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The Organizational Health and Well-Being Office (OHWO) is the recipient of a 2024 Team Service Award in recognition of its outstanding efforts in supporting staff with ongoing illness and disabilities to participate safely and respectfully in the workplace. 

OHWO helps employees stay at work, and when illness necessitates absences, supports their reintegration into the work environment. At the time of the nomination, the team included Flavio De Souza Medeiros, Juliet McEwen, Angela Stolee, Raveena Sangera, Dawn Barroso and Jackie Davie.

As described by OHWO associate director Jackie Davie, the nature of their work is difficult but deeply satisfying. 

“Over the past year, our team has experienced an increase in both volume and complexity in our caseload. Supporting staff and faculty during challenging periods in their lives is meaningful and rewarding—we have the privilege of guiding them to helpful resources, offering support, and assisting with their return to work. At the same time, this work can be emotionally demanding and often calls on our own internal reserves.� 

Davie says a key element of her team’s success is a shared commitment to prioritizing mental health and well-being, “In order to remain resilient, we always make sure we are there for each other—whether that means supporting each other when one of us might be feeling low or experiencing difficulties in our personal or work lives. We also take the time to connect socially so that we understand each team member’s unique strengths and vulnerabilities.� 

Among OHWO’s recent accomplishments is a pilot of , an evidence-based program designed to reduce the stigma around mental illness in the workplace.   

The program aims to transform how participants think and talk about mental health and illness while also equipping them with coping skills for managing stress in their lives. Ninety-five percent of the approximately 200 SFU employees who have completed this training since its launch said they would recommend the program to a colleague.

 OHWO is also currently working with ITS on a proposal for a new disability case management system designed to streamline operations and expand their capacity to provide support to staff and faculty in need.   

 Organizational health associate Flavio Medeiros says the award has helped renew his inspiration and dedication to OHWO’s work, “Receiving this kind of acknowledgment reminded me how important our work is, and how lucky I am to be part of such a dedicated and compassionate team."