UC Davis celebrated diversity, inclusiveness and equal opportunity, coupled with Disability Pride Week, during the annual Soaring to New Heights luncheon.

Hundreds of staff, faculty and administrators turned out for the international buffet, information fair and awards presentation on April 11 in Freeborn Hall.

Kristee Haggins, training director for Counseling and Psychological Services, received a team award and the Deanna Falge Award, the latter recognizing five or more years of dedication to UC Davis diversity.

The Eleanor Fontes-Fulton Award, for career achievement in the promotion of diversity and inclusivity, went to Andrea Romero, management services officer for two campus units: the Department of Landscape Architecture in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and the Design Program in the College of Letters and Science.

The program also included the presentation of individual and team awards, which, according to the Soaring to New Heights program, "recognize UC Davis staff members who, through their own personal efforts, have made significant contributions to affirmative action-equal opportunity and-or heightened awareness and sensitivity to diversity."

Individual awards went to Carla Lacey, analyst with Graduate Studies and chair of the Staff Affirmative Action Diversity Advisory Committee; and Anne Myler, assistant director, Student Programs and Activities Center. Lacey also received a team award.

Besides Haggins and Lacey, other team award recipients were: Estifanos "Steven" Baissa, director, Cross Cultural Center; Josephine Blick, academic enrichment coordinator, Early Academic Outreach Program, Student Affairs; Michele Dyke, regional outreach coordinator, Early Academic Outreach Program, Academic Preparation Programs; Natacha Foo Kune, psychology fellow, Counseling and Psychological Services; Renee Lopez, interim coordinator, Educational Opportunity Program, and therapist, both in Counseling and Psychological Services; Donald Moore, student affairs officer, Student Judicial Affairs; John Ortiz-Hutson, coordinator, African-American student affairs, African-American and African Studies Program; and Fernando Socorro, teaching assistant, African-American and African Studies, and American Studies, and recruitment coordinator, Graduate Academic Achievement and Advocacy Program, Student Recruitment and Retention Center.

Special Citations were given to Gina Holland, academic coordinator-associate director, Educational Enrichment and Outreach Programs, College of Biological Sciences; and Jesus De Loera, professor of mathematics.

The Soaring to New Heights program noted that Disability Pride Week awards are given to people who have demonstrated a commitment to providing reasonable accommodations and alternate work to employees with disabilities. "These honorees have demonstrated leadership in fostering an open, accessible environment for all employees," the program stated.

The honorees: Bethany Faith Daniels, analyst and supervisor, Information and Educational Technology-Communications Resources; Nancy Harrington, human resources coordinator, and Shannon Quiroz, human resources analyst, both with Information and Educational Technology-Vice Provost's Office; and Anne Muenster, director of human resources, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences; plus Craig Farris, electronic communications specialist, and Susanne Rockwell, senior public information representative, both with University Communications, and Rick Hill, Web master, College of Engineering.

The awards to Farris, Rockwell and Hill recognized their work in redesigning campus Web sites for easier use by people with sight impairment. This effort brought the Web sites into compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act.

Retired Police Chief Calvin Handy presented the last award, the Calvin Handy Leadership Award, begun last year when he became the first recipient.

The 2006 honoree is campus police Lt. Nader Oweis, recognized for establishing an effective security platform for the California National Primate Research Center, according to the Soaring to New Heights program.