Employee-Elected Trustee Candidate Profiles - Spring 2020
Custodial Manager, Building Care
Facilities and Campus Services
105 Humphreys Service Building
Personal Statement:
Hi, I am Brian Goodell and I would like to be your voice on the Board of Trustees. I feel that the top 3 priorities for the Board of trustees to address are: Advocate and bring the Employees views to the table – Increase transparency so that the Employees know they have a voice – Welfare of the University so that all are protected, safe, and secure. Advocating and bringing the Employees views to the table is my top priority. I am running for the Employee Elected Trustee because I believe that I can provide the Board with meaningful information from the employee’s perspective. I will accomplish this by making myself available to all Employees, and listening to their concerns, and then advocating those concerns to the Board of Trustees. The second priority is to increase transparency. I believe that the Board of Trustees needs to be transparent with the employees, especially when it has an impact on the employees. I will advocate for more communication from the Board to the employees. I would also act as a conduit, meet with Employees regularly, and make sure that they have this communication. The third priority would be the welfare of the University. As a board member I would do all within my power to provide the employees a safe, secure, and protected University so that they know that their health, safety, security and wellbeing are important not only for their success, but for the Cornell Universities success as well.
Relevant Experience:
I have been a Cornell employee for the past 30 years. During my time here at Cornell I have served on the Employee Assembly (1999 – 2001), University Assembly (1999-2001). I was elected as the UAW 2300 President from 2001-2004, where I fought for better working conditions for my constituents. I returned to the Employee Assembly this past year where I was elected by my peers on the Employee Assembly as the current chair of the Policies and Benefits Committee. I have always been involved in the Cornell Community and have served on many committees during my employment here. You often see me at Cornell sponsored events where I usually volunteer in different capacities. I feel that I can bring a unique perspective to the board because of my vast array of experience that I have acquired at Cornell. I have always been an advocate for my fellow Cornell employees, and I feel that I could use the skills that I have acquired and provide the valuable staff perspective to Board of Trustees.
Community Involvement:
I have always been involved and have worked to help my community. I have worked with the Dump & Run program, which benefits many charitable programs. I served as an ambassador on the United Way committee. I also volunteered with fundraising, and adopting children through the elf program. I also was a volunteer firefighter for 5 years.
Special Interests:
I have always been an advocate for the employees and enjoy serving as an advocate for their interest. I pride myself as someone who looks out for the employees best interest, and I work to provide avenues that help them be successful. I enjoy being with my family and spending time with them. I also enjoy playing and writing music, going camping and all the activities associated with it.
Systems Administrator, Enterprise Services
CIT
Room 132, 120 Maple Ave.
Personal Statement:
I love Cornell and working to improve the lives of our employees. Since joining Cornell in 2012, I have volunteered continually, including positions on the executive committees of both the University and Employee Assemblies. A year ago, I was elected to serve the remainder of our previous Employee-Elected Trustee’s term. I have attended meetings of every Board committee and have learned more about the university, our history, finances, real estate, institutional relationships, and projects. I have worked with and built trust among fellow trustees, enlisting their support for my own initiatives like improving the understanding and recognition of our employees as vital contributors to Cornell’s reputation and success, improving communication with our diverse communities, and increasing equity in the student experience. As a Trustee, I have continued to engage with our community, especially those most impacted by campus policies. I actively reach out to and learn from my fellow employees, particularly those with different life experiences and worldviews, focusing on community-building. This allows me to better communicate the impact on employees when considering important decisions. I will continue building new connections to our staff and maintaining the network of communication in and around Cornell and Ithaca that I have built up over the years, allowing me to better serve our communities. With this experience, I am in a unique position to be successful in a full term.
Relevant Experience:
I have always felt that if you want to see change, you should work towards solutions. As a result, I have built a long-standing history of successful involvement in Cornell’s shared governance. I have served on the executive committees of both the Employee Assembly and University Assembly, and as Chair of the Campus Infrastructure Committee. Over the last year and a half, I have served as the Employee-Elected Trustee serving as a voting member on the Trustee Community Communications Committee (TCCC), the Student Life Committee, and the University Relations Committee, and I regularly attend meetings of all of the Trustee committees. I have formed my own initiatives to better recognize and appreciate our staff volunteers, to increase the equity for our undergraduate students, and to improve recognition of staff contribution to Cornell's achievements. I have support among the trustees and administration, and we are making improvements. Given a full term, I hope to continue this work.
Community Involvement:
I am the Communications Director for Team RWB Ithaca, a veterans group dedicated to enriching the lives of veterans by connecting them to their community through physical and social activity, and part of the Veterans Colleague Network (VCNG) on campus. I am also a member of Creating a Culture of Respect (CCOR), a Cornell program exploring the complexities of identity and inclusion. In the Ithaca area, I have been a volunteer ride trainer for the Ithaca AIDS Ride for Life, involved in town meetings on community solar, and have provided free technical services to local nonprofits and community groups. All of these activities have helped me build personal connections with a wide cross-section of the Cornell and Ithaca-area communities, which help me to consider issues from a spectrum of different viewpoints.
Special Interests:
I really enjoy being a part of Ithaca’s unique culture: I love to browse the Farmers Market, participate in the Tough Turtle event supporting the Ithaca Children’s Garden, and ride around lake Cayuga in the AIDS Ride for Life; I have won the hot-pepper contest at the Ithaca Chili Festival, and I make a pretty good Hagrid at Wizarding Weekend. On a day-to-day level, much of my energy (with my family) goes toward small actions in sustainable living that hopefully add up to larger impacts, like reducing our use of disposable plastics, minimizing our dependence on fossil fuels, and gardening with native plants to support our local pollinators and wildlife. I care deeply about social justice issues, and make ongoing efforts to educate myself. I regularly try to get outside my comfort zone to better understand others’ perspectives, and to use my discomfort as an indicator that I have something new to learn.
Building Care Manager, SCL Building Care
Facilities & Campus Services
Carl Becker House, West Campus
Personal Statement:
I believe that the top three priorities of the Board of Trustees should include Safeguarding the Reputation, Integrity and Traditions of Cornell University; Supporting initiatives that further the University’s Mission of Learning, Discovery & Engagement; and Overseeing Annual Budget and the Financial Operations of the University. In order to adequately perform my role as the Employee-Elected Trustee, I believe that I must first engage in familiarizing myself with the University By-Laws, the Charge of the Board of Trustees, past significant issues facing the Board of Trustees, current initiatives, the role of the various committees, and challenges facing Cornell University that may be on the near and distant horizon. Throughout my career, I have been committed to seeking organizational justice and improving the quality of work life of all employees. I am strongly committed to diversity, employee inclusion and ensuring the health and well-being of all students, staff, faculty and visitors. I see participation on the Board of Trustees as an opportunity to Safeguard the Integrity, Reputation and Traditions of Cornell University, while representing the needs and desires of staff in a mutually beneficial and highly collaborative manner.
Relevant Experience:
I believe that my current role as a member of the Cornell University Employee Assembly, representing Facility & Campus Services Staff, and my elected position on the committee as Vice-Chair of Operations and Finance, help to prepare for successful participation on the Board of Trustees for Cornell University. In addition to the Employee Assembly, I am also an active member of the Facility and Campus Services, Rewards and Recognition Committee. It is our responsibility to create awareness of various awards programs, and evaluate & rank submissions for recognition. I am also an active member of the Green Ambassadors Team which meets to promote existing sustainability programs and develop new initiatives to support the environment. I completed my BS in Business & Management in 1997, and my MBA in 2005. I also completed a two year Leadership Development designed for high potential executive level candidates on 2005. While at Cornell I have completed the Harold Craft Leadership program.
Community Involvement:
My Community Involvement has included Serving as a Mentor in a program based in Syracuse called “Circles”. This program was designed to match mentors with family unit leaders to develop work skills, to better understand middle class norms, and break the cycle of generational poverty. The most rewarding means of community involvement as a volunteer for Junior Achievement. As a JA volunteer I had the opportunity to visit dozens of inner city schools and meet with students to educate them on issues impacting their community, and the role of various functions neighborhoods, municipalities and regions of the country. The program even extended into commerce and taxes, illustrating the value of work, undertaking business initiatives and how tax dollars are disseminated. I believe that this program allowed me the opportunity to have a positive impact on the lives of many students, and provided me with a very rewarding opportunity.
Special Interests:
My personal interests outside of work include a wide variety of activities. I am an ardent runner and work out regularly at the gym. I have a couple of jet skis and kayaks which occupies a lot of my free time during the warmer weather. I enjoy camping, fishing, hiking and exploring new areas. I find day trips with no specific itinerary liberating and relaxing. I try to catch several professional sporting events each year. Don’t care what sport, where it is, or who’s playing. I don’t take any sporting activities too seriously. Just enjoy being with people and having a good time. I have four children and two grandchildren who continue to be the focal point of my life. No matter how old they get I am still their dad and enjoy spending time with them and supporting them in any way I can. I also enjoy taking long drives, listening to the radio and chilling. I drive 1500 miles round trip very two months to Wilmington, N.C to visit two of my sons and grandchildren. Just for the weekend!
Assistant Director, Video Engineering & Event Services, Customer Service & Support
CIT
110 Maple Ave.
Personal Statement:
As a member of the Board of Trustees it would be my responsibility to represent the employee perspective on all business that comes before the Board. As the employee representative I would also strive to convey the essential part that staff play in achieving Cornell’s goals and overall excellence. I believe that fostering a sustainable institution which is carbon neutral must be a prioritized goal for the University. Cornell is uniquely positioned to research, develop, and implement those technologies that are going to drive the next economy. Another priority is supporting the hiring of talented and dedicated faculty and staff. Cornell is composed of its people. To be successful now and in the future, we must be able to identify, recruit, develop, and retain those people that are going to take care of and guide the University for decades to come. A third priority is the development of sustainable funding models to address the future growth needed to explore new and emerging disciplines, as well as address the operations and maintenance of several sizeable physical campuses.
Relevant Experience:
In my 18 years at Cornell I have had the opportunity to work closely with colleagues from all areas of the University, including IT professionals, administrators, carpenters, electricians, food service, communicators, first responders, building care, researchers, and faculty. I enjoy listening to my colleagues and asking questions. And I use that feedback to inform the services that I manage. I believe that exact same skill will be valuable in representing the employee perspective on the Board of Trustees. I also have experience gathering information from various and disparate disciplines and using that to inform decisions. I believe that having a robust analytical and decision-making process would be a key skill of a board member.
Community Involvement:
I spend my free time with my family and enjoy attending concerts and visiting the incredible State Parks that are in the Finger Lakes Region. I am a supporter of the Food Bank of the Southern Tier, the Cornell Elves program, and the Ithaca Children’s Garden.
Special Interests:
I believe people should help each other whenever they can, be truthful, and be kind.
HR Director, Research
OVPR
395 Pine Tree Rd., Suite 302, Ithaca, NY 14850
Personal Statement:
Top Three Priorities for the Board: 1. Sustainability of the institution by making decisions that will ensure that the university thrives in the short and long term. This includes being vigilant in managing our finances and risk management profile. 2. Supporting and encouraging leadership to continue to make strides in diversity and inclusion to increase the numbers of staff, students and faculty. 3. Supporting efforts to advance our research profile. How will I use my position to improve Cornell? 1. Listen attentively to the issues being presented and share my point of view, where appropriate. 2. Serve on committees that enhance my knowledge of the workings of the university and share information as appropriate with the proper constituencies. 3. Partner with senior leadership to execute decisions in areas where I have influence and responsibilities. Over the course of my professional career, I have served on a number of boards, large and small. In each of these roles, I have helped to define and support the mission of the organizations. For instance, on the board of the Partnership, Inc., I initially served as a representative of one of their key constituencies. Later, when I became a full member of the board, I used that experience to help define programming and solicit corporate support.
Relevant Experience:
My relationship with Cornell goes back to my experience as a student in Human Ecology. As an alumnus, I have served on a number of boards in various roles, including President of the Human Ecology Alumni Association Board, Cornell Council, and Mosaic. As a staff member, I have had the opportunity to work with a wide range of staff across colleges and units as an OD Consultant/Trainer. I served on the Presidential Task Force on campus climate and led efforts to identify actions in response to the 2016 Employee Engagement Survey. I co-led the Staff Conversations series across campus to allow staff to share their perspectives about working at Cornell. In addition, I currently serve as the Chair of the Men of Color Colleague Network. Finally, I have made countless presentations across campus on leadership, personal development and diversity and inclusion. These experiences have allowed me to develop relationships across campus and deepen my understanding of the staff experience.
Community Involvement:
As mentioned above, over the course of my professional life, I have served on a number of boards such as the Boston and Charlotte Symphony Orchestras and Social Venture Partners. In the Ithaca community, I am a member of the graduate chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, Fraternity, Inc., the Local Leaders of Color and have worked with Greater Ithaca Activities Center (GIAC) and Civic Ensemble.
Special Interests:
My interests include spending time with my family, reading and traveling. I am also committed to issues of social justice.