How long have you been with UNMC?
In October, it will be 30 years!
What were your roles before joining this department, and what are your roles now with the DONS?
I started out in Grants Accounting (now referred to as Sponsored Programs Accounting), in 1990. The office was located in the old Administration/IT Building on 42nd and Emile. The building is no longer there as it was torn down to make way for the Sorrell Center. After six years in Grants, I accepted a position in Psychiatry as a financial analyst. Psychiatry was in a long building on 45th street that spanned from Emile to Dewey. It was torn down to make way for the two Durham Research Center towers. I enjoyed the faculty and staff here very much and made some lifelong friends that I am still in contact with today.
In 1998, the Center for Neurovirology was approved by the Board of Regents and I accepted the position of Administrator. The CNND was housed in Swanson Hall on the corner of 45th and Dewey, and you guessed it, was torn down to make way for the Buffet Cancer Center. In 2004 we merged with the Department of Pharmacology and we became the Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience where I was the Administrator until this spring when I accepted the position here in the Department of Neurological Sciences.
What are some things you hope to accomplish in your new role?
I plan to review processes that are used in the department to find if we are doing things in the most practical and efficient way. So many processes are moving to electronic formats and I find that this saves time, money and space. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the institution has been forced find ways to adapt to doing business electronically. I am in hopes that these practices will remain in place.
Another goal is to improve on financial compliance and financial reporting. In my 21 years in PEN, we evolved our systems to maximize efficiencies and reporting. I am fortunate that my colleague, Johna Belling, has also joined DONS, as she plays a key role in research administration and research finances. In my first five months with the DONS we have not yet accomplished what we need to, but with the new fiscal year starting, we are making great progress. With assistance from many other staff, we are ready to start the year off with some new procedures that will help get the information to those that need it.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I come from a small town but a large family. I am the youngest of seven children. My Mother is 95 and still lives on her own in Humphrey, NE. I love family gatherings and spending time with friends. I have several "therapy" groups that are great for making memories and laughing a lot! I also love to listen to books while driving, cleaning or walking.