OUR TALENTED STAFF

What are some of your responsibilities at the university?

My responsibility as the head coach of the women’s hockey team is to provide our student-athletes with the resources and support needed to develop them as great hockey players, but, even more importantly, as great leaders in our community. We do this by focusing on having open dialogue with our players to personalize their development on and off the ice.

What has been your biggest challenge during your time here?

It was hard navigating COVID with our team, because in order for a team to truly be a team, we need to be able to train, play, compete and spend time with each other on a consistent basis. For a year and half, we weren’t able to do that, so when we came back for the 2021-22 season, we had to rebuild our culture and connections that allow us to be a united team.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

We love to develop great hockey players and win championships, but what I really love about my job is helping our student-athletes grow into strong and resilient young women. I have seen players struggle through challenges and yet trust that they can overcome adversity and be stronger for it.

Has your job changed you in any way?

The amazing players and staff I work with each day have shaped me in a powerful and awesome way. I’m always looking for ways to get better and being surrounded by great people who challenge me and support me in my growth has been a powerful experience.

What was one of your favourite Concordia moments from the past year or so?

I have so many “small” memories — of sharing a team meal, going on a road trip or laughing together as a team — that will always be favorite memories. But in regard to a bigger moment, winning the 2022 RSEQ conference and 2022 U Sports National Championship was incredible!

What are some of your responsibilities at the university?

In partnership with the designated space administrators and students, I am responsible for making sure that events are being processed and held in a safe and successful environment.

What has been your biggest challenge during your time here?

The biggest challenge is to re-educate the students each year in June, with the turnaround of student organizations. We have liaised with other departments, and the transition is improving each year.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

Helping students and staff throughout the preparation of their events. Their appreciation of our services and seeing that we can make a difference in someone’s growth with their academic portfolio is very rewarding.

Has your job changed you in any way?

Our section is continually developing, and recent leadership changes in our department have been encouraging and are a source of motivation for the future. 

What was one of your favourite Concordia moments from the past year or so?

My favourite memory is the 1998 ice storm. This incident brought out the solidarity within our community, which helped make this institution what it is today. Concordia is not just a workplace; it is a second family. 

What are some of your responsibilities at the university?

I work mainly on the biosafety and lab safety programs, from ensuring compliance with municipal, provincial and federal regulations to responding to emergencies occurring at the university. As part of the research and teaching EHS team, I am involved with lab inspections, biological material transfers, hazardous waste management, safety training programs and research compliance. Occasionally I participate in the food safety and occupational health programs.

Our commitment is to create a better, safer environment for students, staff and faculty in their teaching and research activities.

What has been your biggest challenge during your time here?

EHS has transformed over the years since I started in 2006. The requirements governing health and safety in the academic facilities are stricter and go into more depth, and the technologies used in the labs have advanced greatly in the past 17 years. 

Being involved in the updating of existing programs and the implementation of new ones was intense and worthwhile; it came as a positive challenge that made me grow as an individual. 

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

Being part of a team that functions really well, where we work together and help each other. I wouldn’t be able to do my job without the tight collaboration that exists within the EHS department. Also, as part of a service department, I have the privilege to work daily with Concordia members from different departments. 

Has your job changed you in any way?

Yes, definitely. I learned a lot about confidence, collaboration and communication since I became part of EHS. My reading skills have improved a lot — having to go through many pages of various legislation, decoding the legal vocabulary and sentence construction!

What was one of your favourite Concordia moments from the past year or so?

Seeing how Concordia has come together with resilience, creativity and dedication to adapt to the pandemic and post-pandemic reality. I am proud to be part of this community.

What are some of your responsibilities at the university?

I am the new director of Hospitality Concordia and oversee conferences and events, food and accommodation services. Prior to that I was Manager Summer Accommodation in Residence Life, focusing on hotel operations in Concordia residences.

What has been your biggest challenge during your time here?

Certainly taking on a new role at the exact moment that we emerged from the pandemic with a full return to campus had its moments. Staff recruitment and retention has been the biggest challenge, but I know I’m not alone in that and things appear to be settling down now.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

Ultimately, hospitality is about bringing people together, whether that’s an academic conference where Concordia can shine on an international stage, showcasing the university to potential recruits or organizing a much-loved staff member’s retirement party — playing a part in creating special moments and memories for the Concordia community is a great privilege.

Has your job changed you in any way?

Yes, I think it has. I was a self-employed entrepreneur for 15 years before working here and I had to learn to navigate all the protocols and policies of a huge academic institution, something that I really had no concept of before joining. I definitely have more patience and take a longer view of things now — but maybe that’s just getting older!

What was one of your favourite Concordia moments from the past year or so? 

It’s actually a combination of personal and professional: singing with the Lyric Theatre Singers at Christmastime in the Loyola Chapel. It’s a magical experience with candles and beautiful music, and I’m always pro