PPSA Election: May 27

The Penn Professional Staff Assembly will hold its annual meeting on Thursday, May 27 at noon in the Bodek Lounge of Houston Hall. President Judith Rodin will be the speaker.

Annual elections for Assembly's Executive Board positions will take place at the meeting, and nominees will be introduced during the meeting. Please arrive early to give yourselves plenty of time to vote.  The nominees (as of May 12) are:

Chair-elect:

Adam Sherr, College '90, MSEd '00, EdD expected '06, has worked for the University of Pennsylvania since his graduation from the College of Arts and Sciences in 1990. After 11 years of working for Campus Dining Services, Adam joined the Office of Student Services at the School of Nursing where he serves as an Academic Advisor, primarily for Graduate Nursing students. Adam is a former member of the A3 Assembly (now the WPSA) and served on University Committees to represent A3s. He has also served terms on the PPSA Board as Member at Large, Vice Chair, and Chair-Elect/Chair/Past Chair during 2001 through 2003. Adam is currently the PPSA representative on the Council Committee on Safety and Security as well as the Parking Violations Review Board. Adam also represents the Nursing School on many school-wide Committees such as the Penn In Touch / SRS Committee, The Registrar's Strategic Plan Task Force, and the VPUL's Student Crisis Intervention Team.

Vice-chair-elect:

Christina has worked for the University of Pennsylvania since July of 2000. A 1997 graduate of Rutgers University, Christina completed her MSEd in Higher Education Management from the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education in August of 1998. She then spent two years as Director of Student Life at Harcum Junior College before leaving to return to Penn to work at the School of Nursing. Within the School of Nursing, Christina has served as the Associate Director of Undergraduate Academic Affairs, Director of Student Services, and is currently the Assistant Dean of Academic and Student Affairs. Christina represents the School of Nursing on a plethora of University-wide committees including Undergrad Working Group, Athletic Eligibility, Privacy Committee, and the 12-School Student Services Officers with VPUL. Christina also has served the Penn Professional Staff Assembly, serving as a Member at Large in the 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 Academic Years.

Member-at-large: (3 positions available)

I have spent the last year and a half as the Graduate Program Coordinator in the Department of Medical Ethics. Before taking this position, I spent three years as the Undergraduate Coordinator in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. But these positions only count for about half of the time I have spent at Penn. Throughout my high school and college years I held numerous part-time positions on campus, working on weekends or filling in for summer vacations. This past December, my department chair, presented me with my 10 years of service award. I display it proudly in my office for all to see. I literally grew up on campus and have learned a lot during my years here. I am looking forward to giving back to the Penn community.

I have been on the staff of The Penn Fund for 3 ½ years.  I develop and implement programming to educate undergraduate students about philanthropy, staying connected to Penn and their role as future alumni.  My programs include Penn Traditions: Building Our Community, the Penn Alumni Student society (PASS), and the Senior Class Gift Drive.  I am a very active and engaged staff member, frequently volunteering to support my colleagues, and I serve on the LGBT Center Advisory Council and the Penn's Way committee.  I feel that I can bring my skills, energy and unique perspective as a member of the Development and Alumni Relations staff to the PPSA and serve as a representative for administrative and technical staff at Penn.

Donna M. Butler is an Overseas Program Manager at Penn Abroad.  She advises and orients Penn undergraduates who wish to pursue semester or year-long study in Spain, Italy and the Americas.  She also manages and develops overseas study programs in these regions. Donna has worked at Penn since 1999.

I have been at UPenn for a bit over 2.5 years, as one of the Associate Directors for the Office of Student Conduct. Prior to coming to Penn, I practiced law for about two years, first clerking for a judge in Monmouth County (NJ), and then working at the Attorney General's office in Trenton. Born and raised in northern New Jersey, I went to college at Rutgers (class of '96) and then graduated from Rutgers Law ('99).

Unsurprisingly, I still live in NJ - Cherry Hill to be specific - and have a six-month old baby at home which takes up most of my free time. When not changing diapers, I try to squeeze in as much soccer as possible, playing in leagues and also playing with other Penn faculty/staff during lunch twice a week.

Lea Shafer, Associate Director for Programming, Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs since the Fall of 2001. Prior to coming to Penn, I was the Student Life Coordinator at Immaculata University. I received my Master of Education (Higher Education Administration and Public Policy) from the University of Pittsburgh. While a graduate student at Pitt, I also held a graduate assistantship in the Office of Student Activities.

Nathaniel W. Smith came to Philadelphia from the deep South nearly ten years ago. He earned his B.A. in English and Anthropology from the University of Tennessee in 1995, and his Doctorate in Education, Culture, and Society from the University of Pennsylvania in 2002. He has taught graduate and undergraduate courses at Penn and Bryn Mawr, published in Anthropology and Education Quarterly, and supported student organizations through his involvement with the Greenfield Intercultural Center. Throughout his time at Penn he has maintained deep commitment to supporting students and enhancing their experience. He currently serves as House Dean of Ware College House.

--Lyn Davis, PPSA Vice Chair