Staff Profiles

Meet the Staff: Lara Madden

Photo of Lara Madden

More than 100 staff members work in the Division of the Humanities. We’ll introduce you to our staff in this continuing series.

Lara Madden
Operations Manager, Performance Program
Music Department

What do you like most about your job?

Managing our student workforce and getting to know students from all over the world. Also, seeing and hearing beautiful music performances.

What was the last good book you read?

The Master and His Emissary by Iain McGilchrist

You might work with me if …

You are scheduling a music rehearsal or event.

Where do you draw inspiration from for your work at the University or other projects you might have outside of the university?

The beautiful, majestic architecture of UChicago campus, yoga, and the music and work ethic of J.S. Bach.

January 18, 2023

Meet the Staff: Anna Dobrowolski

Anna Dobrowolski

More than 100 staff members work in the Division of the Humanities. We’ll introduce you to our staff in this continuing series.

Anna Dobrowolski
Student Affairs Administrator
Department of English Language and Literature

What do you like most about your job?

I started out when we were all remote, so connecting with coworkers, faculty members, graduate, and undergraduate students always brightens my day. It’s such a positive, word-loving community. I especially enjoy when students stop by to talk about their projects and goals. We are revamping the “Guilty Pleasures” series, so my office has also become the makeshift confessional for sharing topics we “hate to love” or “love to hate.”  I'm looking forward to those upcoming events.

What was the last good book you read?

It’s a toss-up between a couple of books: Mary Gabriel’s Ninth Street Women, Cervantes’s Don Quixote, and, to round it out, Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. I tend to gravitate toward collections of letters or biographies these days.  

You might work with me …

if you have any questions about the English major, the BA project, department course scheduling, or PhD requirements. 

Do you typically set intentions or resolutions for each new year? If so, any you would like to share?

As a chronic goal-setter, at some point I decided to ditch the idea of setting a resolution at the start of the year; it just seemed redundant. I thought it would be better to set goals in October on a random Tuesday. I usually aim to complete a couple of creative projects or learn something new. Currently, I’m learning French on my commute and volunteering more in the artist community. There’s a lot to do in Chicago.

January 9, 2023

Meet the Staff: Claire Snarksi

Claire Snarski Headshot

More than 100 staff members work in the Division of the Humanities. We’ll introduce you to our staff in this continuing series.

Claire Snarski
Graphic Design Specialist
Department of Music and UChicago Presents

What do you like most about your job?

What I like most about my job is working with a group of spectacular colleagues. Every day I work with peers who are kind, knowledgeable, hard-working, and always willing to help and support me is a luxury that many people do not have in their workplace environment. I have worked for the Department of Music and UChicago Presents for a long time, and I have been fortunate enough to meet so many amazing people.

What was the last good book you read?

I wish I could say that I have read a lot of stellar books lately, but unfortunately my recent book count is way down due to my excitement over listening to podcasts…hello from a typical millennial! So maybe I share podcasts instead? If you’re looking to learn fun and interesting stories about Chicago, check out Curious City. If you love a good origin story for design and history topics, take a listen to 99% Invisible.

You might work with me if …

… you are part of the Department of Music and you are presenting or performing in one of our many concerts scheduled throughout the year. One of my main responsibilities for the Department of Music/UChicago Presents is creating all the promotional materials for each event/concert. You’ve probably seen my work up around campus! Interested in attending free concerts with student/staff/community member performers or excited to see world-class artists by purchasing discounted tickets for staff and faculty? Visit music.uchicago.edu to learn more.

What are you looking forward to in 2023?

November 22, 2022

Meet the Staff: Molly Heiler

Molly Heiler

More than 100 staff members work in the Division of the Humanities. We’ll introduce you to our staff in this continuing series.

Molly Heiler
Director, Human Resources
Office of the Dean

What do you like most about your job?

I get a great deal of satisfaction developing relationships with diverse populations at all levels and positively impacting the employee experience, from the moment a candidate considers applying for a position, to staff engagement, and offboarding staff as they transition out of their role.

We spend so much time at work, and it’s exciting for me to help make that time as rewarding as possible. I like to help people see their value and understand how they contribute to the success of the institution. I truly believe people are the heart of every organization, and individuals bring unique talents and perspectives that, when allowed to thrive, contribute to a highly engaging workplace.  I also enjoy putting resources together, establishing best practices, enhancing processes, and more. The field of HR allows me to do all of this. I especially like working in higher-education because it is an environment of learning and growth.

What was the last good book you read?

I enjoyed reading The Four Agreements: The Practical Application of Don Miguel Ruiz's Second and Third Agreements.

You might work with me if …

you have questions about the employee lifecycle and/or people operations including recruitment, hiring, onboarding, offboarding, strategic planning, employee relations, organizational effectiveness, change and performance management, employee engagement, performance management, leadership coaching, succession planning, payroll, benefits, finding ways to foster a culture of growth, high-performance, wellbeing, and belonging, and more.

Is there something you’ve been learning about that’s been an exciting or unexpected discovery?

October 28, 2022

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