2026 Staff and Faculty Awards

Sharlene Juste
Associate Director of Student Services and Recruitment, Arlington Campus
Sharlene’s steady leadership and dedication during a period of significant transition at Northeastern’s Arlington campus has ensured that students and faculty have felt well supported. Managing an extraordinary range of responsibilities, from coordinating orientations and supporting faculty hiring to organizing student programming and personally resolving complex visa challenges for international students, Sharlene has been the connective tissue between Boston leadership, Arlington operations, and student needs. Sharlene has shaped a culture of belonging that defines the Arlington campus. Her warmth, creativity, and grace have made CSSH’s multi-campus vision a reality.

Deryni Mahoney
Administrative Assistant, Philosophy and Religion
Deryni is the beating heart of the Department of Philosophy and Religion, supporting the department chair, undergraduate program director, Ethics Institute, and multiple principal investigators while ensuring that everything (curriculum planning, major conferences, Ethics Bowl competitions) runs flawlessly, and recently extending her expertise to the English Department’s Writing Program during a period of college-wide staffing needs. What sets Deryni apart is the unique combination of operational excellence and genuine warmth she brings to everything she does. She anticipates needs before they arise, brings indispensable institutional knowledge to every challenge, and cultivates a culture of belonging that makes faculty, students, and visitors alike feel truly at home.

Krissy Maloney
Associate Director of Undergraduate Student Recruitment Programs
Krissy has become the face of the college, representing its programs and possibilities to prospective students and families with the warmth, professionalism, and authenticity that colleagues credit with meaningfully driving enrollment. Her expertise spans recruitment and admissions, academic advising, and student mentorship, making her an invaluable resource across the college. Doing right by students is simply who she is. Beyond her expansive contributions, Krissy is the heart of her team’s culture, the force behind office celebrations, personalized gestures of recognition, and a sense of community that colleagues say allows everyone around her to show up more fully.

Dave Plancon
Budget Coordinator, World Languages and Cultures and ASL and Interpreting Education Program
In his nearly fifteen years at Northeastern, Dave has become the steady, indispensable backbone of financial operations for the Department of World Languages and Cultures and the ASL and Interpreting Education Program. Dave brings meticulous attention to detail, prompt responsiveness, and calm good humor to everything from grant proposal budget reviews and federal grant reporting to day-to-day financial problem-solving. What sets Dave apart is his genuine intellectual engagement with the work of both units. He attends professional development meetings, shares relevant research with colleagues, and seeks to understand the mission behind the numbers, allowing him to propose creative solutions and forge meaningful connections between initiatives and finances. His precision, patience, and tenacity (often demonstrated through extra hours worked quietly and cheerfully) reflect an unwavering commitment to his colleagues and to the college.

Kate Duggan
Associate Director of Research Development, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Kate has transformed research development support in the college, helping faculty secure over $3 million through more than twenty successful funding proposals in just three years, while overhauling the team’s data collection and reporting methods and rapidly mastering new technologies and systems to enhance communication and efficiency across the college. A recognized leader in her field, Kate designed and launched the Destination Collaboration faculty networking series and serves as a two-time National Conference Co-Chair for the National Organization of Research Development Professionals. She regularly seeks out opportunities to learn and improve, bringing that knowledge back to strengthen her practice, increase efficiency, and support her colleagues. As much as she elevates the research enterprise, Kate equally lifts the people around her, showing up enthusiastically for college and university events, fostering a culture of belonging through cross-functional collaboration and community initiatives, and bringing an infectious positivity that makes her an indispensable part of the community.

Nicole Aljoe
Professor, English and Africana Studies
Since joining Northeastern in 2008, Professor Nicole Aljoe has dedicated herself to building structures and spaces that make belonging a reality rather than an aspiration, co-founding the Women of Color in the Academy Initiatives in 2015 and co-chairing its annual conference for ten years, bringing together faculty and staff across Northeastern’s global network for networking, skills development, and community. Her commitment to inclusion is deliberate and structural. Nicole convenes a weekly social writing group for women of color, mentors faculty colleagues, has chaired dissertation committees for seven graduate students of color, and has guided countless undergraduates through research and experiential learning programs in Boston and London. By creating real opportunities and tangible tools for success rather than relying on informal mentoring alone, Nicole has shaped the careers and experiences of generations of scholars.

Shannon Usher
Academic Administrator, Political Science
Shannon is a steadfast champion for staff community and visibility within CSSH, bringing genuine passion and consistent presence to her role as Co-Chair of the Staff Advisory Committee, her involvement in the Staff Engagement Taskforce, and a wide range of college events and initiatives that go well beyond the expectations of her position. At a time when staff morale has faced real challenges, Shannon has leaned in rather than stepped back, investing time to truly listen to her colleagues, amplify their voices, and work toward meaningful change. Her energy, commitment, and belief in the power of belonging make her an uplifting force within CSSH.