Meet the 2023 Staff Employee of the Year winners

UNC Charlotte congratulates the recipients of the 2023 Staff Employee of the Year Awards in five categories:

• Devotion to Duty (Outstanding State Government Service)
• Innovation
• Human Relations
• Community/Public Service
• Safety and Heroism

Christine Reed Davis, Jason Bernstein, Cristhian Gonzalez De La Fuente, Michelle Meggs and Chris Desmet work tirelessly behind the scenes to support the UNC Charlotte and greater Charlotte communities. Learn more about why they are Staff Employees of the Year, their service to the University and the people they acknowledge make their jobs possible.

Christine Reed Davis, Devotion to Duty

Devotion to duty goes beyond the moment. Christine Reed Davis, dean of students, may know that better than anyone. Four years after the events of April 30, four students present in Kennedy Building will walk across the graduation stage. Brenda Shue attributes the students’ successes of 2023 in part to Davis and her team’s years-long dedication to aiding them through difficult challenges.
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Jason Bernstein, Innovation

Jason Bernstein, campus energy manager, is this year’s Staff Employee of the Year in the category of innovation for many different reasons. Some he calls luck, but taking a deeper dive, it is clear it is more than chance.
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Cristhian Gonzalez De La Fuente, Human Relations

The beautiful landscaping enjoyed by all on campus is thanks to Cristhian Gonzalez De La Fuente, grounds crew leader, and the hardworking grounds team. With nearly 20 years of service at UNC Charlotte, Gonzalez De La Fuente has excelled in leadership, organization and going above and beyond not only working the grounds, but by generously serving and building relationships with the UNC Charlotte community.
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Michelle Meggs, Community/Public Service

Michelle Meggs is the executive director of the Women + Girls Research Alliance, an affiliate of urbanCORE at UNC Charlotte. The more you learn about Meggs, the more you understand why this award was well-deserved. Her work with women and girls stretches across the Charlotte area, reaching numerous nonprofit organizations that help women make their way in a world full of obstacles and challenges.
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Chris Desmet, Safety and Heroism

Some of the best workers do not realize the good they contribute until it’s been pointed out to them. Such is the case for Chris Desmet, electrical shop supervisor who mains all electrical systems on campus with 11 electricians under his supervision.
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