What area do you work in within the VPFA portfolio?
Human Resources

What is your current position, and what are your job responsibilities?
Medical Leaves Coordinator. My job is to provide guidance to departments and assist employees who may need to take protected leave to care for their own health or a family member’s health condition.

What has been your career path; how did you end up in your current position?
I have worked at the UO for 30 years and have held various positions within the BAO (Business Affairs Office) Payroll Office and now Human Resources. In 2015, I left the university to take a job with Lane County. After working there for almost a year, I realized that I missed the campus environment as well as the people who work at the UO. While visiting a former co-worker I was informed about a temporary position in HR and saw this as my opportunity to come back to the UO. After working as an Interim HR Data Specialist for less than 3 months, I accepted the Medical Leaves Coordinator position. This position has provided me with great opportunities to learn and meet new challenges. I enjoy the daily contact with my colleagues across campus and am thankful to work with a wonderful team in the Benefits Office.      

What do you like about your current position?
Being able to help people navigate the complicated FMLA/OFLA protected leave process during what may be a challenging time for them. Even though certain situations can be stressful, these may be also be joyful and nervous times for parents or parents-to-be who are welcoming new additions to their families.    

Share a little about yourself personally:

• Family: Parents, 2 brothers and 1 sister, 4 nieces and 1 nephew all live in Oregon.  In fall 2019, my nephew will be a junior at the UO, and his sister will be joining him as a freshman. 
• Favorite food: Thai and Vietnamese
• Best movie you’ve seen: Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams 
• If you could only take 3 items with you to a deserted island, what would they be?  A working plane, a pilot to fly it, and a large picnic basket full with endless goodies.
• If you could share something, what would it be?  My mantra: Never do to others what you would not like them to do to you – Confucius.

After enjoying a family vacation to Vancouver BC, we stopped at the Seattle Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room where we enjoyed sampling a variety of special blends of coffee and delicious pastries.

(August 2019)