I have worked at AU for about 24 and a half years. Before that, I was at Middle Tennessee State in a similar role in campus recreation.

In my job, I try to interact with students as much as I can. Sometimes, club teams want to talk about policies and procedures, or I’ll just have students come sit and have conversations about their lives: student workers, club-team students, student athletes, and students in the rec field. In a typical day, I get a lot of stuff done early because after 9 a.m., all the meetings start. I try and give myself time to walk around campus and see folks.

I grew up playing sports. I started off with softball and basketball, but when I got to college, I ended up fencing for three years. My senior year, we went to our regional NCAA tournament. I show my AU spirit by going to the women’s basketball games. When field hockey and soccer are in season, I go to those games if I can. My colleagues and I also wear our American University gear on Fridays to support the school. My office is on the second floor of the sports center.

The person who helped show me the ropes is my old boss, Roger Moffatt. I first found my community at AU through Fanta Aw, Kogod/BSBA ’90, SPA/MPA ’94, CAS/PhD ’11, former vice president for undergraduate enrollment, campus life, and inclusive excellence. From there, I started reaching out to other folks in the African American community. And I’m in Delta Sigma Theta, and there are a number of women here in the same sorority.

My favorite place on campus to steal a quiet moment is the Woods Brown Amphitheater. Campus is prettiest in the spring because the cherry blossoms come out.

When I’m not at work, you can find me having dinner with friends and going to as many games as I can to support the athletes. And then I’ll go shopping here and there—but I have to have a mission. In terms of hobbies, I love puzzles, and I like to read articles online. The last great show I watched was Percy Jackson [and the Olympians]. And I love Rizzoli and Isles, HGTV, and Star Trek. The last great meal I ate was at Coastal Flats with a friend. I had trout. My go-to Starbucks order is a vanilla latte with almond milk.

The most famous face I’ve seen on campus is Barack Obama. Ted Kennedy gave his endorsement, and then Barack spoke after. It was absolutely a madhouse here, but it was truly, truly awesome. My most Washington moment was attending the fourth of July celebration on the Mall. It’s so neat, especially if you’re facing the Washington Monument and the fireworks are going off behind it. I think everyone should experience that at least once.

If I wasn’t an associate athletics director, I probably would still be in the same field but working in commercial fitness facilities or wellness centers with a different group of people—maybe older folks. My job at AU is best because I’m working with students to perform and get better at their craft and shaping my young, professional staff to move forward in their careers. I like the flexibility of being able to work from home or go to a swim meet, and I’m able to support students. That’s the part that I really enjoy.

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