Meet Odyssey
What is your job title?
I am the IT Program Manager representing IT in support of Facilities’ Top Shelf construction program. I will be planning the IT initiatives related to the River Campus construction project.
How do you see your role going forward?
One of the goals with the construction of the new Lees Campus is the introduction of a smart building. This project gives me the opportunity to foster information technology and work with diversified talent to help implement intelligent technology into the next generation of building automation. At the end of this project, I will have developed new digital competencies and a repeatable recipe for future smart projects.
What is your guilty indulgence?
I overindulge in espresso, especially when I am working. It influences all the senses and has an added benefit, it keeps you alert. However, making a bad espresso is distracting. I keep overthinking “what did I do wrong?” and will Google my problem for an answer. I also remember trying new coffee beans that would not yield the correct crema. I got it right after the fifth cup. Unfortunately, I drank the other four and was awake for 24 hours.
What is your unknown / hidden talent?
Healthy, gourmet speed-cooking while drinking espresso and listening to opera in the background. I discovered this talent not too long ago, while doing my MBA. Between working full time and going to school full time, it was difficult for this unmarried person to eat healthy. I would go grocery shopping after finishing my homework at school. I would only start cooking dinner after 10 p.m. It was instinctual cooking. No planning. No recipe. I knew the three food groups that I had to respect, so I made a salad with whatever vegetables I had, selected a protein such as lean chicken, and a whole grain carb. I flowed with the music, choosing spices by instinct and moved quickly by priming myself with espresso. I worked and cooked as parallel as possible to save time. I was eating by 10:45.
What is the best advice you’ve been given?
I was having one of those bad days, which we all occasionally have, where nothing goes right. A good colleague of mine noticed my mood. He rolled up his sleeve and showed me a tattoo on his arm that read “Believe”. Over the years, I’ve come to understand why he wore that tattoo. Life throws many situations at us over time. Never give up. Believe in yourself – truly. You will always find a solution to your situation.