What is your role in the Service Center of Excellence?
The capital business office manages capital accounting transactions, reporting, and budgeting. We primarily support Facilities Services and work with a wide variety of staff — including architects, engineers, construction managers, and administrative staff to maintain project information from inception to completion.
What did you do before you came to the SCE?
I have a long history of public service here in North Carolina. Most of my career has been in local government, serving as a budget and finance whiz. I have extensive experience with operating and capital budgeting processes, annual audits, debt financing and purchasing. I also worked in UNC Procurement Services as a business officer for a couple of years prior to working with Carly Perin in Facilities Services.
Why are you excited about joining the SCE?
I especially love the collaborative environment here at SCE. And the pace of change is really exciting. Just with the move in November, I have grown leap years in technology: I have learned to “hotel” with my laptop between buildings, reduce paperwork drastically and use Skype and conference room equipment. It has even inspired me to embrace Apple technology with the recent purchase of an Apple iPhone. My next leap will be migrating to a new software system for capital project management. It will be my third migration experience here at UNC in less than four years!!
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I love to be active and creative. I bike, hike, knit and try new recipes constantly (this leaves my husband yearning for a basic repetitive menu for dinner). Most of my family lives in the area and we get together a lot. I also love the ocean and adventure. Most of my vacations bring me one national park closer to my bucket list of visiting all U.S. national parks (at 23 of 59 currently!).
I also am involved in a nonprofit I started with a friend, called “Every Tray Counts.” Our primary goal is to get polystyrene trays out of the N.C. school lunch rooms. We also encourage lunchroom sustainability practices to decrease waste going to the landfill (Check us out at www.everytraycounts.org).
What is something people probably wouldn’t know about you?
I am such an open book, I am not sure I can think of anything! For those that don’t know, I write what I would like to think are blues songs. I want to be an artist and singer in my second life, with a BMW 2002 in tow. Now that I think of it, my family has no idea about this hobby or plan!