community.

Past Recipients

2022-23

Alvin Cha, UC Merced
Annie Caruso, UC Davis
Joani Harrington, UC Irvine

2021-22

Paul Cody, UC Davis
Lupe Gallegos-Diaz, UC Berkeley
Dyan Hall, UC Irvine
Chou Her, UC Merced
Michael Luttrell, UC Santa Cruz

2020-21

Tammy Blevins, UC San Diego
Jane Gama, UC Santa Barbara
Natalia Gillis Semeraro, UC Berkeley
Priya Lakireddy, UC Merced
Seana Nunez, UC Riverside

2019-20

Joanna Boval, UC San Diego
Marcel Lumaquin, UC Davis
Julie Salgado, UC Riverside

2018-19

Lina Layiktez, UCD
Misha Gonzalez, LBNL
Rejeana Mathis, UCLA
Greta Halle, UCSB
Deborah Reiter, UCSF

2017-18

Michael Lee, UCLA
John Steele, UC Santa Cruz
Robert Wolfer, UC Riverside

2016-17

Mark Brindle, UC Berkeley
Anna Spurlock, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Shaun Travers, UC San Diego

2015-16

Ricki Carr, UC Santa Cruz
Rosemary Chavoya, UCLA
Leeann Dolbeck, UC San Diego
Lady Idos, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

2014-15

Kevin McCauley, Office of the President (awarded posthumously)