19th Annual Awards Ceremony Honors Employees’ Perfect Attendance and Promotions Over the Past Year

February 17, 2023

43 Public Safety team members were recognized for perfect attendance or earning a promotion over the past year at the Public Safety 19th annual Promotion, Awards, and Recognition ceremony held on February 17.  

Following an invocation led by University Chaplain Jewelnel Davis, 23 team members who did not have an unanticipated absence in 2022 were presented with a certificate. Of the perfect attendance awardees, seven have not taken a sick day in more than ten years. That list includes Patrick Oakley, now director of Morningside Operations, who has not missed a day in 16 years since his start as a Public Safety Officer, and Officers Jaime Rodriguez and Michael Layne who have kept perfect attendance for an incredible 18 and 22 years, respectively. 

After recognizing the 22 Public Safety employees who earned a promotion, three members of the Columbia community were also recognized and presented with a certificate for exceptional service. Among the awardees were Frank Cai from Facilities Information and Technology who supported the development of an updated electronic payroll and scheduling system for Public Safety, Kenesha Giocastro from University Leave Management who helped the department review and revise their time/leave policies during the pandemic, and Associate Dean of Student Wellness for the School of General Studies (GS) Amber Griffiths, who has collaborated with Public Safety on student wellness at GS. 

The Ricardo Morales Crime Prevention Award, an award that recognizes the dedication and partnership of an individual that helps the Department of Public Safety create awareness on campus and in the community, was presented to Harpreet Mahajan, chief information officer at the School of International and Public Affairs. 

Mahajan’s expertise was instrumental in helping the Department of Public Safety launch the Operation ID Program when SIPA was experiencing an increase in larceny of unattended property. With Mahajan’s partnership, Public Safety was able to recover SIPA students’ property lost in other states. 

“I can’t express enough how proud I am of this group for their commitment to keeping the University community safe,” said Vice President of Public Safety Gerald Lewis Jr. “These recognitions and promotions reward the hard work, established expertise and dedicated service that each one provides to the Columbia community.” 

The event, held in the Low Memorial Library Faculty Room, included a full house of spectators and guests from inside and outside the University.  

See the full list of perfect attendance and promotion recipients below.

One Year: 

  • Miguel Duran  
  • Jose Hernandez
  • Luis Rivera  
  • Michael O'Donnell  
  • Carmella Nelson  
  • Bobby Lau  
  • Daniel Ayala  
  • John Murolo  
  • Marc Bowens  
  • Emmanuel Joseph  
  • Omar Piron  
  • Daniel Lord  
  • Michael Pellegrino  
  • Robert Ramos 

Four Years: 

  • Mumuni Baba  
  • Biram Diouf  
  • Ricardo Morales 
  • Adeyemi Adegoke 
  • Kwame Henderson  
  • Oscar Farina  
  • Joe Taveras  
  • Jorge Farina 

Six Years: 

  • Jean Abraham  

10 Years: 

  • Kathleen Caravello  

12 Years: 

  • Pericles Almanzar  
  • Emmanuel Asante 

16 Years: 

  • Patrick Oakley 

19 Years:

  • Jaime Rodriguez 

22 Years:

  • Michael Layne 
  • Juan De Aza, Sergeant  
  • Thomas Gillett, Sergeant 
  • Desiree Phillips, Sergeant  
  • Obed Surendra, Sergeant  
  • Jason Batts, Senior Sergeant  
  • Jose Cruz, Senior Sergeant 
  • Riosey De Leon, Senior Sergeant  
  • Sandy Gil, Senior Sergeant
  • Christopher Galan, Lieutenant 
  • Donald Gannon, Lieutenant 
  • James Repman, Lieutenant
  • Kolleen Ashley, Payroll Analyst   
  • Emile Anderson, Manager, Morningside Operations
  • Adulfo Blanco, Manager, Technology & Projects
  • Richard Grant, Manager, Special Operations & Events
  • Carmella Nelson, Manager, Morningside Operations
  • James Nunez, Manager Training & Development  
  • Andy Sanchez-Sarit, Manager, Administration, and Planning 
  • Jonathan Santiago, Manager, Training & Development
  • Joanna White, Manager, Manhattanville Operations  
  • Bryan Reyes, Senior Physical Security Specialist 
  • Bobby Lau, Assistant Director, Morningside Operations
  • Michael Pellegrino, Assistant Director, Investigations
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