Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I was born in Lethbridge and grew up on a small acreage located just north of Coaldale. I went to school in Coaldale. When I graduated high school, I began working in the private sector.
My first job was for a computer systems company (this was way back before there were PC’s – so the computers were very large (the size of a man) and took up an entire room to hold them). I worked there for two years as a data-entry technician. The interesting thing was this was before the larger employers (like ULethbridge) had their own main-frame computers, so this company would enter all the payroll information onto diskettes and run batch jobs for them, including the University! I was one of the data-entry technicians that posted this information monthly. After that, I spent the next 10 years working as a main-frame computer operator for two other employers. Then I had my two children (a son and a daughter). I gave up my secular position to become a day home operator with a local company, so that I could stay at home with my children. I did that for four years. At that point, I took some upgrading courses in accounting, payroll and learned several different computer software programs. Once I graduated from that extensive training, I secured a position with a local manufacturing company as their executive assistant to the plant manager and the payroll/pension and benefits/disability management specialist. I remained with that company for 10 years, until they decided to centralize their payroll to their Calgary office. I declined their offer to relocate to Calgary, so they provided me with a very generous severance package.
How long have you been at ULethbridge and tell us about your role as Wellbeing Advisor.
I have been working at the University of Lethbridge for a total of 23.5 years working in a few different positions within the human resources department. I came to the University for a one-year term which turned into more than two decades. I have always said that working at the University of Lethbridge has been the best employer I have ever had.
In March 2003, I saw advertised a one-year term position for a Payroll Specialist, to cover a maternity leave. I applied and was fortunate enough to be hired effective April 1, 2003. At the end of the one-year term, the previous employee decided not to return to the University, so I was hired into that continuing position. I worked as a Payroll Specialist and backup to the HR Executive Assistant position for five years.
In April 2008, because of my previous pension and benefits experience, I was transferred from payroll to work as a Pension and Benefits Assistant and continue to be backup to the HR Executive Assistant position. Part of my duties were to present monthly new hires orientations for all employee groups, handle adding and removing employees and their dependents onto benefits, doing eligibility calculations for disability benefits for employees, submitting manual timesheets into payroll for employees on sick leave, balancing and reconciling benefits carriers reports and creating the monthly pension and benefits newsletters. I worked as a Pension and Benefits Assistant for six years.
In June 2014, I was reclassified to work as a Wellness and Recognition Specialist. I worked as an assistant for the Wellness Manager, handling the administrative duties related to disability management and WCB (Worker’s Compensation Board) claims, plus I took over the responsibility of the event planning for the Long Service and Retiree Awards Ceremony, which also included the President’s Award for Service Excellence presentation. I worked as a Wellness and Recognition Specialist for seven years.
When the Wellness and Recognition Manager retired, on September 2021, I was reclassified as a Wellbeing Advisor. During these last five years, I have taken on the duties of working in a management role, working directly with employees, managers and senior HR consultants, when employees require short-term disability, long-term disability, workers compensation and medically supported requests for accommodations, while still handling the administrative duties for these cases. The Wellbeing Advisor needs to be nonjudgmental, and an unbiased support for the employee while ensuring that the collective agreements and University of Lethbridge handbooks and policies are being followed. All the departments at the University are split into two separate wellness portfolios between myself and Sherry Hazelaar.
What’s has been the best part of your job?
With Disability Management cases and WCB claims, wellness sees employees who are at their most vulnerable. They really need someone who can empathize with them and provide them the necessary support and knowledge to help them navigate their challenging times. I have really enjoyed helping people.
What will you miss most about ULethbridge?
I will miss the great coworkers I have been privileged to work with over the years. Our human resources department has some great people working very hard to provide the best possible service and expertise to the University as a whole. Some of my coworkers, I have been working with for three, five, 10, 15 and even 23-plus years. I’ve made some great friendships which I am looking forward to continuing to maintain, even though I am no longer going to be working here.
What are you most looking forward to in retirement?
I am looking forward to the freedom of doing things that I want to do. I plan to spend more time with my 9-year-old granddaughter and my two adult children, taking Spanish lessons and Tai Chi lessons with my fiancé, plus continuing dancing a few times a week. I have plans for a 10-day Caribbean cruise next year; and hopefully will be able to travel to other destinations too. I have a few different groups of friends that go for coffee during the week, so I plan to join them for a visit. I’ll also plan to do some sort of volunteer work after a few months of my retirement. Looking forward to everyday being Saturday!