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Employees of the month

Alva Beasley, Unclassified employee

Alva Beasley

Current title: Juniper Gardens Children's Project office manager.

What that means: Charles Greenwood, Juniper Gardens director, said Beasley literally runs the office of about 60 people. She makes sure the support staff arrives on time, opens the office and does everything from orientation of new employees and volunteers to making sure that the paperwork is completed properly when a staff member leaves. She directly supervises five support staff, analyzes staff productivity, provides regular feedback and processes in- and out-of-state travel monthly for all staff. In addition, she schedules and provides minutes of executive board meetings, does poster preparation and mounting for all staff attending conferences and conventions, and makes sure the center complies with university rules and regulations.

Notable: Juniper Gardens is headquartered on the second floor at 650 Minnesota Avenue in downtown Kansas City, an urban area where security is a constant concern. Beasley works with their landlord whenever a security issue arises and makes sure it is taken care of properly. She is always the last one to leave for the day and makes sure the JG area and the hallways leading to the center are secure.



Karla Marie Conrad, University support staff

Karla Marie Conrad

Current title: Administrative associate senior, Department of Theatre and Film.

U What that means: In addition to providing daily support to the chair of Theatre and Film, Conrad serves as the receptionist for the department and as liaison with the University Theatre and the Film area offices. She is the administrative assistant to the director of graduate studies and staffs the graduate advisory board and the theatre area committee. Karla is the main contact for prospective and current undergraduate students and handles critical communication with the prospective and current graduate students and the Graduate Studies office. She also manages the day-to-day academic functions of the department, with its 23 faculty and 27 graduate teaching assistants and lecturers.

Notable: In 2007, Jack Wright, professor of theatre and film, assumed the presidency of the National Theater Conference. The department supported him by providing Conrad's assistance to help with the day-to-day business of the organization and with planning and executing its annual three-day conference, held in Oct. 2007 in New York City. Conrad assisted in the preparations for workshops, guest speakers, seminars, and play readings, including luncheons and the awards.

NOTABLE ALUMS:

Debbie Vickers started out as a page for NBC in Hollywood after graduating from KU in 1976 with a bachelor's degree in general studies. But she worked her way up to talent coordinator for the "Tonight Show with Johnny Carson" before hitting the big time in 1994 as executive producer for Jay Leno after he took over Carson's desk. The Wichita native plans on stepping down when Leno retires next year.