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District 1199C Training & Upgrading Fund: 2024 Peer Recognition Awards and Years of Service Awards

November 1, 2024


The Training Fund’s mission is championed by a team of remarkable individuals who are dedicated not only to serving members, partners, stakeholders, and the community but also to supporting one another. On Friday, November 1st, we came together to celebrate our colleagues through peer recognition and years of service awards. We are proud to honor the recent recipients and nominees of these awards and to recognize the ongoing dedication and commitment of our exceptional Fund Team members. 

We are excited to share your accomplishments with everyone. It was an honor to celebrate you all!

Peer Recognition Award Recipients:


Grand Peer Recognition Recipient

Stean Wilborn

Stean is always willing to step in and help. I am so grateful!

I want to recognize Stean Wilborn for his tireless work in serving Union Members through apprenticeship training. Stean successfully enrolled a student class of 10 with 50% being Union Members. Stean brings a positive attitude and is willing to help out in any area.

Stean goes above and beyond every day to help everyone on the floor. He performs many tasks outside his responsibilities, just to be helpful. This has including building furniture, moving heavy boxes, making sure the water coolers stay full…He lifts people up and has a crazy sense of humor.

I want to recognize Stean for his teamwork: Stean did a great job with me assisting me with cleaning & organizing the library and lab.

Stean is for the team! He is always willing to offer assistance, resources, and new ideas. I want to recognize Stean for going above and beyond for us and for his efforts in supporting the growth of Training Fund initiatives. He is a joy to have as a co-worker.


Top Recognition Recipients

L to R – Stean Wilborn, Lily Applebaum, LaTrina Swinson, Jo Ann Miller, Audie Murphy, and Jennifer Herrmann; Executive Director, (Nafeesah Taylor, not pictured)

Nafeesah Taylor

Nafeesah displays leadership and dedication to serving Union Members with educational opportunities by working to stand-up the Behavioral Health Program. Nafeesah has shown the ability to navigate any roadblock, shows commitment to excellence and displays professionalism in the workplace.

Nafeesah has provided HTTI with assistance on-going assistance in all of our projects from moving to helping at graduation ceremonies, going above and beyond in setting up the new student Library. No job is too big or too small. 

Always willing to help even outside of her jurisdiction.

Lily Applebaum

Teamwork: For her outstanding contributions and productivity on our IET planning meetings.

Lily really impacts her students and has many great ideas for our program.  Not to mention that she is a dedicated worker.

Amazing person, professional, caring, the best!

Jo Ann Miller

This person is a team player and is dedicated to her work and team. She exudes kindness and patience. 

Goes above and beyond!

Jo Ann always goes out of her way to help out when needed. Shes kind and patient, offering support and understanding to both students and coworkers. Jo Ann is a team player, and I am grateful for her. She deserves recognition for her positivity, engagement, and support.

LaTrina Swinson

Trina has gone above and beyond covering for classes, leading her intake and orientation team and processing student schedule changes/helping students overcome barriers to continue attending. I love being on the team with her!

Kindness: Thanks for baking the office homemade poundcake!

Audie Murphy

Audie is so helpful. He often pitches in to help out on the front desk and makes my day lighter, stopping by to see how things are going. He’s a real “team player”.

Audie is always willing to help out.


Special Recognition

The following have all been selected by your peers for special recognition. Thank you for your commitment and positive impact on our team! Your efforts have not gone unnoticed!

Geniya Merriweather
James Thompson
Lissette Rivera
Rashida Elahi
ShaRon Taylor
Shona Murphy
Teressa Byrd
Valda Xavier
Youth High School Equivalency Program


Service Award Recipients

L to R – Valda Xavier, Michael Westover-Callsen, and Jennifer Herrmann; Executive Director

5 Years of Service
Michael Westover-Callsen
Valda Xavier



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