ITS proudly recognizes Network Engineer Julie Slusser as the April 2025 Employee of the Month. She was nominated by Cliff Veasey and Sheri Morgan for successfully leading the campus firewall migration project. 

Julie was the driving force behind the complex project of migrating the campus data center firewall from Palo Alto firewalls to the Cisco Firepower firewalls. Over the course of a month, she went above and beyond in coordinating resources and managing functional user timelines and conflicting priorities, all while maintaining her composure and sunny disposition. Sheri Morgan highlighted Julie’s detailed planning and communication, which were key to the project’s success. This involved learning how the Cisco Firepower firewall worked, taking a training class, and working closely with the vendor and lead engineer to execute the plan.

This change was crucial due to the regular failure of the previous Palo Alto firewalls, which had led to campus network outages. Despite an initial unsuccessful deployment, Julie, with the help of the vendor and lead engineer, used her strong problem-solving skills and determination to resolve the issue, which led to a successful second attempt.

With Julie’s technical expertise and grit, she ensured  a successful cutover. Now the campus community benefits from her work, which yielded a more stable campus network for UCR. Her ability to lead a complex and high-profile initiative under pressure, learn new technologies, and collaborate and communicate effectively make her a truly deserving recipient of this award. Congratulations, Julie!

Do you have colleagues who deserve recognition for their hard work and dedication? Nominate them for one of ITS’ Employee Recognition Programs!

Staff members can be nominated for Employee of the Month or Team of the Quarter. Use our form to submit your nomination for the next Employee of the Month.