Employee of the Month

The Staff Council would like to recognize the outstanding contributions made by our staff members each day. It is our goal to choose one full- or part-time employee each month to celebrate as someone who is positively impacting our campus community. This person should be someone who works hard to support the University, someone who has added to the campus community in some way, and someone with whom others enjoy working.

Employee of the Month

Amber Ortiz Named April 2024
Employee of the Month

Amber Ortiz, Supervisor of Facilities Management Building Services , was selected as the April 2024 SEAC Employee of the Month.

Nominators spoke about Brett’s dedication to teamwork, service to others, and commitment to Valparaiso University:

“I would like to nominate Amber Ortiz, as her dedication, expertise, and unwavering commitment to excellence have truly set her apart. Amber has made a significant impact in all areas of the building services department, but especially in equipment maintenance and repairs. Amber’s willingness to take on new challenges, out of the box thinking, and continuous drive has resulted in shorter periods of downtime, detailed training to our staff, and has saved the department thousands of dollars. Beyond her technical expertise, she consistently demonstrates care and compassion to all who come in contact with her. Her ability to communicate effectively, make strategic decisions, and motivate others is truly commendable. She has shown a strong commitment to the team’s growth and development, fostering a positive and inclusive work environment. Her visionary approach and innovative thinking have paved the way for success and have earned her the respect and admiration of her colleagues. Thank you Amber for your dedication and commitment to the university.

     Amber frequently, if not every other weekend, comes in on her off days to check her buildings, stock closets, repair equipment, and be a helping hand to the weekend staff. This is something she has been doing on her own and not asked of her.

     Amber demonstrates her commitment on a daily basis whether or not she is scheduled to work or scheduled off. She is always working through how to continuously improve our department, our team, and herself.”

“Amber goes above and beyond no matter what the situation is. She is polite and caring about her staff workers. She not just any old supervisor and by meaning this is that she listen to her employee’s needs and concerns and doesn’t judge a book by its cover. Her knowledge to our department is exceeding her position and I think she deserve some recognition.”

“Amber is an integral part of our team. She is a consummate professional in all of her duties and then goes above and beyond our expectations to support our team and our overall mission. With the introduction of OS1, our team cleaning process, Amber’s work on outlining path and equipment for each of her buildings ensured success for the team. Amber not only excels in managing her assigned buildings and staff but has taken her role a step further and has become the equipment guru for our department. Amber’s enthusiastic approach to jumping in and fixing our machines has drawn the interest of her fellow co-workers, which in turn has helped them understand some of the inner workings of their equipment. The education on daily maintenance and upkeep of the machines has no doubt saved us thousands of dollars.

     Amber has gone above and beyond time and time again to provide sufficient support to the building services team. Amber consistently works 10 + hours a day, and often comes in on the weekend to ensure the buildings are clean for events and her team is ready for the week.

     Whether assisting a new employee, providing guidance to a peer, or giving a parent direction on campus, Amber is the kind of employee that leaves a lasting positive impression. Her high degree of energy, commitment, flexibility and professional conduct further lends to the reason I am proud to nominate her to be recognized as Employee of the Month.”

Eligibility Requirements:

1. Nominations must be for a regular full-time, limited full-time, or part-time appointed staff member who has worked at the University for at least 90 days. Faculty, members of President’s Council, and students are not eligible.
2. Any Valparaiso University staff member, faculty member, student, or alum may submit a nomination via the Google Form on the Staff Council website or on a paper ballot at the Harre Union Welcome Desk or the front desk at Don Hovey.
3. A committee of Staff Council members who comprise the Recognition Committee will select the winning nominee each month at their regularly scheduled meeting.

If you believe you know someone that meets those criteria, please submit this form to nominate them!

Winning nominees will receive recognition in the Campus Chronicle and at Staff Council events, and they will receive several small prizes as a token of our appreciation for their outstanding work.

Congratulations to Past Employee of the Month winners!

We are so thankful to have you on our University Team!