Ditter earns Chancellor’s Gold U award

Working late on New Year’s Eve is no one’s idea of fun, but Julie Ditter, the administrator in the Center for Neurovirology & Neurodegenerative Disorders (CNND), didn’t mind. Neither did her support staff. And with everyone’s help she was able to submit four grants on time.

Her enthusiasm, hard work and dedication to the job have earned Ditter the January Chancellor’s Gold ‘U’ award, which recognizes outstanding performance and service to UNMC.

“I never thought I would have a job that I enjoy so much,” Ditter said.

As the CNND administrator, Ditter is responsible for fiscal and administrative oversight of the center. She began her career at UNMC in 1990 as a grants accountant and then moved on to the position of financial analyst in the department of psychiatry before taking her current job in 1998.

“I enjoy the people and interaction,” Ditter said. And her staff responds well, colleagues say.

Meet Julie Ditter Title: Administrator II Job responsibilities: Fiscal and administrative oversight of the CNND. Coordinates business affairs, manages personnel and is responsible for long-range planning and development of the center. Joined UNMC: 1990. One day I’d like to: Have Martha Stewart decorate, organize and clean my house. Greatest personal achievement: Having two great kids, a wonderful supportive husband and relationships with family and friends, who are all a great source of happiness in my life.

“Her outlook and demeanor is contagious,” said Howard Gendelman, M.D., director of the CNND. “She deals with a large group of investigators and there has always been 100 percent praise of her and her work.”

Through her example, Dr. Gendelman said, Ditter is able to inspire others around her to do their best. She has improved the program in almost every way, he said. From helping a researcher new to the United States find an apartment to tackling numerous grant submissions at once, Ditter puts forth her best effort every day.

Managing more than 70 very diverse people can be challenging, but Ditter does so with a smile. “She’s probably the only individual I’ve met in my 25 professional years who is always upbeat,” Dr. Gendelman said.

Ditter says it’s the job that motivates her.

“Working with such wonderful people and learning about other cultures has made this job incredibly interesting and rewarding,” she said. “I have had the opportunity to work with individuals from China, India, Japan, Russia, Thailand, Venezuela, Camroon, Latvia, Poland, Albania, Ukraine and Vietnam.”

Ditter, who grew up in Humphrey, Neb., population 800, said she is touched by the never-ending gratitude expressed by the researchers, staff and students in the center.

“The researchers constantly tell you they appreciate what you do,” she said.

For Ditter, it’s not just a job; this is her second family, Dr. Gendelman said. “A good administrator must be flexible, possess ingenuity, fearlessness, kindness, compassion and the foresight to change,” he said. “Julie has this.”

In his nomination letter, Dr. Gendelman describes Ditter as “a tremendous individual, dedicated professional, intelligent and resourceful.”

Ditter blushes at the thought of such praise.

“I really appreciate the praise, however, it’s not just my individual effort, it’s a combined effort of a great team,” she said. “There are a lot of people in the CNND that go above and beyond every day. Dr. Gendelman continues to inspire me to go beyond what I think I can achieve.”

Said Dr. Gendelman: “The most important thing to make a program great is to have a soul. Julie, and all our scientists, for that matter, have been able to give this center a soul and make it breathe.”

Outside of the office, Ditter enjoys playing indoor volleyball, teaching CCD and cheering on her kids in their numerous activities. She and her husband Randy have two children, Katie, 10 and Will, 6.