UW–Madison recognized three School of Education staff members for their outstanding service and contributions at the 2025 IT Recognition Awards ceremony, held May 29 at the Pyle Center.
Lisa Jansen, director of information technology for the School of Education, received the Lifetime Achievement Award — the highest honor given by the IT Recognition Committee. This award acknowledges a career of sustained and significant contributions to the university’s IT community.
Jansen has worked for the Universities of Wisconsin since 1987, including 28 years at UW–Madison. During that time, she has served on more than 40 committees and has been instrumental in key initiatives including campuswide migrations, IT governance, compensation reform, and leadership development. Jansen has also mentored dozens of colleagues and led professional development efforts through groups like ComETS and the IT Leadership Program.
“Throughout their tenure, they have demonstrated a jaw-dropping commitment to our mission at UW,” said Anna Lewis, director of academic technology and libraries in the School of Education and co-director of MERIT, one of six colleagues who nominated Jansen for the award. “This nominee is a clever and strategic leader, whose lifelong work in higher education in Wisconsin has improved the individual careers, culture, and IT services of many.”
Next, Jackson Kestner, information security officer for the School of Education, received the Rising Star Award, which recognizes an early-career IT professional who has demonstrated exceptional growth and contributions. Kestner joined the School in 2020, earned CISSP certification in 2024, and now leads schoolwide security initiatives. He co-chairs the UW–Madison Information Security Team and has helped improve the School’s cybersecurity practices and policies.
“This employee is a rising star who has become a leader and collaborator in our school and the campus IT community. They are smart, hard-working, dependable, and organized,” wrote Jansen in a nomination letter. “They communicate well with technical and non-technical audiences. With all they have accomplished in their first five years, there’s no limit to what they can do in the next five.”
Finally, Ella Tschopik, an IT Help Desk supervisor with MERIT, received the Ellen La Luzerne Community Builder Award for her exceptional work in volunteerism, professional service, and relationship-building within the IT community.
Tschopik co-leads the IT Mentoring Committee and founded the Computer Lab Administrator’s Community. Most recently, she led the planning and launch of UW–Madison’s inaugural IT Support Symposium, which brought together over 100 campus IT professionals for workshops, panels, and networking.
“To say the nominee creates positive change through community engagement activities is an understatement,” said Jansen in a nomination letter. Our campus IT community is closer and more connected because of the nominee’s efforts.”
Read more about the 2025 IT Recognition Award honorees.