ISC service(s) or programs/projects: Knowledge Link (LMS: Learning Management System); LinkedIn Learning service manager
Length of time in ISC: Joined ISC and Penn in 2017
Previous work experience: Academic Librarian (Drexel, Immaculata, St. Josephs’s U, Temple); Academic Technology at Immaculata (Supported LMS and the computer labs), created online training course for 50 students in the LMS, documentation, etc.
Tell us about a challenge at Penn that made you proud to be part of ISC.
We upgraded the single sign-on for Knowledge Link and LinkedIn Learning so they would allow credentials for both PennKey and the Health System. I had amazing collaborations with people I’d never worked with before. The Penn WebLogin team was awesome! Clients were appreciative of the change. The Health System IS service desk team was very pleased, and the number of support tickets for both Penn Medicine and ISC have dropped substantially — which also makes Client Care happy.
What’s an interesting technical or business problem you’ve faced with ISC?
Working with the VP for Research to integrate Knowledge Link and the CITI system (Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative — mandated for safety in human research). So many people across the University are using it in different contexts that we’re working on standardizing the procedures. It’s a challenging problem: we are decentralized, and everybody has their own approach. It’s a very interesting problem to get everybody on the same page, but will be very rewarding.
What do you like best about working with clients?
I like getting a window into all the different Schools, Centers, and departments and the work they’re doing. Research labs, things I’d never bump into in my normal life. It’s really cool to be associated with that level of research. And those people are the most collegial and approachable.
How has the pandemic changed the way you approach your role?
In some ways it’s made me more responsive and more personal. I meet with people more. Whereas before, I relied more on email, now in some ways I feel like I waste less time on the back-and-forth. Now we just find fifteen minutes on the calendar to talk virtually and get to the meat of things.
What are you passionate about in your free time?
I’m involved in helping to curate a film series hosted by former staff of Philly’s last video store, Viva Video. I’m happy to be more involved with the local film community. I’m also involved with Books Through Bars, a non-profit in West Philly devoted to sending educational materials to inmates.
What else would you most like people at Penn to know about you?
Say “Hi!” I’m friendly. I’m also a big rail fan. If you have any SEPTA questions, ask me! I have earrings made out of SEPTA tokens…