Teddie exemplifies mentorship in every space she enters, and I have had the privilege of not only being mentored by her during her transition to the HIL specialty coordinator role but also working alongside her and witnessing her deep connection with students as she mentors them in their individualized leadership careers.

Students: One of the characteristics that I admire most about Teddie is her deep commitment to students' success. She provides individualized attention and mentorship to every student. She listens intently to their needs and offers them resources and support in unique ways to ensure they are heard and uplifted to continue on. In addition, she continually seeks opportunities to expand student’s experiences, challenging them to new spaces. Most recently, she supported students who are passionate about Planetary Health to ensure that they have the knowledge and leadership to make the local and global impact needed to address climate change and support human, animal, and plant health.

Colleagues: Teddie is deeply committed to sharing knowledge with and bringing colleagues to share a place at the proverbial table whenever possible. Her mentorship extends beyond the individual level to the international as well. She has supported the dissemination of Cuban research in the Interdisciplinary Journal of Partnership Studies to be accessed by people around the globe, shared knowledge with interdisciplinary colleagues about Planetary Health, and fostered connections for the successful Memorandum of Understanding between the University of Minnesota and the National School of Public Health (ENSAP) in Cuba.

Personal Impact: I have had the very fortunate opportunity to work with Teddie during the transition of the HIL Specialty Coordinator position. During this time, Teddie was intentional to offer a year long mentorship to ensure that I was able to see and experience all the intricacies of the role for an entire year. This unique approach to mentorship ensured that I had space to see, understand, have a space to ask questions, and knew that she was there for any curiosities I had. We discussed logistics, theory, visions, and ideas. Teddie is one who doesn’t lead someone down a path she has carved but rather walks with you as you carve your own path. For this, I’m deeply grateful. Teddie’s partnership approach to mentorship is one that is deeply embedded in her own philosophy of life. She navigates this approach effortlessly and supports people to find the path that best suits them when the time best fits them. She’s too humble to say it, but I know that people locally and globally have been positively impacted by her partnership-based mentorship.

Note: This is Teddie's 2nd DAISY Award!