NEW STAFF 2023 | UMS:IT 2023 summit | professional development
NEW STAFF 2023
UMS:IT welcomed 23 new employees this year!
| NAME | ROLE | DEPARTMENT |
| Antoinette (Toni) Avery | IT Specialist CL3 | Support Services, UM |
| Megan Bolter | Data Governance Coordinator | Information Security, UMA |
| Eric Brissette | Web Design Manager | Custom Enterprise Solutions, UMPI |
| Kathleen Campbell | IT Specialist CL2 | Service Delivery & Support, UMA |
| Christopher Dalton | Cyberinfrastructure Engineer | Advanced Computing, UM |
| Gavin Duff | Media Services Technician CL3 | Support Services, UMPI |
| Owen Fetzer | IT Business Operations Coordinator CL3 | UMS:IT Business Operations, UM |
| Tyson Gates | IT Specialist CL3 | Support Services, UM |
| Christopher (Paul) Jarvis | Senior Web Application Developer I | Custom Enterprise Solutions, USM |
| Rushikesh Kamkhar | Applications Administrator | Campus Card and Cellular, USM |
| Raymond Khuu | IT Specialist CL3 | Campus Card and Cellular, USM |
| Zachary Lambert | Media Services Technician CL3 | Support Services, USM |
| Evan McLean | Analyst Programmer II | Custom Enterprise Solutions, UM |
| Zora Merrill | Desktop and Classroom Support Technician | Support Services, 300 Fore Street, Portland |
| Martin Miles | Network Engineer I | Networkmaine/Infrastructure, UM |
| Brett Munster | Helpdesk Manager | Support Services, UM |
| Dylan Noyes | Classroom & Desktop Support Specialist | Support Services, UMA-B |
| Donald Rice | IT Specialist CL3 | Support Services, UM |
| Belle Ryder | Associate Executive Director, Enterprise Networks | Networkmaine/Infrastructure, UM |
| Kanishko Shahzaman | IT Specialist CL3 | Support Services, UM |
| Hawthorne Snell | Network Operations Center Engineer | Networkmaine/Infrastructure, UM |
| Sarah Urquhart | Data Documentation Coordinator | Projects & Professional Services, UMPI |
| Kerry Wyler | Technology Coordinator | Support Services, Maine Center |
UMS:IT 2023 summit
UMS:IT staff gathered on the UMaine campus on June 9, 2023, for a fun day of learning and sharing. Due to the pandemic, this was the first in-person Summit in 3 years. We had about 125 people attending in person and another 25-30 connecting remotely. It was a successful event and the following objectives were achieved:
- Understand opportunities across UMS:IT to support the UMS Strategic Plan
- Learn about the fiscal challenges and opportunities facing the UMS
- Learn about the work of all IT teams
- Learn about the research and classroom facilities available at the University of Maine
- Engage with members of your team as well as other teams in meaningful work connecting us all
- Feel part of a larger, purposeful, customer-centered organization, proud of the work you do
Our Keynote Speaker was Ryan Low, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration. He spoke about fiscal challenges and opportunities facing the UMS.
David Demers led an interactive conversation relating to the UMS Strategic Plan. He also addressed the need to update our UMS:IT Strategic Plan.
Three training sessions presented by IT colleagues were incorporated into the Summit covering Intro to TDX Ticketing, Day in the Life of an Information Security Analyst, and ITIL Basics. Tours were organized for Data & Network Center Ops, Ferland EEDC, and Advanced Structures and Composites Center. There were also some unscheduled times for general networking.
Congratulations to this year’s 2023 Nominees for the CIO, Extra Mile, and Team Impact awards! This year’s CIO Award is for someone whose contribution to delivering IT services has been above and beyond. The winner was Xumei Fang.
This year’s Extra Mile Award is for someone who has gone the extra mile to deliver high-quality service. The winner was Angel Allen.
The 2023 Team Impact Award is for a team that a) Demonstrates superior performance by a group or cross-functional team by achieving goals through collaboration, and b) Recognizes outstanding teamwork within a group or team and promotes the spirit of teamwork within UMS:IT. The winning team was UMS:IT Business Operations.
Longevity awards were presented for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 years of service. Congratulations to all recipients and a special shout out to Bruce Bierce, ETL Developer I, Custom Enterprise Solutions, for an amazing 35 years of service, and Kimberly Hikel, Software Support Analyst, Service Delivery & Support, for a spectacular 40 years of service!
| Name | Position | Team | |
| 5 Years | |||
| David | Demers | Chief Information Officer | Chief Information Officer |
| Sara | Farnham | Director, IT Asset and Accessibility Operations | IT Operations |
| Garrett | Fitzgerald | Analyst Programmer II | Custom Enterprise Solutions |
| Benjamin | Grooms | Information Security Analyst | Information Security |
| Matthew | Jacobson | Director of Campus Technology | IT Support Services, UMF |
| Dustin | Miller | System Admin Tech Lead | Enterprise Systems Applications & Administration |
| Steven | Premeau | Director, Enterprises Systems App & Admin | Enterprise Systems Applications & Administration |
| Valentine | Shcherbakov | Analyst Programmer II | Custom Enterprise Solutions |
| Matthew | Shultz | Instructional Tech Support Spl | Academic Technology |
| John | Warenda | System Administrator I | Enterprise Systems Applications & Administration |
| Lynne | Woods | Info Security Analyst II | Information Security |
| Miki | Yanagi | Data Visualization Analyst | Custom Enterprise Solutions |
| Wesley | York | Campus Services Tech Lead | Support Services, UM |
| 10 Years | |||
| Clifton | Fletcher, Jr. | Media Services Manager | Support Services, UM |
| Ami | Gaspar | Adv Composite Outreach Spec | Advanced Computing Group |
| Floyd | Goodell | Service Delivery Lead | Service Delivery and Support |
| Phil | Hilton | Web Development Lead | Custom Enterprise Solutions |
| Jeffrey | Jensen | Data Systems Developer | Custom Enterprise Solutions |
| Dan | Tyger | Web Services Manager | Custom Enterprise Solutions |
| 15 Years | |||
| Marisa | Pettorini | Administrative Specialist CL2 | IT Business Operations |
| Ray | Soucy | SR Cybersecurity Engineer | Networkmaine/Infrastructure |
| 20 Years | |||
| Robin | McGlauflin | Web Design Manager | Custom Enterprise Solutions |
| Lori | Parker | Administrative Clerk | Networkmaine/Infrastructure |
| Karpagavalli | Vel | BI and DW Team Lead | Custom Enterprise Solutions |
| Asgeir | Whitney | System Administrator I | Enterprise Systems Applications & Administration |
| 25 Years | |||
| Todd | Boynton | Dir of Unified Communications | Networkmaine/Infrastructure |
| Jerolyn | Brokos | Technical Services Manager | Support Services, USM |
| Stephen | Cousins | Supercomputer Engr/Admin | Advanced Computing Group |
| Ryan | Gagnon | System Engr Specialist | Academic/Research Computing |
| Lloyd | Smith | Systems & Network Specialist II | Support Services, UMA |
| Kathryn | Van Dine | Senior Analyst Programmer II | Custom Enterprise Solutions |
| 30 Years | |||
| Matthew | Byther | Mgr of ERP Solutions | Custom Enterprise Solutions |
| Kenneth | Grindle | Director Data Center Operation | Enterprise Systems Applications & Administration |
| 35 Years | |||
| Bruce | Bierce, Jr. | ETL Developer I | Custom Enterprise Solutions |
| 40 Years | |||
| Kim | Hikel | Software Support Analyst | Service Delivery & Support |
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
UMS:IT has its own Learning & Development team dedicated to serving approximately 200 IT staff. The need to better support the growth and development of our workforce is a clear driver to improve the retention and recruitment of our talent. Professional development of our IT teams is a key priority and is one of only five categories in the UMS:IT Strategic Plan developed in 2018. A total of (3) Goals and (16) discrete objectives were drafted and are part of our Strategic Plan.
The Learning & Development team currently administers several programs including hiring and onboarding support, professional development funding coordination, grant-related activities, and tracking and reporting of staff and team achievements. Future initiatives include mentoring and coaching programs amongst others.
Beginning in Fiscal Year 2021, IT Leadership demonstrated their commitment to the entire IT team by pooling department-specific training dollars into a central budget and creating a process for any IT staff member to seek funding. Since the summer of 2020, over 250 requests have been approved, for a total of almost $244,000. However, the IT budget paid just over half of those dollars, thanks to its membership with the Maine Workforce Development Compact (MWDC).
The Maine Workforce Development Compact (MWDC) is administering Alfond grant funds in an effort to expand the reach of workforce training in Maine, and is an integral part of UMS:IT’s professional development process. Eligible employees can use the funding for certifications and Continuing Education Units (CEUs), conference registrations, and skills development training.
In September of 2022, the UMS:IT Learning & Development team began submitting requests to the Maine Workforce Development Compact (MWDC) grant program. Since that time, nearly $117,000 in MWDC funds have been secured for over 150 IT professional development opportunities.
In 2023, 119 staff members benefited from the IT Professional Development Funding Program at least once. Some of the more notable opportunities are summarized below.
- IT sent 17 team members to in-person conferences all over the country, including Salesforce, Comtec, Symco, Kaltura, Zoomtopia, Oracle, Powershell, Internet2, HEUG, ERN, HTC, SIGUCCS, and PEARC.
- Nearly two dozen staff enhanced their A/V specialty skills through two separate week-long group trainings provided by AVIXA.
- 45 IT staff members participated in 165 days of live, online classes through a partnership with United Training. That equates to over 1300 hours of learning.
- 40 self-paced online trainings and subscriptions covered a variety of topics such as networking, cybersecurity, project management, leadership, Peoplesoft, change management, PowerShell, and Transact.