Award Recipients

Dr Di Placito's leadership within FLAS is serving to positively propel the department's culture forward, so that its students and its faculty are better supported and successful. Her innovations in onboarding, mentorship and student outreach have answered the call to and defined some of our faculty's most crucial strategic plans. ML consistently demonstrates dedication, leadership, and a positive attitude that has benefited her colleagues and her department.

She goes beyond the traditional role of acting as lead in working groups and committees and contributes to the completion of work. She not only works alongside colleagues, but always arrives prepared with ideas, and solutions, often taking on the bulk of the work herself. She is focused and finds practical, effective, and meaningful solutions in any group in which she takes part.

ML has created a learning environment that exemplifies currency and relevancy to the field of study by creating a programme coordinator training guide. Its aim is to demystify the role of the PC and to provide solid tools for a successful term for all professors inhabiting that role.

ML employs creativity and innovation in delivery methods and assessment strategies including the use of authentic assessments by being extremely creative and committed to an inclusive learning experience for her students. She ensures that current learning materials are multiple formats. As a result, where ever possible, ML's lessons are in a multi-modal format.

Maria Lucia's professional portfolio is venerable and comprehensive. However, her professional contributions are but manifestations of her endless kindness, dedication, genuineness, brilliance and humility. She is part of the formula that makes Humber Polytechnic a successful community in which to grow, learn and contribute.

Kathryn has integrated authentic assessments into her courses (eg: role plays, and video assignments), which engage students in actively practicing the skills they require to be effective in their field of practice. As such, students leave her courses with both the knowledge and the confidence to move on to successful careers. She also presents students with assignment options, to allow students to submit their assignments in different formats – eg: written submissions, video submissions, discussion posts, blogs, etc. Her assignments and class exercises involve “real-world” application of skills, and accompanying reflections to promote self-awareness and personal growth for students.

Kathryn has demonstrated she is committed to EDI, through open discussions in the classroom and faculty meetings about inter-sectionality, and ensuring students understand the importance of inclusive practices. She was nominated by her students as “Pride Marshall” in 2018 for creating safe spaces for LGBTQ+ students in the ADMH program, for her promotion of respectful language, and her commitment to the acceptance and inclusion of all student identities.

She is a leader in how to implement trauma-informed approaches in the classroom. She has presented on this topic at Faculty Professional Development days (FSCS, May 2018), at Humber Polytechnic-led sector development day (June 2018), at the Showcase sessions (June 2021) and the Call Conference (May 2023). This most recent conference presentation was also published in the Interdisciplinary Journal of Student Success (available here: https://cdspress.ca/?p=9219). She is an advocate for the importance of trauma-informed approaches in the classroom that support student learning.

Kathryn has also represented Humber on the international stage, travelling to India in Feb 2023 to further develop relationships with Humber’s international partner institutions. After this visit, she was invited by the Faculty of Social Work at Parul University, India to provide the keynote address at their international conference, on the topic of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. The keynote was well-received, further strengthening Humber’s international reputation as a leader in post-secondary education.

She continues to be invested in her own learning, and is currently completing her PhD with a focus on vicarious trauma for mental health professionals, a topic that is directly related to the ADMH program at Humber, and will promote better outcomes for students.

Kathryn Mettler embodies everything prospective students hope for in a college professor: a dedicated, seasoned industry professional, who is passionate about sharing that information with future industry professionals.

Alyson employs creativity and innovation in her teaching methods. Her approach has been described by her colleague, Audrene Kerr-Brown, as “nurturing their intellectual curiosity” with a knack of “transformed countless classrooms into vibrant humorous hubs of learning, where students are not only educated but inspired to reach new heights of academic achievement”.

Alyson Renaldo is a leader in creating a learning environment committed to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, and an innovator, whose work has impacted the whole institution and beyond. Through inclusive hiring, the mentorship program, and the one-woman show and video productions, Alyson developed an effective learning environment for students and broader society. These initiatives also created meaningful, deep learning in methods extending beyond the traditional classroom, contributing to teaching and learning excellence and an exceptional student experience.

One of Alyson’s most remarkable achievements has been the creation and facilitation of a groundbreaking mentorship program for new full-time faculty that fosters a culture of learning and sharing. Alyson did extensive research and attended conferences to learn about best practices in mentorship. Based on this knowledge, she established a peer-to-peer mentorship program that would facilitate new faculty integration into the Humber Polytechnic community. 

Alyson goes above and beyond to ensure that every student feels seen, heard, and valued, creating an environment where all can thrive regardless of their background or identity.

Through both her contributions within and outside Humber, whether it be to inclusive hiring, the mentorship program, or her one-woman show and video productions, Alyson has demonstrated leadership in developing an effective learning environment for students and broader society, making contributions that enhance meaningful, deep learning in methods extending beyond the traditional classroom, and contributing to teaching and learning excellence and an exceptional student experience.