Patricia Brainard Honored with College of Engineering’s Highest Staff Award

U-M CEE is excited to announce that this year’s winner of the Judith A. Pitney Staff Service Career Award is our own Patricia Brainard. This award is the highest honor awarded to staff at the College of Engineering and recognizes Brainard’s 16 years of service as our Department Administrator.

The award, named in recognition and honor of Judith A. Pitney, an executive director of resource planning and management at Michigan Engineering from 1992 to 2006, recognizes staff with at least 10 years of service at the College who have made significant, measurable and attributable long-term contributions to the mission and goals of Michigan Engineering.

“The dedication, innovation and positive leadership that Pat has exemplified throughout her career at CEE, along with her impact on the department, is exactly the kind of dedicated leadership the Judith A. Pitney Staff Service Career Award was established to recognize,” said CEE Department Chair and Professor Yafeng Yin, who led the award nomination with supporting letters from several contributors.

Pitney was known as an influential figure and dedicated employee at the College: During her time at the University of Michigan, she led transformative changes that reshaped the College’s operational landscape, modernizing the operations of the entire College and helping to implement systems of sustainable growth and success. Many of the organizational structures she established continue to this day. She is also known for her role in many infrastructure projects that expanded the College not only physically, but also in terms of research and educational capabilities. Pitney was instrumental in several infrastructure projects, such as the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Tower, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Biomedical Engineering Building, Bob and Betty Beyster Building, Carl A. Gerstacker Building, Class of ‘47E Reflecting Pool, François-Xavier Bagnoud Building, and Robert H. Lurie Engineering Center. Her work on these projects has shaped campus as we know it today.

“I feel very connected to the legacy of Judith Pitney,” said Brainard. “Her work ethic, dedication and many contributions to U-M are inspiring.”

Patricia Brainard joined CEE in 2008 and has been a large contributor to the department’s culture and operations. Within the department, she has helped to enhance efficiency, accountability, and teamwork through her implementation of a cross-training and overlapping team system that is still utilized today. Pat has also been a trailblazer in implementing community-building principles into every aspect of her work — she was the first staff member in CEE to earn the DEI Certificate, and paved the way for others to follow. In addition to her current role as Unit Administrator for Civil & Environmental Engineering, Pat stepped up to help the College of Engineering as the Interim Unit Administrator for Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (NA&ME). In both departments, Brainard has worked tirelessly to address human resources and financial issues, coordinated departmental operations, and hired dozens of talented staff members to support strategic initiatives and regular operations.

Pat’s contributions extend beyond the departmental level: as Chair of the Creativity, Innovation, and Daring Committee at the CoE from 2018 to 2020, she led the creation of the “Creating Conversations” program, which fosters collaboration and innovation across CoE departments.

Pat has been recognized several times throughout her career for her contributions and impact. She received the CoE Excellence in Staff Service Award and was a finalist for both the Candace Johnson Award and the President’s Staff Innovation Award. Her dedication to accessibility and inclusion earned her a nomination for the 2024 James T. Neubacher Award, and her leadership in fostering an inclusive culture was recognized with the 2024 Distinguished Diversity Leadership Award. Pat used the funds from these awards to establish a library of 52 leadership books, which are available to faculty and staff in CEE.

“In every aspect of her work, Patricia Brainard has demonstrated the qualities celebrated by the Judith A. Pitney Career Award,” said Yin. “Her sustained excellence, transformative leadership, and unwavering commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment have made a profound and lasting impact on the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the College of Engineering, and the University of Michigan.”

“Receiving the Judith A. Pitney Career Award is a major honor and achievement of my career,” said Brainard. “I am truly grateful for the nomination and recognition, and I will continue to strive to exemplify the traits this award exemplifies.”Brainard will be honored for this achievement at a College of Engineering reception on May 21st 2025.