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  • Two SPH-B community members chosen for campus-wide Staff Merit Awards

Two SPH-B community members chosen for campus-wide Staff Merit Awards

By: Elizabeth Ellis

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Deanna Suter (top right) and Holly Thrasher (bottom left)

Each year, Indiana University Bloomington honors several staff members from across campus in celebration of outstanding service. SPH-B is proud to announce that two of our community members— Director of Administrative Affairs Deanna Suter in the Department of Health & Wellness Design (HWD), and Director of Content Creation and Outreach Holly Thrasher in the Deans’ Office—will be presented with the 2025 Staff Merit Award on Wednesday, February 5 in Franklin Hall.

Candidates are nominated by colleagues for their contributions to "fostering a positive work environment and encouraging continued excellence." The goal of the recognition is to foster a continued spirit of community and gratitude, and each winner receives $2,000.

Ms. Suter has been in her current position with HWD since June 2015, but her professional ties to IU span close to 30 years, starting with Bradford Woods, the 2,500-acre outdoor educational center located between Bloomington and Indianapolis where her Hoosier career began in August 1995.

Deanna Suter
Deanna Suter

"At that time, the center was an auxiliary service of the department, and in August 2007, I made a strategic transition to campus to address vital needs in the department as an account representative," shares Ms. Suter. "As the department evolved, I embraced new challenges that led to my appointment as manager of department business affairs in April 2010. My career trajectory is a testament to my ability to adapt and lead efficiently in a dynamic organizational environment."

The most fulfilling aspects of Ms. Suter’s current role with HWD include streamlining and executing effective and impactful faculty recruitment efforts, campus visits, and onboarding activities, in addition to developing interdisciplinary faculty network to leverage "better health by design."

Ms. Suter adds, "Having hired and mentored multiple staff, with many advancing in career development through promotional opportunities aligned with their skillset and growth under my tenure, has been most rewarding."

Evan Jordan, Ph.D.
Evan Jordan, Ph.D.

"Deanna is an incredible person and staff member in our department, and we are elated that she is being recognized for her excellence," says Interim Department Chair Evan Jordan, Ph.D. "The myriad number of tasks she manages are often not seen or heard by others but are evident in the extraordinarily efficient manner in which HWD functions."

Ms. Thrasher began her current role on the SPH-B Marketing and Communications (MarComm) team about four years ago, but her cumulative professional service to IU is 12 years, serving in various capacities for the Office of Enrollment Management as well as WTIU/WFIU. In her time at SPH-B, Ms. Thrasher helped establish the MarComm team, developing a cohort of seven staff members and fostering an effective collaborative working environment.

Holly Thrasher
Holly Thrasher

"IU is home to thousands of outstanding staff, so to be recognized in this way is really flattering," shares Ms. Thrasher. "My goal is to keep learning and growing. Winning this award feels like validation that throughout my time at IU, I have taken on the right responsibilities to help me grow as an employee and colleague."

Ms. Thrasher adds that helping internal and external audiences understand the amazing accomplishments of SPH-B faculty, staff, and students gives her a great deal of personal and professional satisfaction.

Mike Willett, Ed.D.
Mike Willett, Ed.D.

"[Holly] has been highly successful in a dynamic, and at times, stressful environment by being flexible and inspiring a sense of teamwork and empowerment," Michael Willett, Ed.D., executive assistant dean for academic affairs and enrollment, wrote in his nomination letter. “I would also describe her as the 'cornerstone' of our Marketing and Communications team—the foundation that enables the team to be exemplary."

For more inspiring stories about SPH-B students, faculty, and staff, visit go.iu.edu/48bx.

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