Alan Shepard Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Employee Award Recipients

2026 recipients

Sonya Panangaden

TMU Libraries

Since joining TMU in 2009, Sonya Panangaden has been a tireless champion of equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. As the Library’s Alternate Format Technician, she transformed the role into a vital service removing barriers for students and faculty with disabilities. Sonya’s commitment is outstanding and she has shaped accessible library practices, from staff training and inclusive workflows to accessible floor maps and research guides. Beyond her role, she fosters inclusion through storytime outreach, assisting at library events, and contributing to the Social Justice committee. Her compassion, expertise, and unwavering commitment have made TMU Libraries, and TMU itself, more inclusive, equitable.

Hyacinth Simpson

Faculty of Arts

Dr. Simpson is an effective EDI leader and collaborator who has spearheaded initiatives, helped to develop structures and resources, and supported the integration of roles and programs that make equity, diversity and inclusion foundational to our scholarly, research, and creative activities ecosystem; to hiring, tenure evaluation, and promotion processes; to student and faculty mentorship; and to the curriculum. She also developed and finalized TMU’s Dimension Action Plan, which provides a roadmap for eliminating barriers to inclusion and sets out a clear pathway for fostering inclusive excellence within our SRC environments. Her EDI advocacy has created lasting positive changes at TMU.

Learning and Inclusion Education Developers, AAS

• Rachelle Bensoussan, Student Wellbeing
• Jenny Sampirisi, Student Wellbeing

The Learning and Inclusion Education Developers Team in Academic Accommodation Support—Jenny Sampirisi and Rachelle Bensoussan—are known for their visionary leadership in advancing accessibility and inclusion at TMU. Through countless trainings and presentations, they have sparked a cultural shift in disability awareness and literacy across campus. Their achievements include founding the first ever AAS Student Advisory Committee, creating the online Policy 159 Faculty Training, producing the feature-length film Access Matters, and launching TMU’s first campus-wide benchmark survey for students with disabilities. Their work transforms equity from aspiration to action, embodying the spirit and legacy of the Alan Shepard Award.

Past recipients