ITS proudly recognizes Technical Program Manager Azra Ayers as the August 2025 Employee of the Month. She was nominated by Patrick Wagman and Rehan Tahir for her exceptional dedication and leadership as the primary planner and master of ceremonies (MC) for the highly successful UC Tech 2025 conference. Her pivotal role ensured a seamless and impactful event that brought together 425 attendees for 80 talks, supported by 25 vendors.

Azra’s work on UC Tech 2025 was instrumental in achieving an unprecedented success: the conference secured the highest sponsorship in UC history at $355,000. Not only did her efforts break records, they also showcased UC Riverside as a premier host institution, delivering valuable insights and networking opportunities to the UC Tech community.

An event of this scale demands extensive collaboration, and Azra consistently delivered. As UC Riverside’s primary UC Tech planner and point of contact, she was responsible for coordinating numerous teams, volunteers, and external stakeholders. This included the conference hosts, keynote speakers, panelists, entertainers, and significant sponsors such as Google Cloud Skills Boost, Cisco, and Amazon Web Services. Her ability to effectively manage and integrate these diverse groups, ensuring everyone was aligned and working toward a common goal, speaks volumes about her collaborative spirit. 

PMO Associate Director and nominator Patrick Wagman shared, "Azra’s approach to leadership ensured a unified and engaging experience for attendees from the very start of the conference. Her efforts undoubtedly fostered a cohesive environment that contributed significantly to the overall success of UC Tech 2025.”

PMO Associate Director and co-nominator Rehan Tahir echoed this sentiment, highlighting Azra’s role as MC alongside Matt Gunkel as demonstrating “a truly collaborative approach to leadership.”

Azra's organizational skills, unwavering commitment to excellence, and leadership were central to the conference's success. The event's smooth operation and achievement of the highest-ever UC sponsorship underscore the significant, tangible impact of her work on ITS and the UC Tech community. As Rehan noted, Azra's instrumental role in orchestrating such an impactful event demonstrated her “exceptional dedication and leadership.”

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.