We are pleased to announce the results of the
PPSA annual elections for 2007-2008.
See below for new officer bios.
Taylor Berkowitz (Planner) Facilities
and Real Estate Services (FRES)
Taylor Berkowitz has been working at the
University of Pennsylvania for over 8
years. Currently working as a Planner
in the University Architect’s Office
in Facilities and Real Estate Services,
Taylor works on the Capital Plan, architect
selection, and the Penn Connects committee.
Previously, Taylor was Marketing Manager
in Business Services, serving as a liaison
between our external partners and the
University. She worked with the retail
and restaurants on campus, and Business
Services’ programs such as the Penn
affinity credit card program. Taylor received
her Masters in City Planning from Penn
in 2004, during which time she served
on the Parking Violations Review Board.
She also has a BA from Penn in Environmental
Studies, Human Biology, and Urban Studies.
Taylor is happy to have established her
career here at Penn and looks forward
to serving on the PPSA board.
Taylor has been a member of the Penn community
for over 13 years, as an undergraduate
student, graduate student, and staff member.
Taylor has enjoyed participating in and
watching our campus grow over the past
decade. Taylor has regularly worked with
student groups, faculty, and staff throughout
the University in order to create public
programs and events that accentuate the
Penn experience. She brings marketing,
advertisement, design, event, and branding
experience, as well as professional and
academic planning knowledge to the PPSA.
Dominic DiSandro (Director) Human
Resources
Dominic is currently the Director of Human
Resources for Facilities and Real Estate
Services (FRES). In this capacity, he
provides leadership in the direction,
review and continuous improvement of the
human resources programs and services
to fulfill the strategic plan of FRES.
In addition he spent almost 9 years working
in various HR related positions such as
a Generalist in the School of Medicine
and a Sr. Specialists in the Benefits
department. Dominic graduated with a Bachelors
degree in Business Administration from
Monmouth College (now Monmouth University),
and in May 2007 he will receive my Masters
degree from Penn’s Organizational
Dynamics program.
Having been both a student, and a professional
staff member at Penn over the course of
9 years, Dominic feels he can bring a
broad perspective to the PPSA. The past
three years working as generalist and
director has given him the opportunity
to meet and work with the staff and faculty
from many of the schools and centers –
an experience which has shown him both
Penn’s strengths and challenges
in supporting its professional staff.
Dominic hopes to bring this experience
to the PPSA in serving as an advocate
for all professional staff, working with
the University to create an environment
that promotes and supports engagement
and partnership between faculty, students,
staff and administration, ultimately resulting
in a vibrant, inclusive community.
Lisa Vaccarelli (Assistant Director
of Penn Alumni/Penn Traditions) Development
and Alumni Relations
Lisa graduated from Penn with a Bachelor
of Arts in 2002; she joined Alumni Relations
in May 2005 as the Assistant Director
of Penn Alumni & Penn Traditions.
In this capacity, she manages Penn’s
alumni association governance and committee
structure, which includes the Penn Alumni
Board of Directors, Council of Representatives
and 14 Alumni Trustees. She also assists
in the development of student and young
alumni programming as part of Penn Traditions:
Building Our Community. Over the course
of the past 2 years, this program has
expanded to include class-based programming
for all four undergraduate years plus
regional programming for young alumni
between 0-5 years out. In addition, Lisa
serves as an advisor to the Penn Alumni
Student Society, a student organization
dedicated to fostering relationships among
prospective students, current students
and alumni. This past fall, she was selected
to serve as co-coordinator for Development
and Alumni Relations (DAR) – a department
of over 350 – in the 2007 Penn’s
Way Campaign. Over the course of this
Campaign, DAR achieved a record-setting
97% participation, exceeding the prior
department record of 76% and leading the
University as a whole.
Having known Penn over the course of the
past 5 years as a student, an alumnus
and now a professional staff member, Lisa
feels she can bring a broad perspective
to the PPSA. The past two years working
here in Alumni Relations have given her
the opportunity to meet staff, faculty
and students from all corners of campus
– an experience which has shown
her both Penn’s strengths and challenges
in supporting its professional staff.
Lisa hopes to bring this experience to
the PPSA in serving as an advocate for
all professional staff, working with the
University to create an environment that
promotes and supports engagement and partnership
between faculty, students, staff and administration,
ultimately resulting in a vibrant, inclusive
community.
Karima Zedan (Director of Academic
& External Affairs) Division of Public
Safety/Office of the Vice President
Although fairly new to the University
of Pennsylvania as a member of the University
administration (one year), Karima has
a long-standing history with Penn, beginning
as an undergraduate in 1994. She graduated
from the University of Pennsylvania in
1998, and then received a master’s
in Criminal Justice from Temple University
in 2002. After working in the local print
media and the Philadelphia District Attorney’s
Office, under the Press Secretary, for
two years, she returned to graduate school
to pursue a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice.
Her graduate experience has provided her
with not only a valuable research and
knowledge base in constitutional law,
policing practices, court administration,
and race and criminal justice, but with
the opportunity to teach undergraduates
at Temple for the past three years, perhaps
the most rewarding aspect of her schooling
thus far. Karima is often asked what her
future plans are once she has completed
her degree; her response is the same every
time, “she is living and working
her future plans.” She has found
a position here at Penn that challenges
her to grow in a multitude of ways, and
that satisfies her personal and professional
desire to remain within university administration.
Despite the many days of operating in
crisis management mode, Karima looks forward
to coming to work with her colleagues
at DPS and Penn every single day, and
being part of the extraordinary environment
that is this University.
As the primary person in the Division of
Public Safety responsible for communications,
media relations, student and diversity
outreach, reports and publications, and
joint projects with our various academic
departments. She has gained an incredible
appreciation for Penn, as an institution
of higher learning, and as an institution
dedicated to the growth and development
of its community members. Karima would
welcome the opportunity to be a part of
the activities of the PPSA, and explore
new and creative ways to foster collaboration
amongst Penn faculty, staff and students.
