Mindy Stawarz, Application Analyst

Mindy’s tenure at Mason began in 1988 as a student wage employee with Information Services. In 1992, she became a full-time employee holding a number of different positions, first with Corporate & Community Relations and then Human Resources & Payroll until 2006, when she transitioned over to her current position in ITS as an Application Analyst. Mindy provides primary technical support to ensure the reliability, integrity, accessibility and usability, of Mason’s Ellucian Banner Administrative Applications that support the mission-critical business functions of the university. In this capacity, she supports users in diagnosing and resolving production problems with software and provides custom application and integration support using advanced programming techniques and tools.

Colleagues have said, “Mindy is a reliable and consistent worker who can be counted on to get her work done quickly and accurately.” “She is friendly, helpful, and customer-oriented.” “I just really can't say enough wonderful things about all of the interactions that I have had with Mindy.”

Congratulations to Mindy for being the December ITS Employee of the Month!

Brandon Capes, Computer Systems Engineer, Server Support Group

Brandon started working at Mason in September 2014. He provides technical support, system administration, troubleshooting, networking, system security, system integration, research and analysis for the servers that are supported by the ITS Server Support Group. His responsibilities include server management, customer support, and timely maintenance and problem resolution of service delivery requests. This includes technical customer consultation for needs analysis, assessment, problem resolution and recommendations for computer hardware and software.

Nominators have said, "Brandon provides us with clear and concise information regarding questions or issues our department may have." "He is a great person and is passionate about what he does and you can see the results are so rewarding to him." "When we are at meetings he is always asking questions that others may not initially consider and that play a key role in allowing us to move forward."

Mason is lucky to have him! Congratulations to Brandon for being the November ITS Employee of the Month!

Judy Fortin, Senior Report Developer/Team Lead

Judy started working at Mason in May 2012. She is responsible for the maintenance, support, and development of the MicroStrategy environment. She also trains end-users on the policies and supporting procedures necessary to use MicroStrategy. In addition, she collaborates with the reporting and Data Mart team members to help in the creation and maintenance of user groups, user accounts, security roles, and authentication.

Nominators said Judy is “the glue that holds this team together.” She is the “one that gives us technical direction and guidance.” Judy “always responds quickly, with appropriate questions and understanding. She makes herself available to sit down with and go through detailed step-by-step requirements and singular adjustments that have helped create clarity and add specificity.”

Mason is lucky to have her! Congratulations to Judy for being the October ITS Employee of the Month!

Kristen Jennette, Vmware Engineer, Server Support Group

Kristen joined Mason and ITS in August 1998 and has been in her current position since July 2005. She is responsible for providing support for server systems in the existing Microsoft Active Directory infrastructure and monitors the performance, scalability, and integration of additional servers within the Active Directory. In addition, she provides support for the existing VMWare Infrastructure and the additional VMWare host/guest servers as they are deployed to the virtual environment.

Nominators said Kristen has a “very dedicated attitude to the systems and customers she supports on a daily 24/7 basis.” She is “extremely reliable and will push on until the job is complete every single time.” Kristen is “an amazing asset to ITS! She shares her knowledge with the group which makes everyone better.”

This is not the first time Kristen has won this honor! She was Employee of the Month for January 2015. Mason is lucky to have her!

Congratulations to Kristen for being the September ITS Employee of the Month!

Jim McLean, Instructional Technologist

is August’s ITS Employee of the Month!
Jim joined Mason and Learning Support Services in August 2013 and is responsible for working with faculty as they seek to integrate instructional technologies and multimedia into courses (face-to-face, online, and blended). Jim is the administrator and support contact for an online video management platform and offers support for streaming servers. He coordinates training and documentation efforts between the Online Learning Resources (OLR) and Instructional Design (ID) teams on the appropriate uses and best practices for using these technologies effectively.

Nominators said Jim “understands ITS's mission, vision, and goals and how these directly relate to other units' missions, visions, and goals.” He is “always very responsive to faculty deadlines and issues related to high-profile program offerings.” Jim “demonstrates integrity in his work, in that he does not advocate technology just for technology’s sake. He employs technology to engage, enhance, and support student learning.”

Congratulations to Jim for being the August ITS Employee of the Month!

Michael Rothgeb, Systems Engineer

Mike joined the Server Support Group in May 2003 and is responsible for supporting, implementing, and designing services for Microsoft Active Directory and Windows-based systems, including directory and identity management solutions.

Nominators said Mike “took on the role of SCCM server admin with enthusiasm and professionalism. He quickly raised the standard of service in this role.” He is “a fountain of information when my team has questions regarding critical enterprise services such as SCCM, WSUS, Symantec Endpoint Protection Management, System Logging, Active Directory, and Group Policy.” Mike is a “champion of best practices and the right, sound implementation of any technical solution.”

Congratulations to Mike for being the July ITS Employee of the Month!

Douglas Hallock, CVT Technician

Doug started at George Mason University as a wage employee in August 2003. He held this position until September 2008 when he became a classified employee as an Audio Visual Engineer. Doug joined Collaborative Video Technologies in May 2013 and is responsible for the installation, support, and maintenance of the CVT videoconference and telepresence equipment pertaining to classes, meetings, and events on Mason campuses.

Nominators said Doug is a “maximum kind of guy that does not stop until all avenues have been searched, tested successfully, and then looked on how it can be improved.” He is “very quick to share knowledge and expertise with anyone.” Doug is “on top of all the events, and technical issues, and knows how to handle tasks in a critical situation.”

Congratulations to Doug for being the June ITS Employee of the Month!

Larry Marca, Network Engineer

Larry started at George Mason University as a wage employee in July 2005. He held this position until June 2008 when he became a classified employee as a Network Engineer. Larry is responsible for the implementation, performance, and security of university telecommunications networks and systems. This includes providing upper-tier technical support for network operation and performing advanced diagnostics and configurations on routers, switches, and firewalls. In addition, he provides support to other NET departments when needed.

Nominators said Larry has a “very good understanding of the goals and priorities of ITS and is constantly suggesting new technical solutions.” He “always shows a willingness to help customers and this often includes responding to complex issues that involve a lot of troubleshooting on his part.” Larry is “always on top of things. Whether they're tasks, outages, or projects, he's able to quickly assess and come up with a solution or a temporary workaround until issues get fixed.”

Congratulations to Larry for being the May ITS Employee of the Month!

Karen Savell, MicroStrategy Administrator

Karen started at George Mason University in February 2016. Karen supports and maintains the MicroStrategy environment. She is responsible for providing the backend support for the report development team which includes: configuration development and automated scripting, performance tuning, report development, and troubleshooting. She works closely with the system administrator, system engineering, and the database administration team.

Nominators said, “Karen provides excellent support to her team and our users, putting in extra effort to make sure that our processes run as expected and are reliable.” She “always goes the extra mile to complete tasks assigned. This includes coordinating efforts within our team or staff in other units.” Karen is “both tactical and strategic. She not only thinks through the quickest way to solve an immediate problem, but she also looks ahead to the best ways our team can support our users.”

Congratulations to Karen for being the April ITS Employee of the Month!

David Robertson, Business Process Analyst

David started at George Mason University in January 2005. He started with NET as the Network Engineering Manager, moved to Network Service Delivery Manager, and then into his current role as the Business Process Analyst for IT Process and Planning. David is responsible for documenting IT service processes across ITS, analyzing their effectiveness, and working with the process managers to institute improvements.

Nominators said, “Drob always willingly shares his knowledge with others and will find out the answer for you, whether it is his area of expertise of not.” He is “one of those ‘go to’ people for any question you can think.” Drob is a “classic IT success story. Working at Mason for an untold number of years, Drob has been through a multitude of IT departments and brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the table.”

Congratulations to Drob for being the March ITS Employee of the Month!

Tamika Wilks, Accounts Payable Analyst

Tamika started at George Mason University in September 2011, however, she joined ITS in September 2012. Tamika evaluates, verifies, and completes invoice processing for ITS purchase orders in compliance with GMU payment policies and procedures. Additionally, she maintains the data in the Telecommunications billing system, and ensures its accuracy.

Nominators said, “Tamika has always shown her commitment to helping GMU customers in need of assistance.” She is a “shining light! She exudes positivity and joy whether you talk to her in the hallway, the kitchen, or virtually in an email!” Tamika is a “go getter. Her passion for the job shows, and she goes above and beyond her requirements.”

Congratulations to Tamika for being the February ITS Employee of the Month!

Chad Britt, Systems Engineer

Chad started at George Mason University in February 2008. Chad provides technical support, system administration, troubleshooting, networking, system security, system integration, research, and analysis for the servers that are supported by the ITS Server Support Group. His responsibilities include server management, customer support and timely maintenance, and problem resolution of service delivery requests. This includes technical customer consultation for needs analysis, assessment, problem resolution, and recommendations for computer hardware and software.

Nominators said, “Chad has always provided a quick response in addressing customer and fellow ITS needs.” He is a “great source of knowledge in explaining the strategies employed for system hardening, account management, and various other system administration techniques.” Chad’s “input, technical expertise, or advice are always executed quickly and effectively.”

Congratulations to Chad for being the January ITS Employee of the Month!