Our 2025-26 Faculty & Staff Excellence Award Winners
Full-Time Faculty Award
Laura Nudelman, Communication Studies
In her 40 years of service to Bellevue College, Laura Nudelman has been a steadfast supporter of student success and a dedicated member of the campus community. Over decades of dedication, she has served as program chair for three separate departments, an early leader in online education, and a mentor to both students and fellow faculty alike. Her tenure in the Communication Studies department is distinguished by leading the development of targeted courses to support skill development, including CMST 350, Professional Communication for the Designer, now required for Interior Design BAS students, and CMST 252, Communication in a Diverse Healthcare Workplace, which has supported hundreds of health sciences students in becoming effective, empathetic, and culturally aware healthcare providers. Congratulations Laura!
“I’ve had the privilege of working closely with Laura Nudelman for two years, and I’ve learned so much from her—especially about how to run thoughtful, well-structured, and inclusive meetings. Her deep commitment to the college spans decades, and she continues to play a vital role in campus-wide governance, service, and initiatives. Her leadership, institutional knowledge, and genuine care for the BC community have made a lasting, substantive impact on the college life, and I’m truly grateful to have her as a colleague and mentor.”
Nominator
Part-Time Faculty Award
Tyler Willis, Nursing
Nominated for this award by both current students and faculty peers, Tyler Willis is a celebrated member of the Nursing department, having taught in both the Certified Nursing Assistant and Nursing Associate Degree programs. When he started as adjunct faculty in 2022, Tyler was actually returning to Bellevue College, where he graduated from the same nursing program where he now teaches! From his commitment to thorough and thoughtful instruction to his time and dedication to updating outdated nursing care plans, Tyler’s work is deeply admired and respected across campus. Congratulations Tyler!
“I can say without hesitation that Tyler Willis has profoundly shaped my nursing education and confidence as a student nurse. Mr. Willis consistently goes above and beyond to ensure his students succeed. He not only taught us how to perform and interpret EKGs, but also emphasized therapeutic communication, professionalism, and the importance of advocacy in nursing. He listens to our concerns, values our opinions, and creates a supportive environment where every student feels heard and encouraged to grow. His compassion, patience, and dedication extend well beyond the classroom. Through his example, Mr. Willis taught us what it truly means to be a professional nurse: to lead with respect, empathy, and integrity. Because of his mentorship, I am a more confident and capable nursing student.”
Nominator
Classified Employee Award
Martina Almario, Enrollment Services
In Martina’s role as an Enrollment Services Program Specialist, she has demonstrated unwavering support for Bellevue College students. She works closely with program managers and chairs to resolve complex enrollment challenges and problem solve issues in real time to help students stay on track, all with kindness, empathy, and genuine care at the forefront of her work. From improving communications to better support students in the Basic & Transitional Studies Program to partnering with Financial Aid to improve shared processes, Martina is renowned for going above and beyond in her effort to support students and coworkers alike. Congratulations Martina!
“Martina’s work meaningfully strengthens the operational infrastructure that faculty and academic programs depend on. Accurate records, efficient processes, and well designed systems allow instructional teams to focus on teaching while ensuring students are appropriately supported from an administrative standpoint. Martina’s attention to detail and commitment to quality directly enhance the overall learning environment. Martina Almario is a true asset to Bellevue College. Her expertise, reliability, and commitment to excellence elevate Enrollment Services and support the success of one of the College’s most complex programs. She exemplifies the essential contributions of College staff!”
Nominator
Exempt Employee Award
Betsy Zahrt Geib, eLearning
A member of the campus community since 2012, Betsy’s tenure as Associate Director of eLearning has earned her a well-deserved reputation as a champion of disability access across campus. From designing and teaching the eLearning Summer Institute to leading the creation of the nationally recognized Online Excellence Teaching Academy, Betsy’s efforts have made Bellevue College courses more open, inclusive, and equitable. Her work in providing both training and direct support to faculty has improved the Bellevue College experience for thousands of students. Congratulations Betsy!
“Betsy is a certificated Instructional Designer with a profound passion for combining design and pedagogy to support equitable and accessible student learning across all online and web-enhanced courses. She serves as a primary resource, supporting faculty with critical issues ranging from routine Canvas support and full course builds to specialized guidance on accessibility, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) questions, enhanced page design, Cidi Labs tools, and other essential educational technologies. Her work directly supports the success of all students in meeting their educational goals through a deep commitment to open access learning. Furthermore, she values and actively promotes a working environment that is diverse, inclusive, open, safe, and fully accessible. As an expert in neurodiversity, Betsy is dedicated to guiding and supporting her faculty colleagues to ensure their Canvas course shells are accessible, thereby providing quality, accessible learning support services for everyone.”
Nominator
Thank You and Congratulations to All Our Nominees
We were inspired by the nominations we received this year. We feel humbled to read about the many ways that our outstanding staff and faculty nurture and support our students every single day. Congratulations to all the 2025-26 Faculty & Staff Excellence Award nominees!
Malini Ajwani • Maile Allen • Jay Aller • Shannon Armstrong • Subramanya Betageri • Edward Biggers • Gretchen Bird • Lily Boen • Tamara Boynton Howard • Ivan Breen • Alicia Brender • Marie Brissette • Katie Bryant • Andrew Buenbrazo • Jennifer Celms • Wentao Chen • Brian Cobb • Beth Crouse • Mariella Davila • Eric Davis • Alicia DeHart • Steve Downing • Sandra Doyle Wilson • Phillip Duncan • Yelena Dyachenko • Matt Edwards • Cheryl Engstrom • Juan Esparza • Oriana Estrada • Karen Jo Fairbrook • Elijah Fender • Jennifer Fetters • Jamie Gayden • Melissa Hammons • Dana Harris • Lisa Harris • Ariane Hayes • Anneke Hercules • Tyler Hersey • Vlasta Hillger • Varik Hoang • Alissa Hodson • Liz Hollerman • Sara Holznecht • Kris Hotchkiss • Darnita Howard • Rachel Hutto • Miki Ishihara • Meg Iyer • Humaira Jackson • John Jacobs • Danielle Jacobson • Alice Jenkins • Naomi Jones • Tim Jones • Alicia Keating Polson • Joshua Kienlen • Amy Kinsel • Leo Kiralla • Olga Krichevskaya • Joel Lamb • Jennifer Laveglia • Jean Lawler • Helton Leal • Deborah Leblang • Analisa Lembo • Sophie Leung • Winnie Li • Tim Linnemann • Sheila Lozan • Rick Mangan • Melissa Massie • Jennie Mayer • Michelle Mcauley • Nancy McEachran • Donna Miguel • Daniel Mitchell • Jessica Moller • Renee Nejo • Rod Pascual • Ilona Pitkanen • Kolin Poss • Naeim Rahmani • Hima Rami • Heather Rane • Keith Rowley • Travis Sage • Camille Sasson • Tyler Saxon • Greg Schmidt • Alexa Serrato • Jenny Severin • Nadia Sharafanovich • Changwon So • Paige Spicer • Winston Stauffer • Eric Stewart • Chace Stiehl • Yu-Ting Su • Amy Swanson • Caleb Teel • Pavy Thao • Corvilia Thykkuttathil • Renee Tinsley • Timothy Trammel • Kinh Tran • Leng Tong Vue • Ian Walker • Jin Wang • Cynthia Weintraub • Camee Wheat • Adrienne von Wolffersdorff
Nominations
Do you know someone deserving of the BC Excellence Award? Learn about the nomination process and how you can be involved in the nomination and selection of the next round of winners.
Last Updated April 20, 2026