Academic staff members bring UW–Madison’s mission to life — they are gifted teachers, world-class researchers and dedicated administrators. None of that has changed with COVID-19. If anything, their creativity and dedication is more needed and more apparent than ever right now. Though the ceremony to recognize this year’s winners of Academic Staff Excellence Awards has been postponed, their stories inspire all of us during these difficult times.
Teacher Lisa Marie Carilli-McCord, of the Waisman Early Childhood Program is one of those recognized with the Martha Casey Award for Dedicated Service to the University. 
Without Carilli-McCord’s consistent, 30-year dedication, WECP would not be the solid, nationally renowned program it is today, colleagues say. She’s a true unsung hero, working passionately to ensure that everything in the program is held to the highest possible standards. Carilli-McCord has taught in each of the program’s classrooms, holding positions from teacher assistant to lead teacher to administrative assistant. She’s the go-to person for almost all historical knowledge.
Inside the classroom, Carilli-McCord exudes confidence and kindness, excelling at the thoughtful details. She writes a note each day for each child discussing what the child did that day. Twice each year, she documents each child’s developmental milestones in a book of pictures and text. Praised for her warmth, she fittingly is the co-teacher this year in the “Sunshine Room” for 1-year-olds.
Carilli-McCord is also an administrative assistant with the program. Congratulations Lisa Marie.