Service Recognition ceremony honors Princeton staff for exceptional achievements
Romy Riddick, vice president for human resources, welcomes nearly 700 Princeton staff members to the Service Recognition Luncheon, which was held at the Racquet and Recreation Fieldhouse in the Meadows Neighborhood on March 25.
Every spring, Princeton hosts its Service Recognition Luncheon, a cherished tradition honoring employee service milestones and achievements. This year's event recognized 549 honorees who reached service milestones in 2025, along with six staff members who were named as President's Achievement Award recipients and two employees who received the Donald Griffin ’23 Management Award.
The Office of Human Resources annually honors employees who have attained service milestones beginning at 10 years of employment and continuing in five-year increments.
“Coming together today to honor our remarkable honorees and award recipients serves as a touching reminder of what makes working here at Princeton so uniquely rewarding,” said Romy Riddick, vice president for human resources, during the March 25 ceremony at the Racquet and Recreation Fieldhouse in the University's Meadows Neighborhood.
“As Princeton staff members, your roles play a crucial part in furthering the University’s teaching and research mission," Riddick said. "You embody a committed, skilled, diverse workforce that deserves to be celebrated for your years of service and for your distinct contributions that help make this institution exceptional. We are truly thankful for your commitment and continued dedication to our students, faculty, staff and alumni.”
All of the employees will receive a certificate of recognition embossed with a special copper-engraved rendering of Nassau Hall by the late Michael Graves, the Robert Schirmer Professor of Architecture Emeritus and a renowned architect and designer. Those with 25 years of service or more select gifts from the special Princeton Service Recognition Program collection at Hamilton Jewelers.
President Christopher L. Eisgruber joined Riddick on stage to share his sentiments on the day. “This event is always one of my favorites to attend. It gives me the opportunity to thank you, honorees, for your outstanding service to Princeton.”
For the full list of honorees and group photos, visit the Service Recognition Program page.
By the Numbers
- 2 employees with 50 years of service
- 15 employees with 45 years of service
- 10 employees with 40 years of service
- 19 employees with 35 years of service
- 28 employees with 30 years of service
- 85 employees with 25 years of service
- 95 employees with 20 years of service
- 120 employees with 15 years of service
- 175 employees with 10 years of service
Totaling 10,255 years of combined service to Princeton University.
President's Achievement Awards
Six Princeton staff members were honored as recipients of the President’s Achievement Award (PAA) for their commitment to excellence and exceptional performance. The award was established in 1997 to recognize members of the support and administrative staffs with five or more years of service whose dedication, excellent work and special efforts have contributed significantly to the success of their departments and the University as a whole.
Recipients receive a framed certificate and a $2,500 award, and their names are inscribed on a plaque displayed in the Office of Human Resources. President Christopher L. Eisgruber gave the following remarks at the luncheon about each of the PAA winners.
Traslyn Butler
Traslyn Butler
"For more than two decades, Traslyn has strengthened the engagement of alumni, parents, and friends with Princeton through her leadership role in Annual Giving, a critical source of unrestricted funds.
She has been described as pivotal to AG’s success, thanks to her enterprising spirit, singular dedication, and good humor. In the words of her nomination, ‘Her exceptional ability to coach, motivate, and empower alumni volunteers has helped cultivate the spirit of giving that defines Princeton’s alumni community.’ Indeed, so highly is she regarded, that no fewer than three classes have made her an honorary member.
Nowhere are Traslyn’s talents more evident than in her ability to help classes achieve new heights of generosity. As one alumnus put it, before her arrival, ‘we held the unenviable distinction as the least participatory Class in the entire Princeton AG world. … Through steady outreach, regular planning and the confident support of Traslyn and the AG staff, we are now outperforming the overall University participation percentage.’”
Jerry Luz
Jerry Luz
"Jerry, who serves as a senior executive chef in both the Graduate College and catering department, is regarded by many as the ‘face of Campus Dining.’ He has earned the admiration and affection of colleagues and clients alike, thanks to his outstanding culinary and administrative gifts and the importance he attaches to nurturing and fulfilling the aspirations of others.
To quote his nomination, ‘He consistently inspires and motivates the entire Campus Dining team. And staff of all levels consider him a mentor, including other executive chefs. … When developing menus with catering customers, he is thoughtful, considerate and meticulous, always actively listening to the client needs.’
Jerry’s vision of what it means to be a chef at Princeton has succeeded spectacularly, whether he is affirming the culinary traditions of our Jewish and Muslim communities; serving more than a thousand meals at our Alumni Day luncheon in a way that seamlessly combines efficiency and excellence; or nourishing the ‘Recipes from Home’ program for graduate students who wish to recreate their favorite dishes."
Craig Mallet
Craig Mallet
"Craig is one of Princeton’s unsung heroes, having devoted more than 30 years to maintaining and enhancing our life safety systems, especially those designed to combat fire.
A veteran of the University’s Alarm and Sprinkler Shops, he currently serves as a supervisor in Facilities’ Site Protection unit, where his technical expertise, attention to detail, and collaborative spirit are highly valued.
As his nomination affirms, ‘Craig’s performance is distinguished by an extraordinary level of consistency and dependability. … He is widely recognized as someone who can be counted on to complete any task thoroughly, accurately, and without hesitation—regardless of complexity or time constraints.’
These traits served Princeton well in the wake of the tragic Seton Hall University fire, when New Jersey strengthened its fire safety standards. Craig was indispensable in ensuring that we satisfied these mandates, a testament to his exhaustive knowledge and unflappable leadership.
Craig is a generous mentor to new employees, reflecting a concern for others that also finds expression in a wide array of local, national, and international charitable projects he supports."
Jill Ray
Jill Ray
"Jill personifies the qualities that students and faculty dream of finding in a graduate program manager. She has held this position in three departments — Philosophy, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and Psychology — and each has been profoundly strengthened by her presence.
In the words of her current chair, Casey Lew-Williams, ‘Jill is a true mastermind of the five main dimensions of her position: advocacy, admission, advising, administration, and academic progress. … We all fulfill our teaching and research goals with significantly greater success with Jill at the helm of our graduate program.’
Jill unites a multitude of strengths. She is a consummate intermediary, forming a critical link between graduate students and faculty and between her department and the Graduate School. She is a steadfast guide for whom no question is too big or too small, articulating institutional expectations while responding empathetically to individual concerns. She is an enthusiastic innovator, whose operational improvements have been as thoughtful as they have been numerous. And she is a tireless support to others, fostering an environment in which all feel valued, regardless of role."
Francine Taylor
Francine Taylor
"Francine is associate director of grants and contracts in the Office of Research and Project Administration, a role whose importance to the scholarly life of our University is matched only by its complexity. The integrity, acumen, and leadership she demonstrates in support of sponsored research have created conditions under which even the most ambitious projects can successfully unfold.
A case in point is NASA’s Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe, a $780 million Princeton-led mission that blasted into space last fall to explore our solar system’s heliosphere. For Principal Investigator David McComas, her work was mission critical. As her nomination puts it, ‘Francine immediately recognized that the scale of the IMAP contract would require a different kind of research administration, and she rose to the challenge. … Francine has been a leader in strengthening University policies and procedures to meet IMAP compliance requirements, which has raised the capability of the University’s entire research enterprise.’
Francine has served as the administrative rocket fuel for countless sponsored research ventures, and at a time of far-reaching reductions in federal support, her expertise has never been more crucial."
Toni Turano
Toni Turano
"For 24 years, Toni has played an essential role in sustaining our faculty’s vitality, from allocating resources and overseeing searches to formulating policies and upholding standards. First as an associate dean and now as deputy dean of the faculty, she has shouldered an extraordinary range of tasks that bear directly on the experience of more than 3,000 faculty and academic professional staff and some 150 academic units.
Dean of the Faculty Gene Jarrett describes Toni as ‘an unassuming and unheralded administrator who has advanced Princeton University’s academic enterprise to remarkable heights.’ He distills the qualities she brings to Nassau Hall into nine adjectives: punctilious, empathic, tenacious, wise, collegial, insightful, intelligent, principled, and indefatigable.
Much of Toni’s work revolves around institutional processes and protocols, including a host of disciplinary and compliance matters, but, as Dean Jarrett notes, she also dedicates herself to fostering ‘faculty well-being, professional development, and success,’ whether that means organizing panels on the tenure process, orienting new and acting chairs, or supporting curricular innovation."
Griffin Management Award
Two staff members have been honored as recipients of the Donald Griffin ’23 Management Award.
The Griffin Management Award was established by the family of alumnus and administrator Donald Griffin, Class of 1923. The award is given by the Office of Human Resources to recognize administrative employees with a $2,500 grant to participate in an educational or professional conference that can result in new insights and perspectives, renewed motivations, or enhanced skills that can be applied to their current responsibilities. The Griffin Award winners are as follows.
The following remarks were given at the luncheon by Mo Connolly, director of learning and development at Human Resources.
Adela Ramirez
Adela Ramirez
"As office coordinator for the Program in Teacher Preparation, Adela Ramirez supports programming, student records, course logistics, event coordination, website design, and communications. But beyond that, she has demonstrated the capacity to lead through transition and grow into responsibilities far beyond her original role.
Adela has been a driving force in modernizing how the Teacher Prep program operates through technological solutions, vastly improving efficiency. Further, she has enhanced the group’s social media presence to engage prospective and current students.
Her work with Teachers as Scholars (TAS) exemplifies her ability to manage complex programs while nurturing relationships. Program participants, facilitators, and district leaders consistently praise her communication, organization, and project management — qualities that have helped sustain long-term partnerships with schools across New Jersey.
Adela’s connection with Princeton began with her participation in the Princeton University Preparatory Program (PUPP), where she later returned as an Alumni Fellow. Her dedication to inclusivity is evident in her work environment and broader university leadership, where she serves as Co-President of Latino Princetonians.
To continue her growth, Adela will attend the High-Impact Leadership Program offered by University of California at Berkeley. This highly interactive program is designed to assist individuals to become better leaders by leading through empathy and building your voice to encourage others."
Amanda Stevens
Amanda Stevens
"Amanda serves as the Assistant Director for Transportation Services, overseeing transportation strategy and operations, including TigerTransit and Revise Your Ride.
Amanda’s commitment to continued improvement is often on display. She created an interactive learning experience that introduced Campus Dining staff to TigerTransit; partnered with Human Resources to reduce barriers to transit commutes for lower-income employees; and established partnerships with Campus as Lab to bring student perspectives into transportation initiatives.
She embodies the principle that the best ideas are shared and built together. She is chair of the Transportation and Mobility Working Group for the Sustainability Action Plan refresh and played an integral role in planning community feedback for the Campus Mobility Framework, annual transit planning, and campus construction wayfinding.
Thanks to the Griffin Award, Amanda will pursue a Certificate in Public Participation from the International Association for Public Participation, an organization that provides frameworks, training, and resources to help organizations involve communities effectively in decision-making across master plans, services, and programs."
The Princeton Tiger celebrates University staff at the annual Service Recognition Luncheon.
At this year's ceremony, 549 employees were celebrated for their years of dedicated service.
Orange and black were the colors of the Service Recognition Luncheon held on March 25.
Every spring, hundreds of Princeton employees and guests gather at the Service Recognition Luncheon, organized and hosted by the Office of Human Resources.
