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Julie Braun |
Whether it be at home taking care of five children — including four teenagers — or at work as an administrative assistant in UNMC’s Department of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, Braun takes care of everyone as if they were family.
For her work here at UNMC, Braun received the Chancellor’s Gold ‘U’ Award for the month of April.
“Julie is a superior administrative assistant and a kind soul,” said Daniel Yoon, M.D., house officer in the department of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery.
Dr. Yoon said Braun recently went above and beyond the call of duty to assist him in the preparation of a health care policy scholarship application for the American College of Surgeons, by working all day under pressure.
Braun’s caring demeanor comforts people she works with, said Alisa Perkins of the UNMC Physicians otolaryngology department.
“Julie goes out of her way to make sure that the day is going smoothly for those around her,” Perkins said. “She has strived to improve the quality and efficiency of the office. Even when she is ill she makes sure the physicians for whom she works receive their projects on time and to their specifications.”
Braun wears many hats at work. Among her many responsibilities are handling day-to-day patient requests, helping investigators with research applications and publication submissions and handling the department’s public relations engagements and faculty recruiting assignments.
“Julie truly is a jack of all trades,” said Tom O’Connor, senior associate director of public affairs. “She has been very helpful to us on many occasions and best-of-all — it’s always with a smile on her face.”
Working with wonderful people is part of her secret, Braun said. In her coworkers she has found a supportive group that appreciates her work and allows her flexibility to work around her busy home life, she said.
“Our department actually makes time for us to share our families with each other,” she said. “We know what’s going on in each other’s lives. We share photos, births and graduations from the chairman down.”
Braun has plenty to share from the home front, where dealing with five children leaves little time for her and her husband to relax.
“Some days it’s crazy at home,” she said. “We just finished two track seasons, a golf season and a soccer season at three different schools.”
But not that she minds. For Braun, having a satisfying job and lots of children around is a dream scenario.
“Anybody who knows me knows that I’m in heaven. All I’ve ever wanted was a house full of children,” Braun said. “And I’ve found such satisfaction with my job and I love the people with whom I work. I am so blessed.”