Four Northern Essex Community College faculty and staff members were recently named recipients of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) Awards, a national honor which recognizes outstanding faculty and staff in the country’s community colleges.

This year’s recipients include Judith Chmielecki of North Andover, instructor of English as a Second Language (ESL), Dr. Carolyn Cohen, of Atkinson, NH, professor and chair of the Behavioral Science Department, Jane Gagliardi of Gloucester, program coordinator of the Human Services Program, and Susan Pelletier of Andover, administrative assistant in the Arts, Business, Communication, and Technology Department.

Since 1978, NISOD has been dedicated to the professional development of faculty, administrators, and staff; and to the continued improvement of teaching and learning, with the ultimate goal of student success.

Chmielecki has worked at Northern Essex for more than 13 years. She is highly regarded by the English as a Second Language (ESL) faculty who say she demonstrates a passion for teaching. Chmielecki is active in college projects, regularly sharing ideas with colleagues to support ESL curriculum development.

She is also a tireless advocate for student success. Students regularly turn to her for guidance in both academic and personal issues, such as balancing work schedules and class time, daycare and school-related responsibilities. Recently, she assumed responsibility for coordinating the ESL Learning Social Club. Outside of class, she is a major supporter of the Women of NECC.

She graduated from Salem State Salem State College with a Bachelor of Science in Education. She also completed graduate work at Lesley College and Fitchburg State College.

Dr. Cohen is recognized as an educator who has high standards in the classroom and is committed to helping each student achieve success. Her involvement in the NECC community is exemplary.

She chairs the Behavioral Sciences Department and has served on several committees including Academic Affairs; Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Steering Committee; the Institutional Review Board; and Help for Outcomes Assessment Committee (HOAC). She is an Achieving the Dream Core Team member and she finds time to serve as a faculty buddy for part-time instructors.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from UMass-Boston and a PhD in Psychopharmacology from the University of Minnesota.

Gagliardi has worked at Northern Essex since 2002 in the Human Services Program of which she is currently the coordinator. In addition to providing excellence in teaching, she works with accrediting agencies to maintain the high standards she and her colleagues demand for themselves and their students.

She is a committed mentor to her students and prepares them to work successfully in the Human Services field.

Gagliardi holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Vassar College and a Master of Social Work from Boston College. She is licensed in Massachusetts as a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) and also a Human Services Board Certified Practitioner (HS-BCP).

Pelletier has worked for NECC since 1991.

She is a team player who never says no to a project and regularly works after hours. She is known for her meticulous manner. She is creative and often asked to serve on committees because she is so respected for her knowledge and ability to balance a budget to the penny.

Pelletier has attended NECC, Fitchburg and Salem State Universities.

For additional information contact Judith Kamber, NECC dean of professional development, at jkamber@necc.mass.edu or 978-556-3955.

The 35th Annual NISOD Conference will be held May 26 through May 29 in Austin, TX.

More than 700 community colleges around the world are NISOD-members.