What has been your career path; how did you end up in your current position?
I began as a student-athlete here at the UO in 2005, with the Track and Field program, throwing the Javelin.
I have worked for the university since 2009.
I began as a student worker for the Oregon Athletics department. Once I graduated, I kept my foot in the door, continuing to work with Athletics as a temporary event worker as well as a nutrition bar manager for the athletic training center. In 2010, when a permanent full-time position was available to apply for, I was hired as an assistant event manager for approximately seven sports and later I became the parking manager for all athletics.
In 2015, I became the Event Manger for Matthew Knight Arena. Managing four sports, outside events, concerts and shows. Then, in 2017, I decided to leave my professionally fulfilling career as an event manager to focus more on work and family balance. Applying and accepting the position of (what was once known as) the Safe Rides/Designated Driver Service Program Manager with UOPD. Over the course of my five years developing this program—providing operational and safety structure and risk mitigation—the programs were combined. The initiative is now called Duck Rides: a safe, inclusive night-time transportation service for students, by students.
In 2022, I was offered the opportunity to develop the Security Operations Center (SOC). This meant I had would be hiring a team of full-time UOPD employees to answer the call! The SOC provides customer service-focused opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and visitors to be able to speak to humans who empathize with callers’ needs and guide them to the appropriate response or service. In addition, the SOC connects people with the primary response of fire and security systems.
During the development process, the SOC additionally became a Secondary Public Safety Answering Point (secondary PSAP). A secondary PSAP certifies each dispatcher as a Basic Telecommunicator to answer transferred 911 calls. This ensures callers speak directly with the SOC dispatchers and then the SOC team takes steps toward dispatching UOPD officers to complete the needs of the caller. My current position is one that is still developing as we add new support services to each campus—including Eugene’s main campus, PDX, OIMB (Oregon Institute of Marine Biology), and Pine Mountain Observatory.
What obstacles have you overcome in your career?
My career has been about forging paths. When one door is closed, I try to stay persistent to open another. As an event manager, communication and problem solving were essential. In shifting my career to UOPD, I have become more of an event manager to program operational development. The obstacles are making square pegs fit in round holes. I’m not always a subject matter expert, but I have spent 16 years at this university building a community of professionals I can trust and rely upon to curate strong, reliable operations that support the goals and missions of my department and this university.
A little about myself personally:
I am mother of two: Thomas (9) and William (5). My husband Charles has also been working for the university; he too began as a student worker in 2004. Go Ducks! I lovingly refer to my second job being an “Uber-Kids” driver, shuttling my kids around to all their passions. I have a very large extended family, and we try to do as much together as possible. We often refer to ourselves as “a traveling circus”.
I would love to be remembered as someone who was thoughtful and considerate of others. I hope I am remembered as someone who gave their all and never gave up!
(December 2025)