Staff Spotlight: Shelley Barnes.

Collaborative work is key to developing sustainable public health solutions and improving population health outcomes. This weekly series spotlights one SPH staff member who advances public health through collaborations within the field and across sectors.

Can you talk about your main responsibilities and priorities as administrative coordinator for the Department of Epidemiology?

I have been the administrative coordinator in the Department of Epidemiology for 10 years. I work closely with our administrative team including the department chair, administrative director, grants manager, and academic program administrator.

Currently, I provide a variety of coordination for the department. For instance, we recently conducted a faculty search. With the current pandemic, I quickly pivoted from in-person meetings and rescheduled the candidates’ virtual all-day visits on zoom. I serve as meeting coordinator for our regular meetings, which include Tuesday Talks, faculty and staff meetings, research-in-progress talks, dissertations, and others as needed. Another of my responsibilities is to assist with the department finances, which I enjoy. I am also responsible for the allocation and logistics of our space, and I work to find creative solutions for those needs. Overall, I strive to help everyone in the department with their administrative needs and solve any issues that may arise.

Can you share how collaboration is integral to your role, and what are one or two collaborations that are most meaningful to you?

It is imperative for me to reach out and ask questions or seek advice from colleagues in the department or the school, and I value the opportunity to reciprocate when others reach out to me. The BU community is always willing to help or guide you in the right direction. It is challenging to pick the most meaningful collaborations. Lorraine Kiley has been a mentor to me and guided me to get involved with research administration and NCURA. Another important collaboration is the Staff Senate. I am the Staff Senate representative for Unit 10. The Staff Senate is in its second year and we are now an integral part of the School of Public Health community. We have made positive changes and will continue to make an impact in the coming years.  I have also been serving as a system ambassador for the new procurement system SAP Ariba. This has given me the opportunity to meet others at Boston University and represent the interests of the School of Public Health.

As we round out the school year in a time where the work of epidemiology is at the forefront of national conversations, what are you looking forward to in the year ahead for the department?

I think with the current pandemic, it is important to listen to the science. We are fortunate at the School of Public Health to have leaders in the field who are willing to talk to the community. We have researchers who have immediately addressed COVID questions in their research and applied for COVID-related research opportunities. I am looking forward to assisting my colleagues with their administrative needs. It is my hope that alumni, faculty, staff and students advocate for change to address the racial disparities in the nation. I hope this pandemic motivates interest in public health and the many ways we can help populations.

“I’ve been Shelley’s supervisor for over nine years. Shelley is a most reliable, hard-working, competent, patient, caring and thoughtful person. She is calm under pressure and has a kind word for everyone always. We consider her to be the facilitator of all things EPI! Her contributions to both operations within Epi and the mission of the school overall are innumerable. Our department values her highly and loves her dearly, mirroring back what she reflects to others each and every day.”

Lorraine Kiley, administrative director for the Department of Epidemiology