ALVSCE recognizes outstanding faculty, staff at their 2025 Awards Celebration
The Division of Agriculture, Life and Veterinary Sciences and Cooperative Extension (ALVSCE) is home to some of the University of Arizona’s best and brightest. From faculty and advisors who serve students with matchless dedication, to staff and administrators who go the extra mile to deliver on the division’s promise, the recipients of the 2025 ALVSCE Awards demonstrate our division’s commitment to excellence.
Outstanding Staff Award
Brett Blum | Southern Arizona Experiment Station
Brett Blum has served as Director of the Southern Arizona Experiment Station since 2022, overseeing six properties and leading a team of nearly 40 staff. He has been instrumental in forging interdisciplinary partnerships, expanding research opportunities, and fostering meaningful relationships across campus and with external partners. Blum champions Spanish-language access to trainings and has worked to bring financial wellness resources to off-campus employees. His efforts have directly advanced the university’s land-grant mission and strengthened the Experiment Station’s role as a hub for research, teaching and Cooperative Extension.
Outstanding Staff Award
Bonnie Gilmore | Division Business Services
Bonnie Gilmore supports three departments with exceptional skill and dedication – Plant Sciences, Environmental Science and the Water Resources Research Center. She plays a key role in improving operations across her units, implementing Smartsheets, leading travel and purchasing programs, and ensuring the financial stability of complex programs like Arizona Project WET. Gilmore is known for her energy, positivity and commitment to excellence, whether she’s working with faculty across campus or visiting staff in the field.
Outstanding Staff Award
Jennifer Rascon | Division Business Services
Jennifer Rascon has distinguished herself as an exceptional leader and colleague in her role as a senior business manager for three units: Plant Sciences, Environmental Science and the Water Resources Research Center. She’s known for her innovative approach to improving efficiency, from streamlining financial processes and introducing new reporting systems, to partnering with University Analytics and Institutional Research to develop dashboards that benefit her units – and have the potential to serve the broader campus community.
Outstanding Staff Award
Dari Salvo | Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences
In her role as a senior academic advisor, Dari Salvo is a trusted advocate for her students, providing guidance with care and precision, while also supporting faculty and staff with her institutional knowledge and mentorship. From creating student meeting plan templates to directing a successful tutoring program, she has shown great leadership in developing innovative tools and processes to enhance advising services. Salvo’s commitment to inclusive excellence is evident in all she does, whether she’s mentoring peers, serving on councils or organizing student-focused events.
Bart Cardon Early Career Faculty Teaching Award
Ellen Bledsoe | School of Natural Resources and the Environment
Three years into her time at the School of Natural Resources and the Environment, Ellen Bledsoe has established herself as a transformative educator whose innovative and inclusive approach to teaching has inspired her students and elevated CALES. She has an uncanny ability to make complex data science concepts approachable and engaging, and she’s demonstrated a commitment to helping students not just learn but understand why they’re learning. Her courses have become must-take experiences for SNRE students, whose glowing reviews reflect her talent and dedication as an educator.
David E. Cox Faculty Teaching Award
Samantha Orchard | School of Plant Sciences
Samantha Orchard joined CALES with a strong background in biotechnology and a clear charge: to develop the undergraduate major in applied biotechnology. She did so with remarkable speed and effectiveness, and has since continued to excel in course development, curriculum design and instructional leadership. She consistently receives outstanding reviews from students, who describe her courses as engaging, dynamic and creative. Her passion for teaching have left an indelible mark on her students and colleagues.
A+ Advisor Award
Daniel Jimenez Flores | Plant Sciences, Sustainable Plant Systems, Applied Biotechnology
As an academic advisor serving continuing students in the plant sciences, sustainable plant systems and applied biotechnology majors, Daniel Jimenez Flores embodies everything the A+ Advisor Award stands for. He developed the First Gen Den, coordinates the CALES Peer Mentor leadership program, serves on the ALVSCE Staff Council, and teaches one of the CALES Success courses. He has a remarkable ability to connect students with resources, and to create a welcoming space through thoughtful conversations, helpful guidance and lots of laughter.
Outstanding Staff in Cooperative Extension Award
Lisa Elliott | Pinal County Cooperative Extension
In her role as business manager for Pinal County’s Cooperative Extension office, Lisa Elliot drives efficiency by improving workflows and finding ways to reduce waste, maximizing the impact of our resources. Her approachable, collaborative nature fosters strong relationships with colleagues and community members alike, and she plays a vital role in outreach efforts. Elliott’s dedication, skill, and commitment to our land-grant mission inspire and elevate those around her.
Cooperative Extension Faculty of the Year Award
Bindu Poudel-Ward | Yuma County Cooperative Extension
Bindu Poudel-Ward is an associate agent who specializes in plant pathology, helping growers in Yuma and across the state identify issues in their fields and look for solutions to minimize disease impacts. Her impactful, sustainability-driven programing provides science-based solutions for producers; and her mentorship has inspired scientists, postdoctoral researchers and students in high school and college. Poudel-Ward embodies a spirit of professionalism and collaboration, as well as a commitment to providing the community with the highest quality of service possible.
Shirley O’Brien Emerging Inclusive Excellence Champion
Shujuan (Lucy) Li | Entomology
Through her work on the Public Health Integrated Pest Management Program, Shujuan (Lucy) Li has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to serve and uplift underrepresented communities - not just in theory, but in action. She organizes and delivers training on food safety, emergency preparedness, and environmental health directly on tribal lands, where she’s built lasting, trust-based partnerships with 16 of Arizona’s 22 federally recognized Native American tribes. Li’s people-first approach and mentorship of others makes her an inspiring leader who empowers others to realize their potential and serve their communities.
Shirley O’Brien Legacy Inclusive Excellence Champion
Zelieann Craig | Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences
What sets Zelieann Craig apart is her deep, unwavering commitment to building a university community that is fair, inclusive and empowering for everyone. As an associate professor in the School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences and ALVSCE’s assistant dean for research, she has mentored more than 30 research trainees, with over 75% from underrepresented backgrounds and 92% women. Craig knows the power of being seen and supported, and her mentorship has transformed lives.
Administrator of the Year Award
Laura Scaramella | Norton School of Human Ecology
Laura Scaramella’s tenure as director of the Norton School of Human Ecology has been nothing short of transformative. She fosters collaboration among faculty, staff, students and alumni and shows a commitment to transparency that had brought a renewed sense of trust and optimism to her school. Under Scaramella’s leadership, the Norton School has reached its highest enrollment in nearly a decade and has received over $9.9 million in philanthropic support, which funds experiential learning opportunities and research initiatives. Her extraordinary contributions have elevated her school to new heights.