Biography

I was born in New York City, oldest girl in a family of five kids. My parents never attended university but their kids all did. I transferred to the U of A from Penn State as a second year student. My first history teacher was a great lecturer and I entered the Honours Program. Loved it. Graduated first in my class thanks to one super prof after another.

Then a friend of mine encouraged me to apply for an entry level job in the U Secretariat, today’s Governance. I got it. Harry Gunning was President and I was in many meetings with him. I listened to him talking with department chairs about the need for a research park so that research being done here could be transformed for the public good.

Then came Myer Horowitz as President and he threw one thing after another at my feet: Director of the U Secretariat; Secretary to GFC (which put me in close touch with students, staff, Deans and Chairs); first Sexual Harassment Advisor; and U Ombudsperson. Under Presidents Davenport and Fraser I had a very part-time EA role.

I retired in 2005 and had a fabulous five years: market garden on Salt Spring Island; editor of a trade magazine for wine, beer and spirits; and a Liberal candidate in the 2005 federal election – didn’t win, but it was an experience I treasure.

In 2010, Provost Carl Amrhein asked me to meet with the GSA President. The GSA was having a tough time and I hired on as their Executive Director. The new team, a blend of old and new,
had an intense, bonding time modernizing the GSA. In 2017 I retired again and resumed writing about the U.

Going back to 2005 when Rod Fraser was President, I had an entirely chance experience at an alumni event I almost didn’t attend. At that event, I met an alumnus who changed my life.

That’s the next story.