Designed as a listening and learning space, the session invited participants to exchange ideas, raise questions, and help shape priorities that strengthen the department’s day-to-day operations and sense of community.
Interim Chair Kathryn McCollister, Ph.D., welcomed attendees with gratitude for their ongoing commitment and professionalism. “Our staff are the backbone of this community,” she said. “Everything we accomplish depends on your dedication and teamwork.” Dr. McCollister also shared plans for a year-end recognition luncheon aimed at celebrating achievements and bringing colleagues together outside the daily work routine.
Operational Updates and Two-Way Feedback
Margie Jimenez, M.A., CRA, department assistant chair, outlined the University’s phased return-to-campus plan, noting that implementation will proceed in stages as space and parking logistics are addressed. She affirmed the Department’s advocacy for flexibility, particularly for teams whose remote structures have proven effective, including research administration and grants management.
The discussion also covered professional development and internal mobility, with commitments to share open positions more broadly, encourage cross-training, and increase transparency around advancement pathways.
Catalyst Lab: Converting Ideas to Action
Viviana Horigian, M.D., M.H.A., vice chair of education, introduced the Public Health Sciences Catalyst Lab, a pilot hub designed to turn promising ideas into measurable outcomes.
The Lab will convene faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community partners across four core areas: advocacy and leadership; innovation and solutions; storytelling; and community transformation. It will provide seed support for student-led projects with opportunities for staff participation. The goal is to foster cross-functional teams, accelerate feasible concepts, and translate them into initiatives that advance health in the community.
Throughout the session, staff acknowledged how the Department’s operational models, spanning faculty performance processes, grants reconciliation, and data-driven workflows, have informed University-wide best practices. This recognition underscored the department’s longstanding reputation for innovation and administrative excellence.
The meeting concluded on an upbeat note, with interactive activities that encouraged creativity, teamwork, and laughter, closing the afternoon with the same spirit of collaboration that defines the department’s success.
Written by Deycha Torres Hernández, published on October 24, 2025.
