NCDOA Recognizes 18 Employees for Outstanding Public Service

The NC Department of Administration today honored 18 employees for their exemplary work during the past year. Dozens of DOA employees and several family members gathered for the ceremony as honorees were presented with the Secretary’s Award for Excellence.

"These awards are more than accolades — they are the pinnacle of achievement for NCDOA employees, reflecting values that are at the heart of our organization's mission,” said NC Department of Administration Secretary Gabriel Esparza. “They remind us why we serve, how we lead, and the importance of striving for excellence in all that we do.”

Any DOA employee can be nominated by a manager or one of their colleagues for remarkable service in one of several categories: customer service, outstanding state government service, efficiency and innovation, and teamwork.

Customer Service award winners

• Jorham Diaz, Julius Wells, Shauna Godoy, Kenneth Myatt, Sterling Williams and Thomas Blizzard work in the Mail Service Center. When the NC Department of Revenue was notified in mid-May that their mail-sorting and postage service vendor abruptly ceased operations, the Mail Service Center pivoted and quickly adjusted their operations to help get taxpayer refund checks out before the June 1st deadline in addition to maintaining their scheduled services.
• Christopher Carrington, operation services manager with the Surplus Property Division balanced operational excellence with outstanding customer service calmly helping multiple departments send hundreds of no-longer-needed pieces of furniture to State Surplus.   
• Mario Gentile and Juan Antonio Ortega, supervisors in the HVAC shop of the Facility Management Division, worked numerous weekends and evenings to repair broken air conditioning systems so there were minimal disruptions to employees’ working schedules. 

Efficiency and Innovation award winners

• State Parking employees Susan Weiss, Doriane Livingston-Fontanez, and Kakia Glenn, deftly reassigned parking for nearly 3,000 employees within a few weeks’ time due to construction and other changes in the downtown complex.
• William C. Johnson, RA, Capital Project Management Section Assistant Director in the State Construction Office, meticulously planned and oversaw construction of the new DHHS campus in Raleigh. He minimized pandemic-related construction inflation costs, saved the state over $7.5 million in lease payments and delivered on time and on budget what was at that time the largest state capital improvement venture in North Carolina’s history. 
• Bobby Dixon, executive director of the Non-Public Education Division, partnered with DIT to develop a new chatbot that uses artificial intelligence technology to provide round-the-clock answers to questions about home school and private school operations.

Outstanding State Government Service award winners

• Alicia Lyon, executive director of the Office for Historically Underutilized Businesses, has provided thoughtful and intentional leadership during a period of extreme uncertainty demonstrating deep commitment to her work, her team, and the people of North Carolina.
• Melinda Tomlinson, state procurement manager in the Purchase and Contract division, set a standard of excellence combining technical expertise with genuine commitment, that has driven results and influenced growth within her team and the broader procurement community. 

Teamwork award winners

• Ellaina Bryant, communications specialist, eagerly supported colleagues volunteering to help with photography, social media, internal communications and special assignments in addition to her regular duties. 
• Gianna Quilici-Godwin, policy analyst, designed and implemented the department’s Limited English Proficiency protocol which expanded multilingual resources across populations and reshaped internal operations by establishing clear, inclusive guidelines for communication. 

The Secretary’s Awards for Excellence are presented annually to DOA employees who go far beyond what is required for their job. All DOA employees are eligible, including permanent state employees, contractors and temporary employees. This is the fifth consecutive year for the awards.

Click here for event photos.

About NCDOA
The N.C. Department of Administration acts as the business manager for North Carolina state government. Under the leadership of Secretary Gabriel Esparza, the department oversees government operations and advocacy programs. The department's advocacy programs help to promote and assist diverse segments of the state's population that have been traditionally underserved.