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Eight William Paterson University employees were among those honored by Governor Phil Murphy for their exceptional performance and service at a New Jersey State Employee Recognition Day (SERD) Award Ceremony in Trenton on May 7, 2025. The ceremony was held to recognize and honor state government employees for their outstanding contributions, a work ethic that inspires accomplishment, and their commitment to excellence in public service.
The eight employees honored were Neil Grimes, education and curriculum materials librarian; Cindy Gennarelli, director, Child Development Center and Early Childhood Innovation; Margaret Renn, director, Office of Field Experiences; Susan Stanfield, professional services specialist, College of Education; Anna Baiata, interim executive director, Office of Sponsored Programs; Melissa Petrosi, associate director, undergraduate admissions; Kathleen Torsney, professor of psychology and director, master’s degree program in clinical and counseling psychology; and Jorrdin Miller, office administrator, Child Development Center.
“William Paterson's success is the result of the dedication and excellence of our talented faculty, staff, and administrators, who are doing great work on behalf of our students and their colleagues in every college, division, and office across campus, as well as in the surrounding communities they call home,” says President Richard J. Helldobler. “I am proud to see these particular members of our community recognized for their exceptional work and service to William Paterson and the State of New Jersey.”
The award recipients were chosen from a statewide pool of nominees based on the following criteria: outstanding effort, consistent quality performance, and contributions to the department/agency above and beyond the call of duty; innovative thinking, taking initiative, identifying organizational efficiencies, and effecting cost savings; a demonstrated commitment to the citizens of the State and the clients we serve; demonstrated willingness to share knowledge, teach others, and work as part of a team; and representing the State of New Jersey with the highest standards of professionalism and ethics.
Neil Grimes, Cindy Gennarelli, Margaret Renn, and Susan Stansfield received the Governor’s Team of Excellence Award in recognition of their work on the Real Men Read project, which promotes literacy and mentorship, particularly for young boys in New Jersey preschools and elementary schools. Launched at William Paterson in 2019 at the initiative of Grimes, the program adapted to virtual readings during the pandemic and has thrived since returning to in-person readings. The University’s Office of Professional Development and School-Community Partnerships has helped place more than 100 WP faculty, administrators, staff, and students in regional schools, where they read to an average of 1,200 students each March. The program has garnered statewide and national recognition as a model literacy program, including recognition as a 2024 Emerging Strategies Honoree by the Library of Congress Literacy Awards Program. It has also further expanded and strengthened WP's connections with local school districts.
Anna Baiata received the Leadership/Professional Achievement Award for ensuring smooth transitions and improved operations through several changes in the leadership of her office. Over the past year, when the then-executive director went on medical leave during a major new system implementation, Baiata’s interim leadership ensured that the project was completed on time, despite the disruption. She has also sparked the creation of new processes to improve efficiency and modernize legacy practices. Since being named interim director last year, Baiata has reorganized workflows and worked to rectify relevant University policies. She has been a valued member of WP's Workday implementation team, and within her office she has fostered a supportive, growth mindset-centered environment. Baiata has navigated many internal challenges and external threats to institutional support with calm and composure and proved a steady hand in a unit that has otherwise lacked consistent, committed leadership for several years.
Melissa Petrosi, who received the Innovation and Efficiency Award, was recognized for using technology to increase applicant accessibility, increase efficiency, improve service, and increase cost savings. Among the transformative initiatives she has spearheaded are an applicant portal to make it easier for prospective students to engage with WP and a specialized athletics portal to improve the student-athlete recruitment and admissions process. She also implemented numerous processes for more efficient gathering and tracking of critical documents and report creation, which have empowered admission counselors and support staff to provide students with faster, more personalized service. In addition, Petrosi is a supportive colleague, who is always eager to collaborate and assist others in the name of continuous improvement across the department, which has allowed it to operate more efficiently while also enhancing the student and staff experience.
Kathleen Torsney received the New Jersey Award for Heroism. As the only woman member of the search and rescue team in Bloomingdale, Torsney helped rescue a woman who attempted to take her own life with opioids and alcohol earlier this year after working with the team to locate her in a wooded area. Thanks to Torsney and her colleagues, the woman was located and the EMTs were called. When their efforts to revive the victim onsite did not succeed, Torsney helped evacuate her from the rugged terrain so she could be taken St. Joseph's Hospital, where she was successfully revived. Torney was also recognized by the Borough of Bloomingdale with the Citizen's Lifesaving Award for what was one of many rescue calls to which she has responded in her more than five years on the team to aid injured or lost hikers, people who are a danger to themselves, and those who are cognitively or emotionally impaired. Torsney is a certified N.J. Disaster Response Crisis Counselor and serves on response teams for Passaic and Morris counties. She is also team leader of the Triboro Domestic Violence Response Team, where she has spent 24 years supporting domestic violence survivors.
Jorrdin Miller received the Community Service Award. Her role involves significant interaction with the community members who use the Child Development Center's services, and she can be counted on to provide a calm and reassuring voice in dealing with families when it comes to what matters to them more than anything, their children. Families trust that Miller cares about their needs and prioritizes the safety and well-being of their children. She demonstrates sensitivity and caring and goes above and beyond the specific duties of her role to help families identify other community resources that might support their other various needs. She encourages parents to enroll in WP courses for their and their children's benefit. She also helped connect a WP student employee who was experiencing homelessness with resources to help them find shelter. Miller is always among the first to volunteer to help out with CDC community outreach efforts, including the car seat safety program, coat and blanket drives, and Thanksgiving turkey and books for children initiatives, to name just a few examples. She also volunteers at events including Wayne Day and Communiversity Day and works to connect the CDC to the broader campus.
