“Keep moving” is the daily work motto of Antoinette Santiago of Hartford who works in the Office of Logistics Management at UConn Health as a storekeeper for its West Dock.

She came to Connecticut from Puerto Rico over 20 years ago, is a mother of four and a grandmother of four, and has been happily married for 29 years.

She started working for UConn Health in 2020 as a courier delivering packages on campus and was quickly promoted to storekeeper successfully receiving them.

“I keep things moving,” Santiago says, to keep the loading dock clear for more and more truck and package deliveries throughout the day destined for the academic medical center’s workforce members and the patients they care for and serve.

Impressively, the team handles up to 500 deliveries each day and up to 125,000 per year.

“Everybody knows my name,” Santiago says with a smile, which is how she greets everyone arriving to UConn Health with a special delivery. “I like my job.”

She adds: “If we don’t do our job fast, we won’t run well. I want no one at UConn Health waiting for their important deliveries. It’s really important to keep deliveries on time for the health care organization.”

Santiago recalls one day critically helping guide a medical cooler rapidly to find its fastest way to the named physician and in turn the patient awaiting the tissue treatment inside.

“We have a good team working here and we do a good job every day. We move everything along together and help each other,” says Santiago. “We’re West Dock!”

Her manager Michael Dailey couldn’t be prouder of Santiago and his entire team.

“We have a great team. They really perform a true team effort for UConn Health every day,” says Dailey.

“Antoinette is a team player, always with an enthusiastic and good attitude. She is unstoppable. First as a courier she ruled the world delivering packages and was always so productive. She is always willing to help and has learned everything to be a storekeeper.”

“Antoinette is the face of UConn Health,” says Dailey. “When it comes to teamwork, she is the epitome of what the Office of Logistics Management is all about.”

“Each day she works hard and always gets everything done. She doesn’t complain. And when someone needs help on the team, she’s there to help them,” says Dailey.

Santiago also goes the extra step to make her fellow employees happier.

“She does small things to simply bring joy to others,” he says. “She helps make our work area a home away from home and even around the holidays she decorates. She is the light.”

“Antoinette is a team player, always giving a 125 percent, and is really good for our team morale.

“We always want the best for her too,” stresses her supervisor.