Christina Kalel awarded U of A Staff Award of Excellence

Christina Kalel, the assistant director of faculty affairs at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson, was honored with a 2025 Award for Excellence. The annual awards are presented by the University of Arizona Staff Council’s Employee Recognition Committee. Recipients are nominated by colleagues and selected by a panel of volunteer staff and faculty judges. 

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Kalel, who has been with the U of A for seven years and the College of Medicine – Tucson for four, manages the administrative side of the college’s faculty affairs operations, including overseeing staff workloads, faculty promotions, annual reviews, events, data, strategic planning and an internal database. 

“Basically, my job is making all faculty affairs simple, clear and accessible for the faculty and staff,” said Kalel. “I love working with faculty and staff across the college who are dedicated to making the world a healthier place, whether that is through patient care, clinical research or supporting each other with things like work-life balance and wellness.”

Kalel was nominated by multiple colleagues in an effort spearheaded by Tina Johnson, an organizational development specialist at the U of A Data Science Institute.

“I nominated Christina because the U of A is simply better with her here. She uplifts people just by being herself and turns ideas into results that really matter for staff and faculty,” said Johnson. “I have witnessed Christina’s contributions as a trusted resource and her ability to balance professionalism with genuine care. Nominating her felt like an obvious decision.”

Alice Min, MD, who worked closely with Kalel as the associate dean for career development in the Office of Faculty Affairs at the College of Medicine – Tucson until late last year, praised Kalel’s organization, clear communication and unwavering support to faculty and staff in her nomination letter. 

“Since taking on her role, Christina has significantly transformed the Faculty Affairs Office,” wrote Simpkins, the senior director of faculty affairs and engagement in the School of Health Professions at the U of A’s Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. “She has shown remarkable initiative in building processes and procedures that are not only transparent but also highly efficient.”

In another nomination letter, Celeste Atkins, PhD, director of student engagement and recruitment at the U of A Graduate College, wrote that Kalel is a collaborative leader who takes deliberate steps to identify and address issues affecting efficiency, efficacy and equity.

“Christina has built a reputation for being the go-to person when you need help because she listens deeply and really works to find a solution,” said Atkins. “She has shown outstanding achievements in the workplace by increasing the productivity of her team, creating space for diverse perspectives, creating opportunities for employees to improve their skills and abilities, and serving as a mentor. She is constantly engaging and collaborating with colleagues across the university to promote partnerships with the College of Medicine –Tucson, and I cannot think of a better example of Wildcat excellence at the University of Arizona.”

Kalel earned her Bachelor of Arts in psychology and a Master of Arts in library and information science from the University of Arizona. 

“I’ve been really proud of the office culture I’ve created with my team and the way we share that with others by being open to questions or feedback,” Kalel said. “Mistakes are OK if you share them so that we learn for the future. Most importantly, we should take care of ourselves and each other because we cannot do the work well otherwise. This award made me realize that our culture is making a positive difference at the college and beyond, and that is more than I could have dreamed.”

Each year, the U of A Employee Recognition Committee recognizes university staff members for outstanding achievements in furthering the missions of the University of Arizona.