What do you do?
I manage the IT Partners at Education’s application development team, which supports the College of Education’s web and data needs. My role involves providing support to my team in various capacities, including project management, business analysis, and occasional coding for college-related projects.
What originally attracted you to your role here?
I recently transitioned to this role to leverage my mentorship, leadership, and organizational skills to support IT staff in their projects and professional development goals. My aim is to ensure the success of students, staff, and faculty within the College of Education. I have found the College of Education and IT Partners at Education to be very supportive of my career goals, and I get to work with amazing colleagues who genuinely care about meeting the needs of their customers.
What are you currently working on, and what do you enjoy most about it?
I am Co-Chairing the College of Education Course Accessibility Task Force. This role has given me the opportunity to get to know more faculty and staff in the college and understand the teaching side of things better. I am excited about the support we are receiving from college leadership to create support structures, trainings, and resources for course instructors to ensure course content is inclusive by default for those with disabilities. I enjoy teaching instructors about digital accessibility and showing them how slight adjustments to their content creation workflows can make a significant difference.
Have you read/watched/listened to anything interest lately that you’d recommend?
I recently read Beyond Leaning In: Gender Equity & What Organizations are Up Against by Melanie Ho, which I highly recommend. I found it very thought-provoking, with many “seen that” and “great idea” moments. The book discusses issues faced by those of us who have been leaning in for years, highlighting that some problems are systemic. It shifts the dialogue away from blaming women for not putting themselves out there and focuses on the systems and processes that create barriers instead. Shout out to WIT member Alice Jones for recommending it to me!
What’s your favorite way to relax after a long day or week?
I don’t have just one favorite way to relax. I enjoy decompressing through reading, traveling, and spending time in nature. Lately, my spouse and I have been exploring different rail trails in Central Illinois. Our favorite so far is the Constitution Trail in Bloomington, which offers great options for a long bike ride with a break at a restaurant or brewery for lunch.