ITS proudly recognizes Rehan Tahir, Associate Director of the Portfolio Management Office (PMO), as the October 2025 Employee of the Month. Rehan was nominated by multiple colleagues, including Kathleen Rondeau-Taylor, Patrick Wagman, Dalia Fadel, Patricia Sanchez Jaques, and Edwin Melgar, for his extraordinary leadership, selflessness, and commitment to organizational excellence.

Delivering Results Through Disciplined Execution

Rehan is celebrated as a leader who is able to balance strategic vision with disciplined execution, a quality that is vital to the success of high-impact initiatives. Aside from his managerial responsibilities, he has also taken on the active management of the demanding Graduate Student Management System project.

PMO Executive Director Kathy Taylor shared the following in her nomination:

[Rehan] manages complex, high-impact projects while simultaneously excelling in his managerial responsibilities, ensuring that deadlines are met without compromising quality. His ability to balance competing priorities, adopt best practices, and apply innovative solutions enables him to successfully drive initiatives forward. Moreover, his responsiveness, attention to detail, and drive to exceed expectations reflect his unwavering focus on achieving successful outcomes for those he serves.

Rehan’s commitment to excellence, reliability under pressure, and proven record of achieving measurable outcomes demonstrate his exceptional capacity to turn challenges into successful results for the organization.

Driving Innovation Through Lifelong Learning

A dedicated lifelong learner, Rehan recently achieved a monumental personal milestone by earning his PhD while maintaining his high-level professional responsibilities. His commitment to growth extends into his work at ITS, where he has invested personal time and resources into mastering modern methodologies like Agile, Scrum, and Product Management. By establishing himself as a subject matter expert in these frameworks, Rehan has introduced forward-thinking solutions that streamline operations and enhance the delivery of value to campus stakeholders.

PMO Associate Director Patrick Wagman affirmed this, saying:

Rehan consistently goes above and beyond, not just in his role as a manager but by ensuring the entire team operates smoothly. He's always looking for ways to improve our processes and is a key reason critical projects stay on track.

Edwin Melgar, Business Engagement Manager, seconded Patrick’s observation. He shared:

Rehan doesn’t just show up to work, but consistently looks at how we [can] improve the PMO and ITS as a whole.

As irrefutable proof of Rehan’s superhuman work ethic and commitment, it is worth noting that he successfully completed a PhD concurrently with his demanding professional responsibilities. This achievement, alongside his consistent high performance, underscores his exceptional capacity for managing multiple complex endeavors.

A Pillar of Support and Professionalism

Beyond his professional excellence, Rehan is also seen by his colleagues as a pillar of support and one who leads with empathy. Dalia Fadel, Technical Project Manager, praised Rehan’s approach to leadership and work:

[Rehan] listens attentively to his team members, making sure each voice is heard and every perspective is valued. He respects differences in opinion and fosters an environment where open dialogue and collaboration thrive. By listening to diverse perspectives and respecting differences in opinion, [he] ensures decisions are well-informed and collaborative. This inclusive approach leads to more innovative solutions and minimizes blind spots, which results in stronger project outcomes.

Rehan is also recognized for fostering a supportive environment where employee success and well-being are priorities. He demonstrated this by willingly stepping in to manage the responsibilities of two team members during unexpected leaves and vacations, ensuring that ITS operations continued without interruption.

Dalia shared in her nomination:

What makes Rehan stand out is the way he invests his time and energy into the people he leads. [He] also takes a genuine interest in mentoring his team, always encouraging us to focus on professional growth and development. He reminds us that our careers are not just about the work we do today, but also about the skills and opportunities we build for the future.

Rehan’s care for his team translates into higher morale, stronger performance, and a culture of accountability — all of which drive better results for the organization and exceptional experiences for our customers.

Whether he is delivering outcomes on high-impact initiatives or personally covering workloads so team members can take much-needed time off, Rehan exemplifies the best qualities of leadership, proving that he is well deserving of the Employee of the Month award.

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.