Government of Ontario AMETHYST AWARD for Outstanding Achievement

The Amethyst Awards program was created in 1992 to recognize Outstanding Achievement by Ontario Public Servants.   The Awards are specifically designed to recognize outstanding achievements by people, not programs, in the Ontario Public Service (OPS).   Any individual, group or partnership in the OPS can be nominated. Recipients are selected based on exceptional work in the areas of client service, innovation, leadership, professional achievement, building a diverse organization, championing learning and working horizontally across government.  Awards are given to Ontario Public Servants who have extended themselves, whether in creating a whole new way of delivering a service, developing time and money-saving technology, or showing extraordinary professionalism and care in performing their daily tasks.

Award winners in 2011 included two graduates of the MA in Public Policy and Administration, and a senior public servant who is Affiliated Faculty in the MA program.

Agapi A. Mavridis is a Program Advisor in the OPS Diversity Office in the Ministry of Government Services in the Government of Ontario.  Agapi graduated from the MA in Public Policy and Administration, Ryerson University in 2008.

Fausto Iannialice is a Senior Policy Advisor in the Special Education Policy & Programs Branch of the Ministry of Education in the Government of Ontario. Fausto graduated from the MA in Public Policy and Administration, Ryerson University in 2008.

Reg Pearson has, since 1998, held the position of Director of  Dispute Resolution Services in the Ontario Ministry of Labour, and is responsible for Mediation, Arbitration and Collective Bargaining Information Services.  He is responsible for the second largest caseload for conciliation and mediation in North America.  Reg Pearson is affiliated to the Yeates School of Graduate Studies at Ryerson University and is affiliated faculty in the MA in Public Policy and Administration program.