Since joining UCLA in 2005, I have been an active and enthusiastic member of the University community. With 13 years of service between Campus and Health system, I have become very familiar with the interests and needs of our community members. Throughout the years as an employee with UCLA Payroll and currently with the UCLA Pathology and Lab Medicine department, I have taken the initiative to coordinate, plan, promote, and execute special projects such as staff gatherings and outings, office safety initiatives, and other community building events. To further engage with the UCLA community, I have also been an ongoing active participant of UCLA Staff Assembly events, volunteering to assist the Vice Presidents as needed. In particular, I have:

• Volunteered to lead UCLA Staff Assembly events coordinated by the VP of Special Projects including the VIP Reception, Outdoors with Mrs. Block, and the Emerging Research Speaker Series.
• Elected to serve on the Staff Assembly Scholarship Award committee, voting on the year’s award and scholarship recipients.
• Volunteered annually for UCLA Staff Assembly events including the UCLA All-Staff Picnic and Casino Night.
• Attended multiple Staff Assembly’s events throughout the year to keep up-to-date with the group’s happenings.

I am very proud to work at UCLA, have enjoyed my tenure here so far, and am looking forward to making future contributions to our community by promoting activities that bring staff from all backgrounds together in developing diversity initiatives as a member of the Staff Assembly Executive Board. My past experience in working with Staff Assembly leadership and general volunteers will complement the Vice President, Special Projects role.

As an employee I love UCLA Staff Assembly and its offerings because it carries a great mission which to accept, promote, and respect the diversity of backgrounds and beliefs. As a recent immigrant from Indonesia, I felt so welcomed to UCLA and the Los Angeles community by attending events campus-wide events. Joining the Staff Assembly Executive Board will offer an opportunity to create equally welcoming events for all staff members and represent my identity in supporting a diverse community as our university characterized. I will make immediate contributions in supporting Chancellor Block’s mission and goals, such as bringing the UCLA community together through events and connecting with executive leadership.

I am interested in serving as Vice President, Special Projects to further engage with staff members and bring the UCLA community together. Throughout the 2017-2018 academic year, I have shadowed Kathleen Ly, the current Vice President, Special Projects in coordinating events from start to finish.  Through this experience I now understand what it would take to plan for the events, lead participants, and perform vital event management tasks.

Lastly, I am seeking this as an opportunity to gain skills I could not get through my full-time job (budgeting and financial reporting).  Being the Vice President, Special Projects will allow me to experience the role of an event planner and community builder, skills that I would like to strengthen.

As Vice President, Special Projects, my goals are:

To find distinctive ways to foster community between UCLA faculty, staff, and students and support the current priorities of the Board. In particular, I would:

• Support any initiative for staff education and advancements to boost our confidence as educational institute leaders.
• Introduce a civic engagement event to make a difference in our local community as an organization.
• Build, maintain, and establish new relationships in our diverse community to strengthen connection and communication across campus.
• Promote the importance to respect and accept the diversity of background and beliefs within the university community.