Public Service and Outreach Staff Award for Excellence

Debra Gates

Debra Gates, the main receptionist at the Fanning Institute, shows how a total commitment to customer service can transform a job that might seem routine. She creates a welcoming environment for faculty, staff and clients; greets and directs visitors coming into the building; keeps track of schedules and reserves meeting spaces; and handles minor crises.

When the keynote speaker for a major Family Connection conference was delayed, Gates discreetly tracked down a faculty member who was asked to fill in. She has taken the initiative to suggest ways to improve the forms, guidelines and processes for renting the building’s meeting rooms, even when this increased her workload. She seeks no recognition or attention, finding her reward in how seamlessly everything operates.

During the Fanning Institute’s recent reorganization — an occasionally confusing process — Gates kept everything running smoothly by providing a calm, steady, competent hand as she defused one minor crisis after another. In the process, she has helped meld a group of new colleagues into a productive whole.