What is your role in the Service Center of Excellence?
I am a training generalist on the CISD Team.
What did you do before you came to the SCE?
I was a country-less sojourner drifting around Asia. In other words, I was an English Second Language teacher in a small island country called Taiwan.
What is your favorite part of working at SCE?
The food, oh man the… oh wait, this is SCE, not Taiwan. Well, if potlucks count then it applies. But, the best part about the SCE is the availability of coworkers who have answers to questions about processes in their departments. As a training generalist I cover a lot of ground on the operation’s side and being able to drop by an office and put a question to an HR rep, a communications specialist or a finance guru makes work easier and adds a human touch. Oh, and then there was teasing Nick about Duke and life in general.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
As a husband, father and student, I do a lot! I’m involved in our local church and love spending time with our small group. We love meeting international students and scholars and spending time with them, but one thing I try to mix into all these activities is games! I love playing, collecting and teaching board games. Some of my favorites are Pandemic, Smash Up! and Viticulture. There is a whole world of games out there other than the normal fare like Monopoly, Uno, and Scrabble! Many far exceed those and I love playing them.
What is something people probably wouldn’t know about you, or another fun item you’d like to share?
I love public speaking. It has been a passion of mine since college. In the past three years I took first, second or third place in several national Toastmasters competitions in Taiwan (often being beaten by other Taiwanese). More than winning, I love coaching speakers and presenters and seeing them grow and develop confidence and new skills. That is my real passion!