The Employee Spotlight this month is on Holly Keener. Holly has worked at UWGB for a little over 2 years and encourages everyone to get involved in some way on campus. She enjoys many aspects of nature and the environment. Her family is very important in her life and she enjoys spending as much time with them as possible. Did you know she enjoys pretty much anything Marvel super-heros? Learn more about Holly by reading her Employee Spotlight.
Name: Holly Keener
Position at UWGB: Assistant to the Provost / Assistant to the Secretary of the Faculty and Staff
How long have you been employed: At UWGB? A little over 2 years
Brief history of employment with UWGB: I was hired as University Staff Associate supporting the Associate Provost (at that time, Andy Kersten) and Secretary of the Faculty and Staff. When Greg Davis was moved into the Provost Office and Judi Pietsch retired, I was moved over into the dual role of Assistant to the Provost. I also kept my responsibilities for shared governance and support of the SOFAS office.
Three words that describe you: Organized. Sassy. Caring.
Personal interests: my children, my family, dogs, native plants / holistic remedies / environmental ethics / outdoor activities
Random facts/interests: My degree is in environmental education. I HATE cold weather. I LOVE July cloud formations.
(Answer any of the following):
– Any favorite line from a movie? I brought you a delicious bass.
— Are you messy or organized? I call it a messy organization. As I grow up (NOT get older), I find I’m getting more and more fickle about organization. Just don’t ask me where I put my shoes.
– Best vacation you’ve been to? We spent a week at an Eagle River resort with our best friends and their children almost 10 years ago now. Sun, fish, and a lot of laughs. Truly a treasured memory.
– Describe what you were like at age 10. I was a spunky blondie with pigtails who climbed trees, biked, roller-skated, loved to watch Bewitched, played piano and swam at the Y.
– Do you have a favorite quote? If they go low, you go high (Michelle Obama). Meaning, don’t sink to your opposition’s level. Keep centered and focused and rooted in the good. You may even bring people surrounding you with negative thoughts up a few notches in the process.
– Do you have an office nickname? What is it? If I do, it’s not used in my presence. Should I be worried?
– Do you recall any embarrassing moment at work? None that I choose to recall, but I’m sure there were many. Oh wait, I did say something that was quite embarrassing the other day in a meeting. I think I’ll just keep that one to myself though (and no comments from the USC peanut gallery please)
– Favorite travel spot? Venture Island on Rainy Lake in Canada. Orrr… Jackson, WY. It’s a toss-up. Both are Heaven on earth!
– If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you like to see cast as you? Either Kaley Cuoco (the actress who plays Penny in The Big Bang Theory) or Julie Bowen (plays Claire in Modern Family). Both are sassy, strong, irreverent women who manage to find humor and love in the not-so-easy, day to day struggles of life. That’s a true gift!
– If you could change one thing about working here, what would it be? I would make sure Perry and Petunia (our peregrine falcons) have a safe place to lay their eggs and raise their family next year. We lost at least 4 eggs this spring because our vent ledge is slanted and their eggs rolled out. If we claim to be EcoU, why don’t we prove it. Can we please build a box for them for next year?
– If your house was burning down, what’s the one non-living thing you would save? My back-up hard drive with all of my photos.
– Motto or personal mantra? Always be humble and kind.
– Tell us a little about yourself. I grew up in Oshkosh, but my mom grew up here in Green Bay on Howard Street. She and her siblings all graduated from West High in the 50’s, so I have pretty deep roots in the area and am proud to call Green Bay my home. I am an Oshkosh North and UW-Stevens Point alum and have a degree in Environmental Education. I have raised two children, currently have two dogs and spend most of my “free” time trying to keep up with them all. I also really love being a part of an institution of higher education and hope that we can somehow convince the folks in government that education is the key to our future.
– Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us? I used to play String Bass in the Green Bay Symphony orchestra. No really, I did!
– Top 3 life highlights? Kasey, Jered, Kaleb – My children. My heart. My world.
– What advice would you give to recent new hires? Go for a walk. Get involved. This university is only as strong as her people. We have some INCREDIBLE people here. Get out there and meet them all. You are working for a top-notch, institution of higher learning. So LEARN! GROW! EXPERIENCE this university in all of her glory.
– What are three career lessons you’ve learned thus far? 1. Listen. 2. Never assume. 3. Open yourself up to new perspectives, new challenges and new experiences.
– What aspect of your role do you enjoy the most? I actually enjoy being in a position where I can make it easier for people to do their work.
– What books are at your bedside? The Game of Thrones series / The Outlander series/ and a Phillippa Gregory novel, “The King’s Curse”
– What celebrity do people think you look like? Julie Bowen (Claire Dunphy)
– What did you want to be when growing up? I was going to be a marine biologist. Not sure why I decided going to a small, private school in Northfield, MN was the best place to start my education though. Needless to say, I’m not a marine biologist.
– What do you always want to try and never did? Scuba diving
– What do you like most about your job? The people. We have some fascinating people here.
– What do you like to do in your spare time? I love to spend as much time as I possibly can with my kids. If that’s sitting all day in a basketball court, watching cheerleading competitions every weekend or driving 4 hours just to spend a few minutes in their presence, that’s what I want.
– What do you like to do on your days off? Catch up on my sleep and watch tv. I could very easily be a couch potato if I let myself.
– What else do you do for fun? I love going to movies in movie theaters. My son and I even did a double feature one time. Iron Man was over and Speed Racer was just starting. We bought new tickets, refreshed our popcorn and went in for another round!
– What is an ability you wish you had? Teleportation!! Can you imagine just wriggling your nose or nodding your head and going anywhere?
– What is the first concert you attended? Cheap Trick.
– What is the first thing you would buy if you won the lottery? I’d pay off my bills and set up an education trust for my children. THEN …. A new jeep wrangler.
– What is your favorite meal? Chocolate chips in peanut butter. That’s a meal, right?
– What is your favorite movie and book? While You Were Sleeping – all-time favorite movie. Well, that and the Men in Black movies. Ohhhh, or the Iron Man movies. … pretty much anything Marvel super-hero.
– What is your favorite sport? Right now? Anything my kids play. So… mainly high school basketball.
– What kinds of hobbies and interests do you have outside of work? Movies, books, music, photography. Native plants and gardening.
– What one food do you wish had zero calories? Chocolate
– What phobias do you have? Crowded elevators. If there are more than 4 people in an elevator, I will step out and wait for the next round.
– What places have you lived in? Oshkosh; Stevens Point; Kingsville, TX; Madison; Aurora, IL; Green Bay.
– What was your favorite book, toy, or outfit as a child? Green Eggs and Ham was my absolute favorite book as a child. And I had this stretchy, yellow, long-sleeve shirt that my mom brought back from MN for me when I was in grade school. We have quite a few pics of me in that shirt through the years. I was NOT going to let my little sisters wear it for anything!!!
– What’s on your bucket list? Kayak the Apostle Islands.
– What’s the one thing, you can’t live without? Chocolate and peanut butter. Oh wait, that’s two things. But don’t they just both go together naturally?!!
– What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten? Rattle snake – tastes like chicken.
– Where is your favorite place to eat? Portillo’s
– Where is your home town? Oshkosh
– Where would you like to go on a dream vacation? Ireland.