As a member of the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Staff Senate, Ayamba Ayuk-Brown, MBA, has attended several recent Employee of the Month celebrations to congratulate the winners. But when she logged on to the videoconference in July, she found herself on the other end of the surprise, receiving accolades and good wishes from her colleagues as the honoree.

Ayuk-Brown, business operations manager for the University of Maryland School of Nursing’s (UMSON) Office of Research and Scholarship (ORS), received the news of her award July 11 from UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS.

“I’ve had some grand times working with her,” said Jarrell, who has interacted with Ayuk-Brown on Staff Senate issues. “You’ve had a tremendous impact in the School of Nursing, and I look forward to continuing to work with you.”

Ayuk-Brown’s colleagues called her a model employee, a change agent, a ray of sunshine, and the glue that holds the ORS team together.

“I don’t know how we would survive without you. You have been absolutely tremendous in everything you do. You just make us work and interact so well with the other offices in the school and across campus,” said Ayuk-Brown’s supervisor, Erika Friedmann, PhD, UMSON’s associate dean for research. “You’re always thinking ahead of what we might possibly need, and that is so valuable to us. We rely on you.”

Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of UMSON, agreed, saying, “The School of Nursing and UMB is fortunate to have outstanding staff. Ms. Ayuk-Brown’s can-do attitude and collaborative spirit is greatly appreciated, and it comes as no surprise that she received the July 2022 UMB Staff Award.”

Ayuk-Brown manages the day-to-day operations and oversees the big picture of ORS, including managing finances, human resources, and processes and analyzing their effectiveness. “I’m a jack of all trades for the Office of Research,” she said. “Anything they need, I can make happen for them.”

Seven colleagues nominated Ayuk-Brown for Employee of the Month, including Casey Jackson, MS, CCRP, research quality manager. “Ayamba places herself into positions where she can be a master of all trades, and she continually searches to better understand how UMB works both operationally and culturally to help fellow employees navigate campus and support themselves,” Jackson wrote in her nomination.

“She is a staff senator, serves on the Staff Senate executive board, is a School of Nursing Staff Council member, a volunteer fire warden, and strong supporter of diversity and inclusion initiatives on campus, among other things. Through these initiatives and roles, she supports numerous UMB employees beyond those who work alongside her. She never dismisses someone with a question and strives to facilitate finding the answer if she doesn’t have it.”

Friedmann pointed out that Ayuk-Brown is always working to advance her knowledge. “She’s one of the most ardent advocates for professional advancement,” she said.

Numerous colleagues talked about Ayuk-Brown’s engagement and volunteer work at the University. She not only is a member of the Staff Senate but also has participated in the Emerging Leaders program and the UMBrella coaching program, and is a SAFE Space trainer for the LGBTQ community and a co-founder of the Stonewall Pride affinity group.

“I get my energy from people, so anything revolved around people excites me,” Ayuk-Brown said. “I feel what drives me is my passion for self-advocacy. I believe that it’s so important for folks to advocate for themselves,” adding that she works to be a source of encouragement and support so people can gain confidence and knowledge to speak on their own behalf.

She said as a staff senator she is able “to have real conversations with leadership members. I’m not afraid to be honest about what I’m hearing on my end from the ground level so that I can bring it up to the top.”

Gregory Brightbill, MBA, MEd, associate director, student leadership and involvement, and the Staff Senate president, told Ayuk-Brown during the videoconference, “I am extremely excited for you and to recognize not only what you have done, but what you’ve continued to do at the University, advocating for staff, faculty, and students and being a change agent. You are a leader among leaders.”

Ayuk-Brown, who said she was overwhelmed and privileged to receive the award from Jarrell since they have worked together, added, “It is such an honor to receive this award for just being myself.”

She has worked at UMSON for six years and said her favorite part of the job is the interaction, particularly during the research faculty hiring process, which she is a part of from the initial application to setting up in-person interviews.

“I get a chance to meet them and see who they are as a person in general outside of the amazing research they’re doing,” she said. “The engagement piece of my job is my favorite.”

Ayuk-Brown, who will receive a plaque, a letter of commendation, and an extra $250 in her next paycheck, thanked Friedmann, her ORS team, and “anyone I’ve come in contact with on campus for being a part of my journey and being a part of who I am as an individual.”

“I’m grateful to be acknowledged,” she said. “For me, it’s about being able to give back. The School of Nursing has given so much to me and allowed me to thrive as an individual from the first day that I started and nurtured who I am and what I want to do for the University and for other people across campus.”

— Jen Badie