What area do you work in within the VPFA portfolio?
I work in the Retirement Plans Management office, which is funded by all seven public universities in Oregon. The office oversees the Optional Retirement Plan offered to unclassified and faculty positions as an alternative to the state-run PERS (Public Employees Retirement System) plan.
What is your current position, and what are your job responsibilities?
My title is Benefits Analyst, and my work involves a variety of tasks, including departmental accounting, researching and approving participant transactions, updating the Oregon Public Universities Retirement Plan (OPURP) website, providing meeting support for advisory committees, and answering participant questions.
What has been your career path; how did you end up in your current position?
This is actually my third campus community. My early work life began as ticket manager for the Oregon Symphony in Portland, which led to similar work at Indiana University’s School of Music. My next campus was Virginia Tech, where I was the Conference Registrar for Continuing Education and later moved into a public relations position at a research center. After returning to Oregon, I was hired into the VPFA office in 2010, where I served as office manager for over seven years. In 2018, I moved into my current role with the Retirement Plans team. May 2020 will be my ten-year anniversary at the UO.
What obstacles have you overcome in your career?
Choosing to live in many locations has been exciting and challenging. While each new position was a great opportunity, it also meant rebuilding a co-worker network at each new campus, something very important in a large campus environment.
What is your work history and education that enabled you to attain your current position?
Most of my work life has been in educational settings, where I was able to take advantage of course offerings to learn new skills. After accumulating credits at several schools, I completed an Undergraduate and Master’s degree at Radford University in Virginia before returning to Oregon. Having those diplomas opened more doors to new opportunities.
What do you like about your current position?
I enjoy knowing that what we do can help employees have a more enjoyable retirement.
What advice do you have for others; what secrets would you share for someone thinking of applying to the UO?
Do your research! Be open, honest, and ready for challenges.
Share a little about yourself personally:
-
Family consists of husband, Len, our two children, five grandkids, two grand-dogs, and our two adventurous backyard chickens, Babs and Lulu.
-
Favorite activity is travel! Last summer I completed visiting all fifty states, with a trip to Hawaii. I’ve often been asked which state was my favorite, and while I have fond memories of most of them, I’m convinced that Oregon is at the top of my list.
-
Favorite foods are those eaten with family and/or friends.
-
Best fun movie is The Proposal, which I love to watch just to see the gorgeous house on the bay, Betty White dancing, and Kevin, the dog.
If you could only take three items with you to a deserted island, what would they be?
Thanks to the Coronavirus, this is easy—my quarantine buddy, the internet, and my ukulele.
How do you want to be remembered?
With a smile.
If you could have the answer to any question, what would it be?
Why does everything eventually wind up in the garage?
* Learn more about the Retirement Plans Management team *
(April-May 2020)