Editor's note: Pitt Works is a new University Times feature on the unsung staff members who keep the University and their departments running. If you know someone who deserves recognition, contact reporter Marty Levine at martyl@pitt.edu.
By MARTY LEVINE
When Kristee J. Rosen was “looking for a larger organization, for the potential of growth” at Pitt, she had already been here for nine years as a research project coordinator in the School of Medicine’s Department of Anesthesiology. Rosen found her destination right within her school.
Now, for nearly a decade, she has been the office manager for the Center for Research on Health Care inside the biggest division in the Department of Medicine — general internal medicine. With more than 55 faculty physicians (research scientists who also admit patients to UPMC hospitals), and about twice that number of staff, it also has the broadest focus of the medical school. They take a holistic approach to their health research, she says, looking at, for instance, heart disease and depression, or the elderly and bone breakage.
Rosen makes departmental employees’ arrival here, and their daily lives, easier. “My job is assisting with all the aspects of human resources,” she says of her main duties, from posting jobs and assisting with hiring to handling any issues during employees’ provisional period. Her work covers purchasing, scheduling, office management and conference planning, too. If the department’s parking lot is slated to be closed, Rosen will be sending out the notice. Every new hire needs to be taught how to fill out an expense report.
The sudden move to remote work four years ago is still one of her proudest moments, she says. “It was really difficult for people to start work and not have someone’s desk to go to, to ask questions,” she recalls. Eventually she started Research 101, a departmental group that meets virtually once a week to go over how to hire a student as a worker, how to use departmental and Pitt software, etc.
The group has an even larger purpose, she says — to build more connectivity within the department. She has brought in presenters on such topics as a mindfulness and work stress, and is planning to invite senior staff to share their paths to success — how they got where they are in a research career.
As for the recently approved staff union, she says, “people are definitely starting to ask about that,” but she is waiting until its implementation progresses before adding union news to the Research 101 repertoire.
In her spare time, Rosen volunteers for the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation as the coordinator for their annual charity walk at the Waterfront in Homestead. She works nearly 100 percent remotely, since she has the disease herself and has already had a kidney transplant.
Directly under Rosen are a team of administrative assistants, each of whom aids eight to 10 faculty. “It’s a lot of work — I’m not going to lie — but it’s good work,” Rosen says of her job. “The people that I support do such amazing things and they are so caring. The staff have the same sort of dedication and patience for the work they are doing. … I am glad I get to do the kind of work I do, with the people who do the work they do.”
Marty Levine is a staff writer for the University Times. Reach him at martyl@pitt.edu or 412-758-4859.
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