Employee Spotlight: Suzanne McIntosh

Where are you from?
I was born in Lethbridge and grew up in Picture Butte. I have four siblings, three of whom live in the area and one who lives in British Columbia. Most people know my brother, Terry Vogt, from his job at CTV. After high school, I moved to Lethbridge for a few years but, after I got married, my husband and I moved to Calgary. We lived there with our two daughters until 2007.

How long have you been at the U of L and what do you do here?
I started at the U of L in November, 2008 as the manager of wellness and recognition. I’m here to help put programs and processes in place that assist our employees in managing their health and staying at work, or returning to work after an illness or injury. Along with the Wellness Committee, my area organizes the Life Balance Fair, the Bee Heart Smart physical activity challenge and the Health Check for U program. I also provide ergonomic assessments and my team manages the Long Service Awards and Retirement Recognition ceremony.

What’s the best thing about your job?
The best thing about my job is that I get to spend my days working with the staff and faculty at the U of L.

What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?
I'm an adventurer at heart. When I was 19, my boyfriend, now my husband, and I lived in St. Thomas in the United States Virgin Islands. My mom knew someone from Iron Springs who owned hotels there. We wrote to her to ask about the possibility of applying for jobs once we got there. I worked in a beach shop, giving out snorkeling equipment and selling suntan lotion at a hotel across the island. To get to work, I hitchhiked into town, caught a bus to another hotel and then drove a van to the hotel where I worked. At the end of the day, I had to hitchhike home again. There were a few times I felt uncomfortable, but I was lucky and only had great experiences.