Award winners were honored at an annual celebratory luncheon and ceremony alongside their UCLA Social Science colleagues
Citlalli Chávez-Nava
Staff from UCLA’s Division of Social Sciences were honored at the second annual Thomas E. Lifka Staff Appreciation Luncheon and Awards Ceremony hosted by Dean Abel Valenzuela Jr. on June 18 at the Luskin Conference Center.
The Thomas E. Lifka Staff Excellence Award —the first award of its kind in the division — recognizes staff who have demonstrated exemplary service during the preceding academic year or have contributed to a career of distinguished service within the division. The accompanying luncheon, open to all divisional staff, brings together colleagues across departments and units to not only honor the current award winners but also to celebrate the annual contributions of all social science staff members.
“I know we do a great job celebrating and uplifting faculty and students in their work, accomplishments and discoveries, yet none of this is possible without you, our staff, ” said Valenzuela in his opening remarks during the ceremony. “Today, I want you to feel celebrated and acknowledged for all that you do, because we could not achieve any of this without your support.”
Named after Thomas E. Lifka, who joined UCLA in 1982 as Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Academic Services, the award honors his administrative legacy at UCLA. During his 29-year career at UCLA, he oversaw admissions, financial aid, loan services, the registrar’s office, the career center and international student services. A campus leader and proud gay man, Lifka was also an early contributor to UCLA’s efforts to increase enrollment from underserved communities and was also a vocal supporter of the establishment of the LGBTQ+ Resource Center. His ultimate goal was to ensure as wide and diverse an admissions pool as possible.
In 2023, Dean Valenzuela honored Lifka by creating the award and naming him its first recipient. Lifka then partnered with Valenzuela to endow the award bearing his name to recognize non-academic staff in the UCLA Division of Social Sciences at an annual event.
In total, seven staff members received the Thomas E. Lifka Staff Excellence Award at the 2025 ceremony. Below is the list of winners presented in two different categories: Excellence in Administrative Leadership (3 awards) and Excellence in Staff Performance (4 awards). Winners receive either $5000 or $1000 monetary award in the form of a STAR Award.
Thomas E. Lifka Staff Excellence Award – Excellence in Administrative Leadership Nomination
This award honors exceptional Management Services Officers (MSOs) and Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) within UCLA’s Division of Social Sciences.
Rosa Chung, Management Services Officer – Center for the Study of Women (CSW) |Streisand Center
Rosa Chung deeply understands the research needs of the CSW|Streisand faculty and finds creative ways to stretch its resources — whether that be funding, time, staff support, space, or its networks. A creative, dedicated leader, she came up with the idea to make the center’s office space open to the campus community for workshops and small events and co-working activities.
Chung also came up with a centerwide holiday book swap that has sparked conversations and connections among her team. During the wildfire emergency, she started a weekly lunchtime gathering where she brings a dish she’s made and staff, students and faculty are invited to eat lunch together and discuss and plan mutual aid activities to support impacted communities. Chung also runs the center’s plot at the UCLA community garden so CSW|Streisand Center can plant and garden together.
“Through her discernment, leadership and deep care, she’s built a team with a level of trust, camaraderie and genuine joy in the work that we do. She insists always that everyone who comes into the center is important, whole — human, and she cultivates that ethos in the entire department. Because of her, our center is a space of joy, fun, safety and community.” – Grace Hong, Director at CSW|Streisand Center
“I am honored to receive the 2025 Thomas E. Lifka Staff Excellence Award. The CSW|Streisand Center community is one of the most brilliant and caring groups of colleagues I’ve ever worked with. They inspire me to do and give my best in support of our mission.” – Rosa Chung
Kasi McMurray, Chief Administrative Officer- Department of Geography
Kasi McMurray is undeniably the driving force behind most departmental activity, serving both as the steward of departmental knowledge and the guide for new projects.
A standout example of her dedication is her department’s key role in the department’s development efforts — well beyond the expectations of her position. McMurrary organizes the annual Von Humboldt Reception and separate dinner events held in conjunction with the Von Humboldt Lecture. In addition, she has been one of the main organizers of the biennial Muir Symposium and dinner. These large-scale events draw over 300 attendees and demand careful, dedicated planning.
McMurray has also been instrumental in the success of the Department’s new Master of Applied Geospatial Information Systems and Technologies (MAGIST) program and GIS certificate program. She has supported faculty in numerous public appearances and helped develop extremely successful workflows for the programs.
“When the students or faculty have problems of all sorts, they go to Kasi. No one ever feels rushed out of her office even though she’s got demands in every moment of every day. She creates an environment where everybody in the department feels like they have a home. I couldn’t have asked for a better partner through all of these years and I couldn’t have done my job as chair for as long as I have without Kasi.” –Gregory Okin, Chair of UCLA’s Department of Geography
“What guides my work is a love of the work and department. We have an amazing team, both staff and faculty. We all have mutual respect and support for each other and work in kindness – with laughter, lots of laughter. I truly like coming to work, I have great colleagues within the College – all this guides me to be my best for all of them.” – Kasi McMurray
Wendy Fujinami, Department Manager – Department of Asian American Studies
Wendy Fujinami’s inclusive and responsible leadership style as a manager and her equally important expertise as a former student affairs officer have greatly strengthened the academic mission of the Asian American Studies Department (AASD).
Combined, these skills have allowed Fujinami to reorganize the AASD after an extensive departmental review; stabilize the AASD during the COVID-19 pandemic when the Department pivoted to online teaching in 2020-2022; and to promote the vital research, teaching, and service contributions of seven new faculty members. Without Fujinami’s guidance, many of the Department’s faculty and students would not be able to pursue their high-impact research activities in California, nationally and internationally.
“What I especially appreciate most about Wendy is her continued growth as a staff leader, colleague and person over the past few years. She’s responded positively to constructive criticism in her management of all things staff. That is, she’s openly engaged with said feedback, not as a limitation, but rather as an opportunity to further strengthen her knowledge of and engagement with budgetary, curricula and personnel matters.” – Keith Camacho, Chair of UCLA’s Department of Asian American Studies
“After the majority of my 38 years working at UCLA in larger departments, I found my ikigai (joy and purpose) with the Asian American Studies Department. I am so grateful for this moment in time with my amazing staff and hope that I have made a difference in the lives of our students, staff and faculty.” – Wendy Fujinami
Thomas E. Lifka Staff Excellence Award – Excellence in Staff Performance
This award honors exceptional Social Sciences division staff members (non-MSOs/CAOs). This award is open to various staff positions including program and event specialists, office managers, fund managers, communications specialists, staff analysts, student affairs officers, payroll specialists, and IT coordinators, among others.
Steven Johnson, Administrative Officer – California Center for Population Research (CCPR)
Steven Johnson’s commitment to innovation, organizational excellence, impactful work, and collaborative spirit make him a truly invaluable member of CCPR’s team. A creative and innovative problem solver, Johnson has helped streamline CCPR processes and the complicated, robust grant portfolio.
With minimal support from other staff, Johnson has also remained the sole fund manager and now personnel manager at CCPR, even as the amount of work has skyrocketed in volume and complexity. Johnson’s dedication to excellence is evident in his unwavering commitment to supporting both faculty and students. He has one of those “can-do” attitudes that always leaves faculty and staff feeling supported.
“Steve is able to manage competing demands. He’s creative, he’s organizationally skilled, and something that I know quite well is that he has unwavering calm in the face of many of us who have sometimes pushed deadlines a little bit closer than we should have…he is a great team player. And I think in order for organizations to succeed, you have to have people exactly like Steve.” – Judith Seltzer, Professor of sociology at UCLA
“What guides my work at CCPR is a deep appreciation for the power of research to expand our understanding. I particularly enjoy helping inexperienced researchers navigate the complexities of academic bureaucracy. It’s incredibly rewarding to support them as they move from uncertainty to confidence, gaining the tools and knowledge they need to succeed in a field that can often feel overwhelming.” – Steven Johnson
Tessa Villaseñor, Director of Student Affairs – UCLA Department of History
A senior member and leader of the Department, Tessa Villaseñor is known for her incredible work ethic and her ability to interact effectively with a large and diverse community of graduate students and faculty. She consistently demonstrates care and concern for students and diplomatic, conscientious leadership.
Villaseñor led the undergraduate counseling team (UG) to adopt Career Services cross-training and History Career Pathway Guides and guided the UG counselor to improve department social media presence and increased student engagement. She also created undergraduate and graduate onboarding guides for training of new student affairs staff. Notably, Villaseñor also led the search and training for both undergraduate and graduate advisor positions when they were vacant in Winter 2023, and created the onboarding guides in the process. The guides have allowed the department to ensure a reference point is established for future hires in the student affairs area.
“I have turned to Tessa for advice, I don’t know how many times, and I really, truly value her judgment. Tessa really cares about the students, and they know it… I have seen her go above and beyond the call of duty and her pay grade so many times. In fact, one student who filed their dissertation recently thanked Tessa, first and foremost in the acknowledgements, even before thanking their advisor — I know because I was on that dissertation committee.” – Kevin Terraciano, Chair of UCLA’s Meyer and Renee Luskin Department of History
“As a Los Angeles native, I have had the privilege of attending California public schools from pre-K to University (UC Berkeley, class of 2000). I have borne witness – personally and professionally – to how a high-quality public education transforms people’s lives, myself included. This inspires my work at UCLA, where I hope to continually pay it forward for our current students and those to come.” – Tessa Villaseñor
Esther Blair, Director of Student Services – Department of Political Science
Esther Blair has been the driving force behind the successful creation and ongoing success of the department’s two Summer Session High School Institutes—initiatives that have not only enhanced the department’s visibility and outreach but have also generated additional revenue for her Department. Blair’s leadership and dedication were critical at every stage of these initiatives, she partnered with faculty to craft engaging and academically rigorous syllabi and thoughtfully curated enriching extracurricular activities.
An essential and often unseen dimension of Blair’s excellence is the profound care and moral integrity she brings to her work—particularly in her interactions with graduate students. Blair understands that beyond policies and procedures, there exists an “unwritten syllabus” of graduate life — a set of emotional, ethical, and personal challenges that students navigate, often silently. In the moments when students are most vulnerable, Blair’s commitment to making that hidden syllabus visible, and to supporting students with honesty and compassion, reflects the highest standard of moral excellence. Her leadership is not only defined by the efficiency and effectiveness of her professional duties but also by her deep and unwavering care for the people affected by her work.
“Esther’s contributions to our department are numerous, and they’re also transformational. She has redefined what staff excellence for us looks like by combining important insights with her human touch, her work doesn’t just get things done, but it genuinely creates an impact.” – Davide Panagia, Chair of UCLA’s Department of Political Science
“For almost the last 8 years, I have loved working in the Department of Political Science. What motivates me each day are the personal relationships and connections with faculty, students and staff. It is such an honor to be part of their journey into academic appointments, industry positions, and personal milestones like starting a family. My hope and mission for my role is to always offer a safe space, empower students to engage deeply with the world around them, and deliver high quality service to support their goals in the doctoral program. I feel very blessed to work in such a supportive department and environment. I am so grateful and honored for this nomination and award.”– Esther Blair
Zachary Burwell, Graduate Advisor – UCLA Department of Communication
Zachary Burwell is extremely organized at juggling his many job responsibilities as a graduate advisor. Among some of his key accomplishments, Burwell created a teaching assistant matching system that has facilitated the most mutually beneficial class matches for both PhD students and faculty.
Throughout his tenure, Burwell has agreed to fulfill the duties previously unfamiliar to him and has often lent a hand to other departments in the Social Sciences Division, such as history, anthropology, and political science, when their student affairs officers were on leave, or such positions were vacant due to resignations. He has also supported the search for new staff members.
“My first year as chair was the first year of our PhD program during COVID, and Zack stepped in and basically established the way we run the graduate program. The graduate students really respond to him, and he’s extremely supportive in all their endeavors.” – Gregory Bryant, Chair of UCLA’s Department of Communication
“What guides my work at the Department of Communication are the amazing students, faculty and staff members whom I have the privilege to support. It is truly an honor to assist and collaborate with the people who make meaningful research contributions to the larger academic community. On a personal level, it’s a lot of fun to get to know students and faculty who come from a wide range of backgrounds and have a unique perspective on a great many things.”–Zachary Burwell
View photos from the 2025 Thomas E. Lifka Staff Appreciation Luncheon and Awards Ceremony, here.
Learn more about the Thomas E. Lifka Award, here.
Learn more about Thomas E. Lifka’s philanthropic contributions to UCLA’s Division of Social Sciences, here.