Models of Innovation

Congratulations,
2026 Models of Excellence Honorees!

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• 2026 Models of Excellence Honorees

Models of Innovation Standards

The Selection Committee identifies individual staff members or teams who qualify for this award by their outstanding performance of these actions:

• Demonstrate extraordinary initiative and leadership on current challenges
• Provide outstanding inventive leadership to inspire others to make breakthroughs in their field and exercise Penn’s values and principles
• Exhibit deep commitment to service that exceeds the expectations of internal and external clients
• Collaborate within and across organizations to build relationships to interweave ideas and people and drive interdisciplinary excellence
• Personify Penn’s role as a Philadelphia neighbor or a global citizen

2026 Models of Innovation Honorees

The Federal Research Transition Team

When federal research funding was disrupted in 2025, Penn’s Federal Research Transition Response Team rallied with speed, creativity, and determination to ensure that leading-edge research could continue. They developed systems to track hundreds of stop-work orders and grant terminations and reestablished critical payments despite government agency system outages. They successfully appealed dozens of funding cuts, resulting in multiple award reinstatements. Collaborating across finance, legal, and research administration functions, the team ensured uninterrupted payroll, maintained compliance, and provided steady and trusted guidance to Penn’s research community. Their innovative, unified response transformed unprecedented national disruption into a lasting model of operational resilience.

Beth Alioto, Division of Finance
Ravindra Avvari, Information Systems and Computing
Montana Beeson, President’s Center
Jacqueline Binstead, Division of Finance
Nicholas Bolger, Division of Finance
Jessica Buchanan, Division of Finance
Jim Clavin, Division of Finance
Ashley Del Bianco, Division of Finance
Keith Dixon, Division of Finance
Richard Flom, Division of Finance
Kim M. Garrison, Division of Finance
April Johnson, Division of Finance
Meghan O'Rourke LeCates, Division of Finance
Stacia Levy, Division of Finance
Vanessa Madden, Perelman School of Medicine
Marissa McGeehan, Division of Finance
Julie Meyer, Information Systems and Computing
Tina Nemetz, Division of Finance
Elizabeth Peloso, Division of Finance
Jennifer Rowan, Division of Finance
Leo Ruzzi, Division of Finance
Mark Siciliano, Information Systems and Computing
Robert Speakman, Division of Finance
Denene Wambach, President’s Center
Kyle Wolfe, Division of Finance

Peter Harnish, School of Arts and Sciences

Peter Harnish, Laboratory Instruction Coordinator in the School of Arts and Sciences, introduced major innovations in conceiving and implementing the Physics Department’s introductory lab courses and other teaching labs. He instituted a regimen in which students present each experiment in a different mode of communication to prepare them for the various professional situations where they will need to express their ideas effectively. Besides the students, every research group in the department has benefited significantly from these new practices. Peter also organizes and delivers community outreach through Penn’s summer Physics Research Academy and annual Physics Demo Show for area high school students. He added several new, high-visual-impact experiments to these programs along with a more engaging narrative and historical context for younger learners.

Chambrel Jones, School of Engineering and Applied Science

Chambrel Jones, Chief of Staff, School of Engineering and Applied Science, transformed Penn Engineering’s culture through initiatives that elevate transparency, staff engagement, and community service. Chambrel launched the school’s staff onboarding program and monthly staff coffee hours. She enhanced managers' and directors' meetings to foster collaboration and connection. Her signature event, Staff Appreciation Week, distinctively celebrates staff excellence, building morale and retention. Through these self-initiated efforts, Chambrel’s dedication to service reflects and promotes Penn’s values, inspiring others to lead with empathy, strengthen community, and advance Penn Engineering’s mission locally and globally.

Penn Med Standardized Patient Program

The Penn Med Standardized Patient Program developed and implemented new training sessions for Penn Medicine Hospice employees that allow them to build skills required to lead caring and effective end-of-life conversations. The program staff trained standardized patients (SPs) to act as bereaved family members. The SPs traveled to Penn Medicine practice locations to co-lead large group workshops and perform realistic one-on-one encounters with clinicians. This live, experiential learning enabled hospice employees to receive individualized feedback from the caregivers' perspective and ultimately have more productive and empathic interactions with real-life patients and family members in the Penn community.

Catherine Hagele, Perelman School of Medicine
Denise LaMarra, Perelman School of Medicine
Cori Maskart, Perelman School of Medicine
Janice Radway, Perelman School of Medicine