- Author: Jodi Azulai
For four years, UC Berkeley has been opening its doors for all UC staff to attend the Next Opportunity at Work Conference (NOW). NOW is an all-day conference designed to support UC staff with career and professional development through inspiring keynote speakers, workshops, networking connections with peers, and career planning resources. The June 2023 conference was held in person at the Oakland Marriott City Center. Three UC ANR staff members accepted reimbursements from Learning & Development to attend the conference.
Conference provides coaching, networking opportunities
“The NOW coaching and conference gave me clarity about my career path and a concrete plan for my next steps,” said Tracy Celio, Master Gardener Program coordinator for Amador and El Dorado counties.
“The NOW Conference was an opportunity to mingle with staff from other UC campuses and share experiences. My favorite part was the 1:1 talent acquisition coaching session included with the registration. I got great tips on updating my resume and a contact in UC recruiting,” said Katherine Uhde, Master Gardener Program coordinator for Santa Clara County
"By having this purpose, it allows for me to be a better resource for not only the potential employee or the onboarding employee, but for my department as well.”
Look for announcements for the NOW Conference during early spring 2024 via Learning & Development email announcements, the Employee News, and the calendar on the L&D landing page.
- Author: Jodi Azulai
Sponsored by NAEPSDP - National Association of Extension Programs and Staff Development Professionals
July 10-14
Noon – 1 p.m. Pacific Time
Register and click on the dates you want to attend.
This year's theme is wellness and will focus on efforts at the organizational, managerial, employee and community levels to provide health and well-being programs and opportunities for employees and clientele. NAEPSDP will wrap up the week discussing ways to tell our health and well-being story more effectively.
Who should participate in Virtual Summer School? Anyone!
From Extension directors to mid-managers, to program and staff development specialists and beyond. Anyone interested in these topics is welcome to join for any or all of the sessions.
Institutional Commitment to Health and Well-Being - Monday, July 10
Cultivating Employee Health and Well-Being - Tuesday, July 11
Promoting Health and Well-Being for Extension Employees - Wednesday, July 12
Fostering Healthy Partnerships - Thursday, July 13
Telling our Health and Well-Being Story - Friday, July 14
Register - Click on the dates you plan to attend to receive the Zoom link.
Sponsored by NAEPSDP - National Association of Extension Programs and Staff Development Professionals)
Image credit: Cooperative Extension UNH
/span>- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
The Black and Allied Employees hosted a webinar on June 14 to celebrate Juneteenth, the day when the last people held hostage under chattel slavery learned of their freedom — more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued.
Mary Blackburn, Ph.D., UC Cooperative Extension family and consumer sciences health and nutrition advisor in Alameda County, and Keith Nathaniel, Ed.D., 4-H youth development advisor and director of UCCE in Los Angeles County, described their educational and career journeys in agriculture and extension.
The hour-long discussion was moderated by Chandra Richards, UCCE agricultural land acquisitions academic coordinator serving San Bernardino, Riverside and San Diego counties, and organized by the Black and Allied Employees employee resource group.
Blackburn and Nathaniel related how their experiences shape their work and how their lives connect to current patterns of inequity.
Blackburn, who grew up in the Deep South and began her career in the turbulent 1960s, recalled being fired twice when Bay Area hospital administrators realized she was Black. But she found allies and advocates along her career path. After joining UC ANR in Alameda County in 1990, Dr. B, as she is affectionately called by colleagues, built a diverse team of educators – Black, Latino and Asian – who she credits for the success UCCE has had in accessing people in jail, transitional homes and public housing to provide education.
Nathaniel, who joined UC ANR in 1994, described some of the institutional challenges he has had to overcome as a 4-H advisor to serve Black youth. In Los Angeles County, members of the public don't understand that urban children can benefit from 4-H programs, he said. Nathaniel also pointed out that racism persists in subtle as well as overt ways. On search committees, he advises colleagues to be specific rather than describing a candidate as “not a good fit.”
Learn more about Blackburn and Nathaniel's experiences by viewing a recording of the Juneteenth webinar at https://youtu.be/yJ4Oo-VkgAE.
- Author: Elizabeth A. Bezark
The ANR Business Operations Center met with Northern California UCCE staff on May 31 at the UCCE office in Shasta County for a day of professional development, workshops and engagement.
To start the training, BOC Director Su-Lin Shum led a BOC trivia activity quizzing participants on expense reporting, financial processes, funds and more. Tracy Roman, associate director of Business Partner Teams, and Kathy Hanke, financial services supervisor, explained when UCCE staff should use P-cards vs. travel cards and restrictions for both. Anne Marie Scott, payroll manager, gave overviews of payroll and time reporting systems. To round out the meeting, Shum gave a presentation on effort reporting and fiscal close processes.
“Who could have thought topics like P-cards and financial reports could spark so much discussion?” said Elizabeth Bezark, BOC customer service and project assistant. “It was as fun as it was informative. We're planning additional regional UCCE visits throughout the state this year as well.”
Participants included Yana Valachovic, UCCE Humboldt and Del Norte counties director; Cindy McClain, UCCE Tehama County office manager; Margaret Purdy, Modoc County CalFresh administrative assistant; Sam Clawson, UCCE Siskiyou County office manager; Janelle Hernandez, BOC financial services supervisor; Uvea Grace, UCCE Plumas-Sierra county office manager; Larry Forero, UCCE Shasta and Trinity counties director; Heather Waller, BOC business partner; Cassandra Knisley, BOC financial services assistant; Laura Snell, UCCE Modoc County director; Shawnice Fisher, Shasta and Tehama County CalFresh community educators supervisor; David Lile, UCCE Plumas-Sierra counties director; Cheryl Kunert, Modoc County office manager; and Sara Jaimes, UCCE Shasta County office manager.
Be on the lookout for communication from the BOC for a meeting in your region.
“The BOC team values their relationships with UCANR partners and we appreciated collaborating in person and learning from each other,” said Shum.
For more information about business practices, review the resources on the Business Operations Center Website, listed below:
BOC website: https://ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/Administration/Business_Operations/Business_Operations_Center_--_Davis/
Purchasing Forms, Instructions & Information: https://ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/Administration/Business_Operations/Business_Operations_Center_--_Davis/PURCHASING/
P-Card Procedures, Training & Process Information: https://ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/Administration/Business_Operations/Business_Operations_Center_--_Davis/TRAINING/
Account Management & Forms:
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
UC ANR colleagues voted and chose their six favorite designs from among the 18 workplace inclusion and belonging postcard designs submitted.
“I was pleasantly surprised and impressed with the creativity and artistic abilities of our UC ANR colleagues,” said Elizabeth Moon, director of workplace inclusion and belonging.
“These postcards will be used to help develop our new website focused on the work in Equity Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging, as well as being printed as logo items to provide as gifts to our external partners.”
The postcard contest winners, in random order, are:
- Thomas Harter, UC Cooperative Extension specialist, Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources. Picture: Muted colors of browns and blues
- Matthew Rodriguez, 4-H youth development advisor for Nevada, Placer, Sutter and Yuba counties. Picture: Heart with the words “Diversity, Equity & Inclusion”
- Elizabeth Bezark, customer service & project assistant, Business Operations in Davis. Picture: Two trees in yellows and blues with roots intertwined with the words “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion”
- Bridgette Alvarez, program and events specialist, Program Support Unit. Picture: Earth with many people holding hands
- Kelsey Dugan, 4-H community education specialist, UCCE San Luis Obispo. Picture: Ink drawing of crops with the words Diversity & Inclusion not just for enhancing our crops & soil
- Saoimanu Sope, digital communication specialist, Strategic Communications. Picture: A variety of hairstyles with vibrant blues, yellows, pink, brown and black
To stay current on workplace inclusion and belonging news, subscribe to Together@Work at https://ucanr.edu/blogs/Together.