IDRPP Honors 2023 Spirit of Service Awardees

Our congratulations go to this year's Spirit of Service awardees! These are people who show up and do what needs to be done, who go the extra mile without being asked, who are tireless workers, but whose efforts largely go unrecognized.  These people are self-starters, provide quality services/supports to stakeholders and clients, and are always looking for ways to make a difference. These are the people who make an impact, but maybe aren't as visible as they should be.

Administration Division

Dave is an invaluable member of our team, and I am consistently impressed by his dedication, hard work, and willingness to go the extra mile.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, when many of us were working from home, Dave remained steadfast in his commitment to his job. He was always here, manning the front desk and ensuring that the office ran smoothly. He played a key role in ensuring that the office remained operational and that services were not disrupted.

Dave’s colleagues have consistently praised his willingness to help and his dedication to providing excellent customer service. Dave is always quick and helpful to assist with scheduling changes. He is very prompt and reliable. 

In addition to his dedication and dependability, Dave is also a highly knowledgeable employee. He is always willing to help other employees and guests of the Institute. He is always eager to learn new things and take on additional responsibilities. Although he is quiet and unassuming, Dave consistently gets things done. He is not one to seek attention or to make a lot of noise, but he is always there, quietly, and efficiently completing his work.

Whether it's working with Facilities, Parking, Key Office, answering the front office phone, assisting guests, or any number of different tasks, Dave can be counted on to always be helpful by doing his best to provide outstanding customer service.

Research & Training Division 

R&T nominates Sarah Baker for the Spirit of Service Award in recognition of her contributions to the Research and Training division. Sarah serves as the staff assistant for Research and Training, and she consistently goes above and beyond to provide a diverse range of support to division staff, demonstrating an unwavering spirit of service. Sarah is consistently one of the first people to volunteer her time to projects and tasks and is always willing to offer her assistance and knowledge to anyone who might need it. Among many responsibilities, Sarah helps coordinate webinars, creates fact sheets, and has played an important role in the maintenance and redesign of our division's website. Sarah’s work this year certainly exemplifies the spirit of service.

Services Division

Bora is dedicated to her role with the Utah Assistive Technology Program and people with disabilities. She takes the initiative to apply for MULTIPLE grants each year, and she thinks outside the box to ensure individuals with disabilities have access. She is vigilant about thinking about how UATP can grow and creates programs that make a difference, like the COVID test kits, or emergency preparedness kits for individuals with disability. She has expanded UATP’s role into many new areas, including coordinating with aging services, low vision services, adaptive recreation, and much, much more! She is working on her own time to complete the ADA certification and the U of U Diversity and Inclusion Certificate.  She motivates her staff to be creative and listen for what people need. She is a leader by example and reflects IDRPP’s vision to the core: To Create, To Innovate and To Include!

Technical Assistance Division

We are delighted to recommend John Northup for the TA Division's Spirit of Service award. John is the Director of Evaluation for WebAIM. He consistently displays a commitment to excellence in any task that he undertakes. He shows a dedication to improving the quality of the work of WebAIM while still respecting individual roles and responsibilities. He has recently engaged in leadership and management training to improve his skills as a leader and supervisor.

John possesses an exceptional ability to articulate thoughts and ideas. He uses his gift of communication to create a supportive and collaborative atmosphere with colleagues and with clients. When he speaks to others—and more importantly, about others—he is always professional and supportive. He is especially supportive of the people that he supervises. Beyond his work-related efforts, John stands out as a mentor and ally within the community, ready to uplift and support others.

John exemplifies the spirit of service celebrated by this award.