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Faculty and Staff Awards: 2025 results
Every year, the Faculty of Education recognizes faculty and staff members whose outstanding work and contributions help strengthen the life of the Faculty. The 2025 Faculty and Staff Awards were announced at Faculty Council on February 23, celebrating recipients whose work reflects excellence in service, leadership, scholarship, teaching, and community building.
Work Performance Award: Carley Hayes
Carley Hayes is a recipient of the 2025 Work Performance Award in recognition of her steady leadership, outstanding professionalism, and unwavering dedication to the Faculty of Education community. Colleagues describe Carley as someone who consistently exceeds expectations and leads with kindness, humility, and genuine care for others. She fosters an environment where faculty feel supported, students feel heard, and staff feel valued, bringing a thoughtful, people-centred approach to every aspect of her work.
Whether navigating complex issues, guiding staff through challenging processes, or stepping in during periods of heavy workload, Carley approaches each situation with professionalism, empathy, and clarity. Through her reliability, effective communication, and commitment to supporting those around her, she models excellence every day. She has had a profound positive impact on her team and the broader Faculty community.
Lifetime Achievement Award: Chris Holoboff
Chris Holoboff is the 2025 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of more than three decades of dedicated service and lasting impact within the Faculty of Education. In her role as Education TTR Assistant, Chris was a trusted, steady presence until her retirement in February 2026. Her deep institutional knowledge, sound judgment, and unwavering commitment guided complex academic and administrative work with care, precision, and integrity.
Colleagues describe her as a dependable partner, thoughtful collaborator, and proactive problem-solver who anticipated needs, improved processes, supported others generously, and helped ensure the Faculty’s work moved forward smoothly, even during times of change. Her impact is evident in stronger relationships, clearer communication, more effective workflows, and a culture of kindness, accountability, and collegiality that has shaped the Faculty’s everyday life for many years.
Award for Excellence in Scholarly Teaching: Yumiko Murai
Yumiko Murai is the 2025 recipient of the Award for Excellence in Scholarly Teaching, in recognition of her exceptional commitment to student learning and her thoughtful, student-centred approach to teaching. Students describe her as an inspiring educator who creates interactive, inclusive, and purposeful learning environments where every voice is valued, and students are encouraged to become active agents in their own learning.
Through engaging classroom activities, collaborative group work, and detailed, actionable feedback, Yumiko supports students not only in deepening their understanding of course concepts but also in growing as educators and learning designers. Known for her care, responsiveness, and reflective teaching practice, she fosters a classroom culture where curiosity, confidence, and critical thinking can thrive, leaving a lasting impact on her students and the broader Faculty community.
Distinguished Contributions to Scholarship in Education: Kevin O’Neill
Kevin O’Neill is the 2025 recipient of the Distinguished Contributions to Scholarship in Education Award, recognizing his sustained record of influential scholarship, collegial leadership, and lasting impact on educational research and practice. Over more than three decades, Kevin has made extensive contributions to fields including the learning sciences, educational technology, historical thinking, equity-focused pedagogy, and digital learning, building a body of work that is both conceptually rich and grounded in the practical realities of teaching and learning.
His scholarship has helped shape national and international conversations, attracted significant research funding, informed widely used educational tools and frameworks, and advanced interdisciplinary thinking through research, editorial leadership, and public scholarship. Across the many letters of support, Kevin is recognized not only for the depth of his scholarly contributions but also for how his work continues to shape students, colleagues, and emerging researchers through thoughtful mentorship, ethical inquiry, and a collaborative, generous approach to academic life.
Work Performance Award: Kim Peterson
Kim Peterson is a recipient of the 2025 Work Performance Award in recognition of her exceptional creativity, strategic thinking, and dedication to the Faculty of Education. As an indispensable member of the MarComms team, Kim brings care, insight, and professionalism to every project, consistently going above and beyond to produce thoughtful, effective, and purpose-driven work. Her contributions this year included leading the design of the Indigenous Garden Sign Project with careful attention to cultural sensitivity, accessibility, and detail; transforming the External Review Self-Study Report into a clear, visually cohesive document under tight timelines; developing branding and materials for WestCAST 2025; supporting convocation receptions in ways that extended far beyond design; and producing key creative assets for the Faculty’s 60th anniversary.
Known for her collaborative spirit, calm approach, and genuine commitment to quality, Kim strengthens the Faculty through work that is both highly skilled and deeply meaningful.
Award for Excellence in the Supervision of a Graduate Student Thesis: Krista Socholotiuk
Krista Socholotiuk is the 2025 recipient of the Award for Excellence in the Supervision of a Graduate Student Thesis, in recognition of her exceptional mentorship, thoughtful guidance, and deep investment in student development. Described as a true mentor, Krista supported her student through every stage of the thesis journey, upholding high academic standards, offering steady encouragement, and maintaining unwavering belief. From refining the research question and selecting an appropriate theoretical framework and methodology to revising and polishing the final draft, she provided timely, comprehensive feedback that encouraged critical reflection and helped shape the work, making a meaningful contribution to the field.
Beyond the thesis itself, Krista also fostered her student’s broader growth as a scholar by creating opportunities for research, conference presentations, and publication, while continuing to offer mentorship throughout the process. Her care, intellectual generosity, and commitment to student success left a lasting impact on both the thesis experience and the student’s identity as an emerging researcher.
Team Building Award: Trina Zindler
Trina Zindler is the 2025 recipient of the Team Building Award in recognition of her outstanding commitment to fostering community, collegiality, and connection across the Faculty of Education. A valued member of the Faculty community and the Staff Community Building Group, Trina has strengthened engagement at both the Surrey and Burnaby campuses, bringing enthusiasm, care, and initiative to everything she does.
From helping organize Faculty community-building events to overseeing the Surrey Lena Shaw hamper for adopted families, coordinating crafting sessions for personalized gifts, and leading the Faculty of Education team in the Surrey Stay Active Challenges, she consistently goes beyond to bring people together. Known for her generosity, active listening, and attentiveness to others, Trina’s community spirit shines through in her interactions with colleagues, students, and partners across SFU.