The many components of the Center for Healthy Minds (CHM) at UW–Madison are often held together by the efforts of unsung heroes who support our directors, scientists, researchers and other staff. Brendon Panke, CHM operations and community resource coordinator and 2024 UW Staff Recognition Award winner, is one of those people.

Brendon, who is one of 10 winners this year, was selected by the University Staff Awards Selection Committee from more than 50 nominees. Selection criteria included exhibiting leadership, engaging in community service and actively making the workplace more pleasant.

For the past five years, Brendon has worked at CHM to actively engage with and help people flourish and connect. At a research center that has over 60 faculty and staff members at any given time, that’s no small feat.

"Work can be tough, fast-paced, and overwhelming, but it doesn't all have to be that way and not every part of it is, either,” he says. “The tough parts offer a chance to be in community with those around you. I love the chance for everyone to be drawn closer together and hope to help make that ‘drawing together’ easier for everyone."

In his role at CHM, Brendon provides administrative support for leadership, faculty and scientists through planning and scheduling, as well as administrative support for the Center's visitors, including the CHM Speaker Series which focuses on featuring scholars who identify as members of populations that have been marginalized by academia. Additionally, he assists the marketing and communications team by providing feedback on science communications and other related projects.

Colleagues who nominated Brendon for the award noted his sense of humor, people skills, caring attitude and fearless optimism.

“Brendon’s eclectic fashion sense lights up the office and his way of authentically living often inspires other staff to find a sense of belonging here at the Center – where people from different countries and backgrounds come together weekly,” says Victoria Vlisides, CHM Digital Content Editor.

Brendon is co-lead of the CHM Culture Collective, a staff committee with a mission to help create a culture of belonging through community-building activities and support of sub-committees dedicated to a variety of topics.

Operationally, Brendon is a go-to human knowledge base with vast experience in historic and current solutions, to everything from software to office protocol. In a hybrid work environment, he often provides support to help meetings, livestreams, in-person visits and onboarding happen seamlessly.

His love for helping people combined with his improv skills make him an entertaining conversationalist and storyteller, and he harnesses these skills to give back to the community. Brendon spends his time volunteering outside of work, helping people who are imprisoned at local facilities explore healing through storytelling. He also volunteers for the UW Odyssey program, helping veterans do the same.

Moreover, Brendon lives out the UW’s best values when it comes to community, sharing and environmentalism. For example, he only cycles to and from work and always takes home the leftover office coffee grounds to compost them! He often brings in plants to brighten up the office and lives in a co-housing community near campus, where he also volunteers.

Jennie Nguyen, CHM assistant to the director, and Alyssa Gerarden, CHM research administrator, also received nominations for the award.

All of the 2024 winners were recognized with an award ceremony in early June on the UW campus.