I’ve worked at AU for almost 20 years. Before that, I worked at a management consulting firm that set up girls’ schools in Africa.

My job is to provide administrative support to Vin Harkins, assistant vice president of Facilities Management, and other senior leaders in our department. A typical day includes scheduling meetings, taking notes, and greeting contractors. My office is in the Osborn Building.

My go-to lunch spot is Chick-fil-A in Tenleytown. My go-to order at Starbucks is an extra hot, extra caramel, upside-down caramel macchiato with almond milk. My favorite place on campus to steal a quiet moment is at my desk, where I have baby pictures of my children and photos of my grandparents. My favorite day of the workweek is Friday because we’re all looking forward to the weekend.

Campus was at its prettiest right after the COVID-19 shutdown; everything flourished, and I was one of a few team members who reported to campus daily to see it. It was peaceful. I felt like I was Cinderella walking through the forest with bunnies hopping around. I show my AU spirit by wearing my favorite red, white, and blue earrings to show solidarity during facilities team meetings.

I found my community at AU by meeting people outside my department through events like Staff Appreciation Week. I won the 2024 cupcake competition and was runner-up in 2023. The Office of Finance and Treasury also holds quarterly in-person meetings, which is an opportunity to meet other people. The person who helped show me the ropes is Shailee Vaidya, who was in this position before me and used to be my supervisor.

When I’m not at work, you can find me at wine festivals. I am the in-house events designer for Soca Wine, the first Black-owned winery in Prince George’s County, Maryland. I also have an event planning business called Always Unique Experiences, and I volunteer with a nonprofit called Extra-Ordinary Birthdays that celebrates unhoused children on their birthdays. It was founded by Jolene McNeil, SPA/BA’97, cochair of the AU Women’s Network.

My hobbies include baking desserts, creating art, and making jewelry. The last great snack I ate was shrimp wontons at a wine festival in Philadelphia. They were the best I’ve ever had.

My most Washington moment is living on property that my grandparents purchased in Petworth in the 1930s and later bequeathed to me. It was the family home before a house fire in 2014, but I rebuilt on that lot. The most famous face I’ve seen on campus is then Senator Barack Obama in January 2008. I got just a glimpse of him by looking through the windows after the Secret Service and US Marshals shut down our building.

If I wasn’t a staff assistant, I’d be a full-time event designer. But my job at AU is best because I get to work with and meet some of the best people in the world. This is a great place to work, and my boss is the coolest guy I’ve ever worked for.