I’ve worked at AU for two years this month. Before that, I worked in university and development events at George Washington University and as director of music events in Tennessee. 

My job is to coordinate and oversee more than 100 high-level university events per year, from public celebrations like convocation and commencement to private meetings. I [manage] logistics, budgets, and relationships inside and outside the university. I like working behind the scenes so people can enjoy themselves A typical day includes lots of meetings and preparation for events across campus. I work anywhere from two weeks to months in advance. My office is in the President’s Office Building. 

Campus is at its prettiest in the fall when the leaves change. My favorite place on campus to steal a quiet moment is the Kay Spiritual Life Center. My favorite day of the workweek is Thursday. It’s the most productive day for me. My go-to lunch spot is in the office with my colleagues. My go-to order at the Bridge is a black coffee. 

I show my AU spirit by planning major events for the AU community. I like to make sure that we look both to the university’s future and to its history in everything we do. My favorite AU traditions include the first-year photo on the quad and cheering the incoming class during convocation every August.

The person who helped show me the ropes is former senior director of special events Lisa Arakaki, who had transitioned to her new role as special assistant to the president but was still integral to my transition. I found my community at AU through commencement. I came to AU two weeks before commencement in 2022. Karyn Cassella, former director of new student and family programs, and Edythe Cook, associate director for administrative services in the Student Health Center, both emailed me and said, “We want to welcome you to AU—and we want to help!” They put me at ease and volunteered for every commencement since.

My work-from-home rituals include setting up my monitor on my kitchen table the night before and prepping my coffee for the next morning. When I’m not at work, I can be found at a musical event, the theater, or a sporting event. I was at a Caps game a few weeks ago and at the Kennedy Center the weekend before that. My hobbies include sewing, reading, and traveling all over the world to visit friends and family, most of whom are in Tennessee.  

I’ve read a lot of great books lately, including The Devil in the White City by Eric Larsen, The Last Dress from Paris, and Just Listen. The last great show I watched was Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, but my all-time favorite is The West Wing—pretty predictable for DC. The last great meal I ate was at my wedding reception in October. We had steak and a mint chocolate cake with mint icing—kind of like an Andes mint. It was a wonderful meal, and the staff took a lot of care to make sure mine was awesome. 

I’ve seen lots of famous faces on campus, but one of the coolest for me personally was Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. I did my very first virtual event at GW with him in 2020. So, to see him in person almost four years later at a private event at was a cool full-circle moment for me. I also liked meeting president and CEO of NASDAQ Adena Friedman at Kogod’s commencement in May 2023. 

If I wasn’t senior director of special events, I’d be a general contractor. I love renovation projects. But my job at AU is best because I get to work with everyone from students to leadership and bring their ideas to life.