Sue Russell
Work description
I work in University Human Resources and am the executive assistant to the Chief Human Resources Officer. The HR Service Center, who are the HR frontline folks who handle a multitude of calls, emails, and other specific programming responsibilities, report up to me. (Note that I just had a very recent change in position and am now the Director, HR Community of Practice - new job same wonderful colleagues.)
Thematically, my work is about making connections and bringing people together. I assist people in figuring out what they might need, unpacking issues, referring, and supporting with resources. Practically speaking, I do a lot of listening, scheduling, and wondering aloud “Have you thought about…?”
What do I enjoy about my work?
I really appreciate the professionalism and genuine engagement of the HR team. Working through the pieces of a complex request, describing the best path to a solution, and considering how to make things better is our work every day. In our area, what might seem like a simple question can open an entire world of possibilities. Each person on our team has unique strengths and skills that both individually and collectively have a big impact on employee experience. I really appreciate being part of a great team and, as a supervisor, I love helping people understand the positive impact of the work they do.
How did you end up in Eugene?
I moved to Eugene from New York City. I loved NYC, but I had been out to visit my sister and her family here in Eugene and decided I wanted to try living in a greener, less vertical place. Almost 30 years later, I am still here in Eugene riding my bike, walking the hills, and drinking coffee with family and pals. I went back east and lived in Boston for graduate school and loved it, but I always seem to end up back in Eugene at the UO.
Who will win the Golden Bachelor?
I predict Theresa. Louise says Leslie…we shall see who has the better predictive skills in a couple of weeks!
What brings you joy?
Louise was standing in the door of my office last week telling me about a call she handled from someone who was thinking about applying for a job at the UO. They were a bit unsure about applying, worried about being accepted, and considering the aspects of their identity they might share. Louise listened empathically, gave them space to talk out loud, and as a result they came to their own decision to apply for the position. They expressed gratitude to Louise for listening. Listening is a tremendous gift to others. I am genuinely joyful that I work with people who know its value.
Louise Hutson
Work Description
I am an Administrative Assistant in HR, and my supervisor is the awesome Sue Russell. I work with the HR Service Center and the TACC (Talent Acquisition, Classification and Compensation) team.
What do I enjoy about my work?
Learning something new every day and the wonderful people I work with. The HR team truly are a compassionate, diligent, and fun group of people. I also love the flexibility of working hybrid as it allows greater work-life balance with my family, and I love my days in the office connecting with colleagues in real time and space.
How did you end up in Eugene?
The short answer is to be closer to my husband’s family. After several years living in Florida, we decided to head back west to be closer to family and enjoy the climate and nature of the PNW. We took several weeks to drive across country to get to Oregon, meandering through 15 states, which was a great opportunity to show the kids some of this vast and varied country. I’ve lived in the US for 20 years and lived in several states during that time but feel fortunate to now call Oregon home.
When you look back on your work journey, what are some of the key twists and turns that led you to your current role?
I’ve had many twists and turns in my work and life journey, and it’s definitely been an adventure. I taught English as a foreign language for several years, which gave me the opportunity to travel and live in SE Asia and Australia. I first visited the US in 1997 and worked at a nonprofit in East Harlem, NYC. I loved my time there, but back then, I didn’t ever imagine I’d end up calling the US home. I’m from Bristol, England and there is something about the bike-friendly, liberal vibe of Eugene that reminds me of ‘home’. I worked in HR many years ago in England and now to be back in HR is an unintentional but lucky twist of fate. 2020 was a turning point for most of us but at the time I was self-employed, teaching yoga and mindfulness across the city in a variety of organizations, including the Lane County Jail and COVID brought this kind of people-facing work to a grinding halt. Through the upheaval of the pandemic, I knew I needed to return to a more traditional type of job and that fortunately led me to UO HR! 😊
And yes, my money is on Leslie to win Golden Bachelor 😉
(November-December 2023)