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Congratulations to 2023 CoE Staff Incentive Award Recipients from BME

Four BME staff members honored by Michigan Engineering

Congratulations to Kristi Haynes, Research Administration Manager; DeAndre Jamison, Laboratory/Classroom Services Manager; Jeanne Sanders, Senior Research Lab Specialist; and Michele Santillan, Communications Manager. They are the 2023 recipients of the CoE Staff Incentive Award, which recognizes staff who consistently demonstrate the College’s vision, mission, and values.

Kristi Haynes, Research Administration Manager

Kristi consistently demonstrates the College’s vision, mission, and values. She leads a team of staff who are mission critical in BME: enabling the success of our faculty, postdocs, research scientists, research faculty, and students. Kristi leads while exhibiting the highest standards of excellence in team-work, collaboration, cooperation, commitment, inclusion, dependability, trustworthiness, and patience. Kristi consistently goes above and beyond as a Research Administrator. She is always kind and helpful, puts people first and is an asset to our department by matching our mission and values. 


DeAndre Jamison, Laboratory/Classroom Services Manager

DeAndre has consistently excelled in his role, earning high praise from faculty, staff, students, and visitors to the department. Particularly noteworthy is his ability to work productively with broad teams of students and faculty, while maintaining professional excellence and demonstrating collegiality and inclusive collaboration. He has contributed to academic innovation in our educational programming, which help us meet our vision of preeminent engineering education. DeAndre has been a leader in developing intellectually curious and socially conscious biomedical engineers through his work in the BME Design program. He has developed new infrastructure, processes, trainings, and educational materials that help UM students be successful. DeAndre’s impact in the design program has been transformative and he is highly deserving of this recognition.


Jeanne Sanders, Senior Research Lab Specialist 

Jeanne has been instrumental in helping the Jensen lab move from the University of Illinois to the U-M, including setting up protocols, logistics, building community, and lab organization. The templates and systems that Jeanne has developed, particularly for supporting graduate students have been shared with colleagues across campus. Jeanne is an unwavering advocate for DEIJ and supports her community by helping people learn about these topics by curating and sharing resources and implementing effective change, including as a leader of the Mental Health and Wellness virtual community that brings together over 100 members internationally once per month. Jeanne is a critical supporter of graduate students, including those who are not in our research lab, to support their professional development, regularly meeting with them, sharing opportunities, and training them in research methods.


Michele Santillan, Communications Manager

Michele consistently demonstrates collegial and inclusive leadership in communications and marketing, to meet our vision of preeminent engineering education and research. Her many significant contributions to BME have helped to inspire our community and create a sense of excitement and belonging. Her creative, collaborative approach to working with faculty, staff, and students fosters trust and strengthens our BME community across the university and beyond.