"Meet the AACRAO Staff" is an occasional Connect feature. It’s one way for members to get to know some of the folks hard at work in the AACRAO office. Come to the Annual Meeting this April in Baltimore, MD and meet some of the AACRAO staff in person!
This week, meet AACRAO Assoc. Director of Consulting Nicole Spero.
What does the Associate Director of Consulting do?
I’m the first point-of-contact for our consulting clients. I oversee the flow and logistics of all the consulting projects, as well as assist with marketing and other operational aspects.
I review and evaluate any information or consulting requests made through the website or over the phone and distribute these to our consultants. Last year, we completed around 70 projects. At any given moment, we could be working on as many as 20 active projects.
How long have you been at AACRAO?
I’ve been with AACRAO since September 2002. I came on as a graduate student and worked in many areas, including front-desk reception, membership and publications. After grad school, there was a job open at AACRAO Consulting for this position, and I saw the job as a great fit for how I work. AACRAO Consulting was just taking off, and Founding Director Bob Bontrager had a lot of great ideas about the future of AACRAO Consulting. The Senior Consultants are also such a dedicated and smart group of people. I was in such awe by how professionally - and personally - wonderful they all are.
What will you be doing at the AACRAO Annual Meeting in Baltimore?
I will mostly be at the AACRAO Consulting booth (#702) answering questions, so stop by and say hi!
AACRAO Consultants will also be presenting at many sessions, including: Leadership Lessons: Vision and Values for a New Generation; Making Services and Processes More Productive and Effective Using Business Process Improvement Principles; The Registrar’s Role in Curriculum Management; What Would Free Community College Mean for Your Transfer Policies?
What do you usually do in the spring?
The first thing everyone knows about me is that I’m a huge Washington Nationals fan. I just came back from spring training in Florida, and I’m already counting down to Opening Day. My friends and I love to watch baseball games, go kayaking and hike. In the summer, I also spend a lot of time visiting family in Michigan or Ohio.
What is something that a lot of our members might not know about you?
I’ve been known to frequent throwback 80’s nights.