Title/Department: Executive Assistant, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Operations
F&O Start Date: April 2019
Years at Carolina: Coming up on six years as a permanent employee.
Professional Background: My professional experience is a blend of administration and meeting planning. I didn’t think about becoming an executive assistant (EA) at first, but about a year before moving back to North Carolina in 2018 I was assigned to support the CEO of the consulting firm I was working for. It was through that experience I realized that my skills translated well into being an EA and that I wanted to explore that role in my next position.
Education: I earned my Bachelor of Science in marketing and management at Appalachian State University.
What does your job entail: I support calendars for three associate vice chancellors and support projects for the Vice Chancellor’s office. My day-to-day work is largely about relationships and thinking strategically. Planning the AVCs’ schedules isn’t just about getting things on a calendar but knowing their priorities and understanding how to make everything they have to accomplish fit together. Maintaining and creating good relationships is key to that work. Every day I’m partnering with people across Finance and Operations, other campus units and the Town of Chapel Hill, not to mention the fantastic EA/administrator support network on this campus. Without a good network my job would be much harder.
What is exciting you about your job right now: No two days are the same in the VC’s office and now that I have a few years at Carolina under my belt, I see how all the areas of campus fit together. It enables me to contribute to projects and conversations in a more impactful way, which is a great feeling since everything Finance and Operations does is ultimately about supporting students, faculty and staff.
What is something we may not know about you: I started a vegetable garden during 2020 when lots of people picked up a “granny hobby.” I used to joke that I had a black thumb and could kill anything, but with some guidance from a retired neighbor I’ve been growing tomatoes and a couple other veggies successfully every year since.