She answered our questions about her interests and experiences:

Q: What initially brought you to the University? What role did you start in?
In 1977, I came to attend the College and graduated as part of the class of 1981, which includes President Paul Alivisatos. The College was much smaller back then, but our paths did not cross.

As a student, I worked several part-time jobs to help with tuition costs: box office attendant in the Reynolds Club (selling performance tickets and packs of cigarettes for 75 cents), card catalog filing clerk at the Law Library, shelving clerk for South Asian collections in Regenstein, and police officer scheduling assistant in the Security Department (in the basement of the Young building). I don’t recall which job I was working on October 2, 1979, my official start date in Workday.

Q: What other roles have you held?
In the summer of 1981, after finishing my college coursework, I started temporary work as an administrative assistant for the Security Department’s operations management team, but my first “real, full-time job” was in 1982 when I was hired by the Medical Center Security Department as the first manager of the Visitor Assistance Program—red jacket personnel at the various entrances to the complex. After three years and budget challenges, I wrote myself out of the management budget of that program and in 1985 took a job as the office manager of the Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery section in the Department of Surgery.

In 1986, I accepted a position as Director of Facilities and Operations in what was then the Graduate School of Business—now the Chicago Booth School—when Jack Gould was Dean. While working there, I attended the part-time weekend MBA program and graduated in 1990. Over the 16 years I worked for Booth, I mainly had responsibility for facility operations functions for the Hyde Park and Downtown campuses. The work included oversight of the facilities team, space planning, faculty office assignments, and all renovation and new construction projects. My first new building project was the Gleacher Center (named in 1996)—providing a new downtown home for the three part-time MBA programs and the Graham School. Over spring break of 1994, the MBA programs relocated from 190 E. Delaware to the Gleacher Center, and I stayed downtown with various job titles to run the building and support program expansion, which included starting up the conference center business.

My experience realizing the Gleacher Center provided the opportunity to work alongside a team led by Harry Davis, Deputy Dean, on the development of the Barcelona campus (also opened in 1994 and since relocated to London) and after that, the Singapore campus (opened in 2000 and since relocated to Hong Kong). For both, I was the business school’s operations project manager, providing design input and working closely with the professional project management, architectural, engineering and construction teams. Travelling to and working in Barcelona and then Singapore was both tiring and exhilarating.

My next significant responsibility was overseeing the programming, architect selection, and development of what is now the Charles M. Harper Center. A highlight of this project was the competitive process that led to the selection of Rafael Vinõly as the architect. This project took place under the leadership of Bob Hamada, who was the Dean at that time.

In September 2002, after the Charles M. Harper Center project broke ground and moved toward construction, I accepted my current position in the Office of the Provost under Provost Richard Saller. One of my early responsibilities in this role was to extend and implement the planning for reassigning the space that Booth was set to release due to the new facility. This involved managing the reallocation of three Main Quad buildings—Walker, Rosenwald, and Stuart—as well as the Edelstone Center on campus south.

Q: How has your role changed/grown over the past 45 years?
Over the years, my role has been significantly shaped by the ambitious plans of our University leaders. The introduction of new academic programs, initiatives, and investments in existing programs to enhance their prominence, along with the expansion of the College, have all necessitated additional space. This dynamic environment has provided me with the opportunity to work on many remarkable projects, contributing to the growth and development of the University.

Q: What is it that you enjoy most about your role?
Like many of my UChicago friends and colleagues, I find great satisfaction in making things happen and getting things done, especially when it supports the core activities of our faculty and students—research, teaching, learning, and building community. For me, quality space is essential, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have contributed to creating the right environment across many parts of the campus. Working under six different provosts, I have been able to help shape spaces that enhance the University's mission and foster a thriving academic community.

Q: What is it that you enjoy about UChicago? What’s kept you here all these years?
I consider myself extremely fortunate to work at UChicago, surrounded by people and a place that I love. The campus is beautiful, and it's a privilege to come to work here. Throughout my various roles, I’ve valued the opportunities to be creative, entrepreneurial, collaborative, independent, and sometimes even a bit of a badass.

I never expected to be here for so many years, but I can't think of another employer that would have allowed me to thrive as I have. As a person of action who doesn't like to stand still, UChicago has been the perfect place for me—it's never boring and always full of opportunities for growth and impact.

Q: Do you have any favorite UChicago-related memories from over the years that you can share with us?
Before working in the Office of the Provost, I didn’t fully appreciate the ceremony associated with the naming of a new president. One of my great memories is walking down University Avenue with Provost Rosenbaum and others from the Office of the Provost, dressed in academic robes for Bob Zimmer’s investiture. I felt proud to be included in that dignified community of scholars, sharing in a significant and ceremonial moment for the University.

Q: What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I enjoy traveling, and I have a particular passion for food—cooking, exploring farmers markets, and dining out. It's even better when travel and great food are combined! In my free time, I love to read a lot of fiction and binge on British crime series.