College of Medicine Employee Spotlight — Meet Rita Laire

Name:  Rita Laire

Title:     Administrative/faculty services coordinator

Hometown: Omaha

Talk about your job and what you like best about it:

I’ve worked at UNMC for 17 years, in three different departments – otolaryngology, surgery and internal medicine. I like to say I got my medical education at UNMC!  For the past 11 years, I’ve worked in the office of the chair of internal medicine under two terrific chairs and three fantastic administrators. I am blessed that there has always been room to grow – opportunities to add more responsibility and knowledge to my repertoire.

Your favorite memory of working at UNMC:

Maybe not my “favorite” memory, but certainly something I won’t forget!  During my time in otolaryngology, Dr. Donald Leopold ordered human heads for a resident anatomy study.  I became “keeper of the heads!”

Hobbies: 

One of my favorite hobbies is grandchildren!  My husband, Steve, and I have 11 – unfortunately, none of whom live in Omaha!  We frequently travel long distances to catch a ball game or witness some special event. People who know me say they see the “Grandma glow,” when the grandchildren are around.

List three things people may not know about you:

1. My husband and I have motorcycled through every state and some of the Canadian provinces. We also once raced motocross.
2. I am a genealogist, who has traced my husband’s family back to royalty – and my own back to peasantry!
3. My husband says I have gypsy roots, because we travel every year and have visited six of the seven continents.