KU announces spring Employees of the Month


LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas recently has announced the February, March and April 2022 Employees of the Month. These staff members have made outstanding contributions to the Lawrence campus community.

Winners of the Employee of the Month awards receive the following:

  • A surprise visit from the provost or her designee
  • A certificate of award
  • A biography featured through KU Today
  • A $750 gross monetary award.

Nominate an employee for this award by completing and submitting the online or paper Employee of the Month nomination form and returning it to HRM by email or fax to 785-864-5790. More information is available here.

Recent honorees:

April 2022

Name: Will Allen

Title: General maintenance repair technician, Special Services shop, Facilities Maintenance Services

Will Allen, KU
Will Allen

Will Allen’s job duties are vast and include moving, delivery and setup of a variety of items throughout the Lawrence campus, supporting other Facilities Services trades and departmental efforts, and coordinating with customers. Allen is known for providing excellent service to the KU campus, supporting staff around him, and he manages to do his job with a calm and laid-back manner.

One significant contribution made by Allen is the COVID-19 adjustments to furniture and offices around campus. He helped lead the crew that performed the original reconfiguration of all furniture across more than 550 classrooms in just under one and a half months. He also led a team of new employees to successfully return the furniture for the fall 2021 semester. A co-worker said, “Will worked incredibly hard to do a nearly impossible task with the COVID-related moves. The urgency that led to quick work in summer of 2020 resulted in a difficult situation in resetting for fall 2021. Will somehow managed to remember where everything was and where to put things back correctly. Moreover, moves were also happening for departmental offices and housing, all related to the massive changes happening all over campus due to the impacts of COVID.”

Allen is also instrumental in the setup of the annual Commencement ceremony, and his years of knowledge, drive and active listening have helped his unit successfully prepare for Commencement for years.

Name: Jennifer Sanders Kellogg

Title: Paralegal, Office of the General Counsel

Jennifer Sanders Kellog, KU
Jennifer Sanders Kellog

Jennifer Sanders Kellogg was hired in 2019 as a litigation paralegal, and her responsibilities have expanded well beyond the standard paralegal tasks since then. She has become an integral part of the General Counsel team by managing and reporting on the university’s sensitive litigation matters while also responding to both subpoena and non-subpoena record requests. Kellogg also supports the open records operation of the university across all campuses.

A colleague said, “Jennifer’s professional skills are impeccable. She is diligent and tenacious, demonstrates extraordinary knowledge of procedure and goes the extra mile every time to meet required deadlines.” Kellogg is known for being a true team player and is consistently focused on what she can do for both the benefit of the general counsel office and for the university. She understands and implements technology, has a relaxed yet professional communication style, and acts as a go-to for all of the office staff because of her legal knowledge. A colleague said, “Whatever the job or tasks, everyone knows that Jennifer can take care of it.”

March 2022

Name: Nolan Haire

Title: Functional systems manager, Procurement Services

Nolan Haire, KU
Nolan Haire

Nolan Haire oversees the Procure to Pay help desk, assisting all users of the KU procurement system. He manages the accounts payable central inbox where invoices are received from vendors. He is responsible for making sure invoices are accurately sent to the appropriate departments and that the invoice payments are entered correctly.

“Not only is Nolan easy to work with, he also works to make sure KU is running as efficiently as possible. He demonstrates a consistent commitment to excellence and works well with partners across campus,” one colleague said.

Haire goes above and beyond consistently to make his unit and the university better administratively. He recently consolidated over 200 monthly invoices into just one invoice and one payment, creating more efficiency across campus and streamlining the process for payment. Another core process he is working to streamline is creating consistent follow-up notifications for units with outstanding balances. Each of these functions will allow KU core processes to be performed on a much faster, monthly basis leading to increased performance for both the procurement office and other support offices on campus.

“Nolan’s commitment to make KU better is unparalleled. He takes charge of situations and finds a solution,” a colleague said. “He consistently delivers excellence, quality and timely customer service to everyone he interacts with.”

Name: Megan Nemec

Title: Complex director of Hashinger, Lewis and Templin halls

Megan Nemec, KU
Megan Nemec

Megan Nemec supervises graduate assistants and indirectly supervises undergraduate staff, adjudicates student conduct, employs the residential curriculum, keeps informed of building facility issues, chairs a departmental committee and serves as an on-call responder to crisis situations for KU Student Housing. A colleague said, “Megan is a strong advocate for students and has always shown herself to go above and beyond what is asked.”

Nemec has stellar relationships both in the department and with peers. She is seen as an expert amongst her peers and is a go-to person for any questions or support. Those who work with her describe her as caring, generous, supportive and attentive to detail. She effortlessly shifts her role or interactions with others to accommodate their needs in a situation. She is particularly adept at communication in times of crisis or high stress and has responded to many critical incidents in her role, maintaining a high level of compassion and professionalism during intensely stressful situations.

Nemec also has a dedication to her community, mental health awareness and social justice. She leads the social justice committee and creates education and resources for students and staff. Outside of her role at KU, Nemec has a passion for mental health and community connections, as seen in her volunteer work with the Kansas Suicide Prevention Headquarters and for Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children.

February 2022

Name: Susan McGee

Title: Graduate admissions coordinator and administrative associate, Department of Curriculum & Teaching, School of Education & Human Sciences

Susan McGee, KU
Susan McGee

Susan McGee is responsible for all program information related to the curriculum & teaching department’s on-campus graduate programs, including Ed.D. and Ph.D. handbooks, application materials, managing scheduling of courses and course catalog, and enrollment updates for undergraduate and doctoral courses. She is also responsible for maintaining doctoral student records, assisting the department’s graduate teaching assistants, and handling outreach with prospective students and applicants.

A colleague said, “Susan’s cheerful attitude, vast knowledge and can-do attitude make her the first stop for faculty, staff and students in the department.” McGee has an incredible knowledge base of university policies and procedures, is gifted at training others and sharing her wealth of knowledge, and is personable and kind to everyone she meets. McGee is detail-oriented and thorough when it comes to her work, and if there is a question she doesn’t know the answer to, she will find it. Many other staff and units on campus appreciate her dedication to helping them fully resolve issues. Another colleague said, “Susan never has a discouraging word to say about anyone, as she is always helping those around her to be the best version of themselves.”

Name: Kemi Obadare

Title: Office manager of College Advising & Student Services, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

Kemi Obadare, KU
Kemi Obadare

Kemi Obadare supports all College Advising & Student Service staff and supervises front office staff to facilitate day-to-day operations of the office. Obadare answers a wide variety of inquiries within the departmental inbox and has an extensive knowledge of KU and CLAS policies to assist with any problem that may arise. She is also responsible for tracking budget and fiscal needs for the department. One colleague said, “Kemi conducts her work with enthusiasm and is a team player who is persistent in her duties and committed to excellence.”

Those who work with Obadare describe her as being “a backbone to the functionality of our office and someone who can keep everyone who works in or visits the office motivated.” She is dedicated, responsible and a go-to resource for many both in and out of her department. One colleague said, “No matter what the situation or how unexpected, or how quickly it needs to be resolved, Kemi is always ready and willing to do what needs to be done.”