Carol joined UW on July 1, 2022, to serve as the Human Resources Manager for CICOES

WHAT WERE YOU DOING BEFORE YOU JOINED CICOES LAST JULY?

Before coming here, I was beginning my 10th summer in Bristol Bay, Alaska where I was the Human Resources (HR) Manager at a salmon processing facility in the rural town of Naknek. I started there in 2013 as a Quality Assurance (QA) member, and after three summer seasons as a QA, I joined the HR team and worked my way to HR Manager for the company. What started off as a summer job soon became a career.

WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES LED YOU TO CICOES?

I had a somewhat intense schedule at my last job. From November through April I was recruiting individuals to work in Alaska. It was a lot of interviewing and attending school fairs, since we hired a lot of college-age people. From May to August I was in Naknek working 12-16 hour shifts, seven days a week. That’s 100 hours per week without any days off! Then I would have a few months available to travel, and the process would repeat itself all over again.

One year, I spent two months traveling through Central and South America followed soon after with a month in Europe. That lifestyle was great for a few years, but it came to an abrupt stop with the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, I felt that I needed a change, and I spent my down time thinking about my future. Working in Alaska was fun, but I needed a new challenge. The following year I became a grad student and decided to explore other career options. During my job search, I came across the HR Manager position at CICOES and felt like it was right up my alley. I applied and here I am, excited and happy to be part of the team!

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR WORK?

I like that I am supporting people who are engaging in research that is making a positive contribution to the environment.

WHAT HAVE THE FIRST FEW MONTHS AT CICOES BEEN LIKE?

My first few months have involved a lot of learning (and asking Fred, our assistant director, a lot of questions!). I was at my last job for 10 years and could recite policies forwards and backwards. It has been refreshing, and a bit challenging, to learn a whole new set of policies and procedures. I’ve enjoyed learning more about the history of UW, CICOES, and NOAA. I still have a lot to learn, and I appreciate everyone’s patience and willingness to help!

HAS ANYTHING SURPRISED YOU DURING YOUR FIRST FIVE MONTHS?

Before joining CICOES, I thought the University primarily focused on working with students, I had no idea that an organization like CICOES existed! I was also surprised at how many people were part of CICOES.

WHAT DREW YOU TO THE HR FIELD?

Ever since I was little I liked creating order, having a routine, and making sense of the environment around me. I also like meeting new people and constantly learning. This led me to study anthropology as an undergraduate student. From there, human resources seemed like an area where I could use the anthropology skills I had gained. I did a few temp positions in HR roles and enjoyed it!

WHAT WAYS ARE YOU A DIFFERENT PERSON NOW THAN YOU WERE WHEN YOU FIRST BEGAN YOUR HR CAREER?

When I first started I was too focused on making sure that everyone was following the rules. I was also nervous to ask for feedback! I soon realized that I wasn’t focusing enough on the human aspect of human resources. I learned a lot from having a mentor and learned even more from being one. Now, I like to get opinions from the team and welcome all feedback. I can 100% say that I am a different person now than who I was when I began my career.

IS THERE AN ACHIEVEMENT OR CONTRIBUTION THAT YOU’RE MOST PROUD OF?

I am a proud product of public education and that is a big reason why I’m excited to work with a public instuition now! I’m most proud of having attended a community college then transferring and graduating from UC Berkeley. I was the first person in my family to attend and graduate from college.

WHAT ARE YOUR INTERESTS OUTSIDE OF WORK?

I’m currently a graduate student getting my MBA through an online program, so unfortunately, I do not have too much free time. But I’m in a book club with friends where we read books written by authors of color, and we have interesting discussions. That has been a big highlight of growing my community in Seattle. Prior to the pandemic I did a lot of solo travel. I’ve been to 26 countries, 25 U.S. states, and 13 National Parks. I love to talk about my time traveling and I enjoy playing geography games such as Worldle (not to be confused with “Wordle,” the word guessing game) and Tradle.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2023?

Exploring more of Seattle and the surrounding area! This winter I would like to try to learn how to ski or snowboard, and in the warmer months I would like to spend more time paddle boarding. I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone a little bit more, and becoming more integrated into the CICOES community!