Our “Colleagues Across Campus” series returns for Staff Spirit Week, shining a spotlight on some of the talented people who contribute so much to our Yale community.
Time in current role: 28 years
Years at Yale: 28 years
As a certified nursing assistant (CNA), my primary responsibilities include providing patient care and supporting our clinicians. I work in both Acute Care (evenings) and Inpatient Care (day shifts). In Acute Care, I bring patients to exam rooms, take their vitals, assist with procedures, and support clinicians, In Inpatient Care, I assist with monitoring vital signs and activities of daily living (ADLs) like bathing and dressing, as well as document any care provided in the patient’s electronic medical record (EMR).
I enjoy talking with my patients, getting to know them, and developing meaningful relationships with my coworkers. Providing support to patients in their time of need is incredibly rewarding. I really enjoy helping people, and I can do that every day in my job.
As challenging as it was during the COVID-19 pandemic, I enjoyed working in the vaccine clinic, which began in 2020. Everyone at Yale Health worked collaboratively to provide patient care to the Yale community. We were all asked to do things we may not have done before, and I think everyone rose to the occasion. It was amazing to be part of something so important and meaningful.
Yale has a reputation for excellence in patient care, staff development, and employee satisfaction. I enjoy recruiting people to Yale Health and always tell them about the fantastic opportunities they’ll find here.
Staff are so dedicated to the institution that their employment spans decades. This environment allows for situations where co-workers are like a working family and that’s what I like best working at Yale.
Most people in the departments I work in know me as the “social planner” or cheerleader for Yale Health. I love organizing parties and functions for our areas, usually centered on meals and activities.
Acute Care Evening Shift, Inpatient Care, and the Infusion and Medication Administration Center (IMAC). We have wonderful teams, fellowship, and fun times doing such important work.
Years in current role: 9 years and 8 months
Years at Yale: 13 years
As an IT Specialist with 20 years of experience, my role is all about keeping the department’s computers and systems running smoothly. I manage everything from setting up and maintaining user accounts to troubleshooting hardware and software issues. A big part of my day is helping employees with tech support, making sure they have the tools they need, and keeping software and security updates in check. I also collaborate with other IT teams to integrate new technologies and train both users and fellow technicians to ensure everything runs efficiently.
What I like best is that every day is a new adventure. You rarely get the repetitive scenarios. I’m always learning something new and working on new projects.
One of my coolest work memories was walking in one day and encountering a robot roaming the halls with my manager’s face on the screen! She was testing out some new technology — definitely caught me off guard!
I was drawn to Yale because of its reputation for excellence, innovation in technology, and the opportunity to support a diverse community with cutting-edge IT solutions.
I love the collaborative collegiate atmosphere at Yale, where I get to work with talented people, support cutting-edge technology, and continuously learn and grow in a dynamic environment.
I love to build things, from custom furniture to cyberdecks.
I’d like to give a big shout-out to my amazing School of Management team, whose hard work and dedication keep everything running smoothly. Your teamwork and support make all the difference!
Years in current role: 10 years
Years at Yale: 18 years
My primary role is managing the day-to-day events in the West Campus Conference Center. From site visits to bookings and logistics, I serve as the main point of contact for the space. I also support community engagement and events across West Campus.
I like that every day is different. Since we host a variety of events, I get to meet lots of people from various departments across Yale’s Central, Medical, and West campuses. I love when an event has lots of moving parts and presents a new challenge for us.
One of my favorite memories was when we put together an event with the theme of 1701, the year Yale was founded. We worked with the School of Drama to borrow period costumes for attendees to dress up and had such a fun time!
Having access to some of the best healthcare, resources, and brightest minds in the world!
The people. I have met so many amazing and talented people and have learned so much from my years here.
I’ve run 5 half marathons!
I’d love to give a huge shout out to my colleagues at West Campus Administration. Each and every member of our team is truly an expert at what they do. I feel so lucky to work with them and to learn from them every day!
Years in current role: 2 years
Years at Yale: 22 years
I’m the director of collections and research at the Yale Peabody Museum. Most people know the Peabody for our exhibits, but behind the scenes, we have around 14 million specimens, which are used for teaching and research. I work to make sure those collections are diligently and respectfully stewarded and that we have the resources necessary to care for them. The value of your collections primarily rests in the research they can generate about the natural world.
There is no “typical day” in this job. On any given day, I could be giving tours or talks, planning new spaces, working with donors, engaging with students on research and other projects, contributing to exhibits and exhibits planning, or helping scientists with logistics. There is also a lot of problem solving, which I love. I get to meet fascinating people from Yale, researchers and museum professionals from around the world, and of course, work with amazing Yale students.
Talking with experts! Scientists are passionate about the work they do. You need to be passionate if you plan to spend years getting a Ph.D. I talk to experts about natural or cultural research and learn about new things every day. Expanding my role from a particular division (Invertebrate Paleontology) to director of collections and research a couple of years ago means that I get to broaden the range of disciplines I learn about. I also talk to experts in fossil preparation, mount making, conservation, moving huge objects, and much more. It is cool to hear about how complex these jobs are and what people love about doing them.
Reopening the Peabody! It was four years of intense work followed by reaping the rewards — seeing the Age of Reptiles mural uncovered after years of being safely stored in a microenvironment, hearing the carillon bells play the theme to Jurassic Park, watching the first school kids walk into the Burke Hall of Dinosaurs, and now getting to walk through these gorgeous spaces and see visitors being amazed and inspired by our exhibits.
I get to work with super smart, creative, and hardworking people. The Peabody is a great team that supports one another. You can generally find everyone pitching in when necessary — from giving short-notice tours and talks, to last minute party preparations. There is a sense of community and teamwork at the Peabody and Yale. We are working toward the same goal. I’m enjoying the collaborative nature of collections at Yale: combining forces with the other galleries, collections, and libraries to create more efficiency and accessibility in our collections. I also love to make connections with people who might be able to support or collaborate with those researchers.
I once held a meteorite that fell to earth the day before. It was delivered to the Peabody in an evidence bag. It was mind-blowing to think that just hours ago it was hurdling through space for a billion years or more!
Everyone who supports the research being done at Yale. We get to hear about the amazing scientific breakthroughs from scientists and there are so many people working to facilitate that research and bring it to the public: ensuring collections and archives are safe and accessible, creating exhibits, operating labs, handling budgets, raising funds through donors and grants, and many other supporting roles that enable scientists to conduct their research.
Years in current role: 6 years and 8 months
Years at Yale: 6 years and 8 months
My role is to cultivate the entrepreneurial spirit within the Yale community with a focus on our incredibly talented students. My days are packed with things I love: meeting with students who have ground-breaking ideas, connecting them with our extensive network of Yale alumni, and collaborating with internal and external partners to empower our thriving innovation ecosystem.
I might be holding office hours to review a business plan or curate a go-to-market strategy in the morning, leading a workshop on entrepreneurial mindset in the afternoon, or hosting a networking event with successful alumni founders in the evening. It’s all about creating pathways for students to turn their dreams and passions into solutions for real-world problems, which also requires constant conversations with fellow staff members and faculty from different schools to ensure that Tsai CITY remains a hub of interdisciplinary innovation.
Two things are without a doubt the best things about my job: witnessing the “aha!” moments in the eyes of our students when their ideas start to take shape and gain traction, and celebrating the “wow!” (words-of-wisdom) support from Yale alumni whose mentorships and connections help turn those ideas into impactful solutions. Their energy and creativity radiate hope for our world and being a part of this journey from concept to creation is incredibly rewarding.
Our university transforms the lives of our students in our lecture halls for a lifetime, so providing additional co-curricular programming to develop their entrepreneurial skills makes me appreciate the vital role we play in shaping the next generation of global leaders.
One of my favorite memories was seeing a team of undergraduate students who had come to us with just an animated prototype for emergency response successfully launch their transformative venture promising to revolutionize the current 911 system in the United States. What made it particularly special was the integral role played by a Yale alum whom I introduced to them as their mentor, and who provided invaluable expertise and connections. This is just one example of how powerful ideas can flourish here and create immense value when we orchestrate the right collaborations and support as a community of innovators.
Yale is the world’s leading research university where innovation thrives by addressing the most pressing challenges we face in the world. Joining Tsai CITY to build this new center from scratch offered me the opportunity to serve and support the formation of the next generation of global leaders — those who will create value beyond profits and transform multiple industries and sectors of society. I am constantly inspired by the incredible energy within our community to build an environment where students can take risks and push boundaries when looking for solutions that leave a lasting positive impact.
What I appreciate most about Yale is the kaleidoscopic nature of our intellectual curiosity and the unwavering commitment to making a difference in society. Our community is filled with incredible energy and a strong sense that anything is possible if we work together, especially when our students collaborate with their peers, our staff, our mentors, and our many partners.
Beyond the world of startups and innovative projects, I was once deeply immersed in the world of competitive sports as the captain of Guatemala’s national basketball team. The lessons in teamwork, experimentation, resilience in the face of challenges, and the drive to achieve a common goal, which I learned on the court, are also applicable to the entrepreneurial pathways I support on campus. I often find myself drawing on those experiences when mentoring students as they navigate the ups and downs of building something new.
As a proud alum of the Yale School of Management, I have a deep appreciation for the education I received and the network I joined. So, I want to give a special shoutout to business students, faculty, and staff from that corner of our campus for the incredible energy and transformative ideas that they bring to Tsai CITY. Their passion for the creation of value for business and society is truly inspiring and shows up in their ventures.
I’m also grateful to and constantly in awe of the dedication of our center’s staff and generosity of our alumni volunteers. Their commitment to developing the next generation of founders and innovators is unwavering, and the culture of close collaboration we have built throughout the years has been a crucial ingredient to our success, creating invaluable opportunities for Yale students.