PPSA Slate of Candidates

Chair-Elect:  Choose One

Dr. Suzanne Bellan (Business Services)

Suzanne has worked at Penn for eight years, serving currently as Associate Director of the PennCard Center in the Business Services Division.  Before working for PennCard, Suzanne was the General Manager of Penn Student Agencies for the Division of University Life. She holds a Doctorate in Higher Education Management from Penn's Graduate School of Education.  Additionally, she holds a Master's in Management from Penn State University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Trenton State College. 

Suzanne has spent the last year serving on the PPSA board as a Member-at-Large, and previously has served as a PPSA representative on the Bookstore Committee.  In addition, Suzanne was recently recognized with a “Commitment to Excellence” Award for her part in the Katrina Guest Student Program Team.

Omar Mitchell (Wharton)

Omar has been with the University for 12 years and has been active in employee organizations much of this time.  He is currently an active member of the (PPSA) serving on the Community Relations Committee.  Omar has also served as the Chair for the Weekly-Paid Professional Staff Assembly (WPSA) for 1 ½ terms, leaving that position due to a promotion in 2004.  This experience gives Omar first-hand knowledge of the decision-making processes of the University Steering and Council committees.

Omar believes that he has been, and will continue to be, a good advocate for staff issues because of his commitment to, and belief in, the fact that staff at all levels are a vital component to the success of this institution.   For staff to be considered anything else is a gross disservice to the part they play in making this institution the leader and innovator that it has become. Omar believes the success of this University has come from the input and commitment of all the constituencies, students, faculty, staff and alumni.  To remove, limit, or marginalize the contributions that each makes will limit the overall success and greatness this institution can achieve. 

By working collaboratively, Omar believes all constituents can take the University to a pinnacle of success rivaled by none.  He looks forward to the opportunity to continue to serve our community in a positive manner.

Vice Chair-Elect:  Choose One

(NOTE – if the proposed new by-laws are passed this position will serve for one year as Vice-Chair Elect and the second year as Member-at-Large.)

Monica Jones (Affirmative Action)

Monica is a native of Philadelphia and attended Temple University. She has over 13 years of secretarial and administrative experience and several years of event planning. She has been with the University for almost 4 years at the Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Programs as a Staff Assistant.

Monica is responsible for implementing office policies and procedures to ensure quality customer service, maintaining department budget and oversee the Office of Affirmative Action’s website and newsletter, and coordinates events. She also supervises the support staff, coordinating work assignments and projects to ensure accurate and timely completion.

Monica strongly feels that she can make a difference by being one of the voices of PPSA.  She wants to increase awareness, participation and the number of seminars and programs that PPSA offers that help individuals perform and excel their professional development.

John J. McGarry (Facilities and Real Estate Services)

John has been at the University of Pennsylvania Department of Real Estate for over nine years as a Director of Real Estate Brokerage, following 20 years of institutional real estate experience at other Universities and the private sector.  He has devoted numerous years working with the Philadelphia Community currently serving on the Board of Directors for the following organizations in University City: UC Green, West Philadelphia Partnership CDC (Secretary of Service Works a MBE component of WPCDC), PHILADANCO, White Dog Foundation and The Community Involvement League.   His work at the community level involves communications and real estate expertise to many 501 c groups in University City.  He holds a B.A. in Sociology from La Salle University. John feels he will offers a special bonus to the PPSA serving in a dual role as both employee and parent to two Penn students.

Joanne Murray (Nursing)

Joanne Murray is an Associate Director for Academic Affairs at the School of Nursing.  She specializes in the doctoral student population and is the clinical affiliation agreement negotiator for the school for 1200 clinical sites throughout the Unites States.  Ms. Murray has worked at Penn for 10 years and started her career here in Nursing's Faculty Services.  Prior to working at Penn she worked in the corporate sector as a corporate trainer, office manager and junior management analyst.  Ms. Murray has served PPSA on the University Facilities Committee for the past two years and recently received her Masters in Education from Penn, focusing on higher education management.

Member-At-Large:  Choose three

Linda Brown (Wharton)

Linda is the Associate Director of The Pension Research Council and Boettner Center at The Wharton School.  In that role she manages multiple accounts, including federal and non-federal sponsored programs, gifts, endowments and interdepartmental and interschool budgets. In addition, Linda assists the Director in achieving annual fundraising goals of the Center and maximizing the fundraising potential of Wharton Partnership Program by strengthening relationships with corporate constituents and implementing programs designed to create new funding opportunities.

Linda is also currently a member of the Personnel Benefits Committee and a member of the Women of Color Executive Planning Committee.  She is eager to continue to serve the University of Pennsylvania in a greater capacity and meet others who are doing the same.

Karen Chance (Development and Alumni Relations)

Karen is an Associate Director for the Global Alumni Network in the Office of Alumni Relations, where she manages alumni associations in the Northeast region, Canada, the Caribbean and Latin America. She is based in our New York Regional Office at the Penn club of New York. Karen has worked in Alumni Relations for four years, where her initial dual roles also included working closely with the Diversity Alliance groups both locally and nationally. As a proud Penn Alumna from the Class of 1999 and a current graduate student at Penn, she is thrilled to serve on committees that bring greater awareness about the University, discuss the unique challenges Penn employees face and provide opportunities to build bridges across the University community. Prior to joining Penn, Karen has a background in management consulting. She currently volunteers as a Class of 1999 reunion gift co-chair, and is very active in her local church serving on the Discipleship Ministry, and also the Women's Ministry.

Pamela Edwards (VPUL – PennCAP)

Pamela has been employed at Penn since 1990, initially serving as a Counselor for the PENNCAP Program for seven years.  In 1997 she left Penn to take a directorship of the Student Support Services Program at the University of Delaware, where she remained for three years.  Pamela returned to Penn in 2001 as Assistant Director of PENNCAP and Coordinator of the Penn Pre-Freshman Program.  Her current title is Associate Director of PENNCAP.  Pamela’s educational background includes a BA in Sociology and a MA in Student Affairs in Higher Education.  She has also taken courses in Wharton, as well as the Graduate School of Education.

Pamela has held numerous state professional association board positions including Secretary, Treasurer and Vice President of the Pennsylvania Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel (PAEOPP).  In addition, she has chaired several conference planning committees for the regional equivalent of PAEOPP, the Mid-Eastern Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel (MEAEOPP). Pamela is interested in serving on PPSA Board because she would like to contribute her energy and leadership skills to the PPSA.