What is a typical day like in your job?
Depending on the time of year, a typical day can be quite different! Starting in July and typically ending in November, my department members and I focus on closing the fiscal year, preparing fiscal reports for the Office of State Controller (OSC), hosting and providing support to Office of State Audit’s (OSA) auditors, preparing the consolidated financials, and writing the notes to the financials. These efforts culminate in the creation and submission of UNC-Chapel Hill’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. My primary focus during this time is on consolidating, eliminating and reporting on the University’s investments. I invite anyone that’s interested in investments and the Annual Report to check out Notes 2-4 and Note 11 in our Fiscal Year 2018 Annual Report. During the remainder of the year, my focus turns to improving and documenting processes, quarterly management financial reporting and various ad hoc financial reporting requests.
How does your job support Carolina’s mission?
I support the mission by providing financial reporting, such as the Annual Report. Financial reporting illustrates our transparency, accountability and integrity to all who support the University. I also provide financial reports to management assisting in their ability to make important decision. This helps to keep our light and liberty shining as the community can trust that we are appropriately investing our resources to serve as a center for research, scholarship and creativity!
What do you like most about your work?
Carolina is a micro-economy of its own. We have a myriad of activities including investments, utilities, faculty medical practice, athletics and research just to name a few! It is so amazing to have an opportunity to learn about it all. I love my team; we support each other and have fun at the same time. We try to keep it positive and work hard.
Tell us about a recent large initiative or project you were a part of.
Recently, I was involved in improving how the University recognizes liabilities for the external portion of its temporary pool investments. As a result of my analysis, we are more accurately reporting our cash, investments and funds held in trust for pool participants. I’ve also been involved with members of my team in implementing an Excel-based reporting tool that will improve our ability to fulfill both ad hoc and standard financial reporting requests.
What’s something people don’t know about you or your job or another fun item you’d like to share?
Even though I’m from Eastern NC, I was born in Chapel Hill at UNC Hospital. Before I was born, my mother went into premature labor. At that time, UNC was the only hospital in NC that had the innovative technology to care for preemies, like me. So, although I’ve been working at UNC for two years, I feel like I’m home! I was born a Tar Heel!!