February 5, 2025
What does a “day in the life” look like for you at work?
My day starts in the Physics building at 6:00AM. Depending on what I'm working on, it could either mean job walks with contractors, troubleshooting a facilities engineering problem, or visiting my favorite custodians, Stanley and Maria, at McCone Hall. After the start, I check in with my building manager Esperanza Munoz-Riddle - she supports me taking care of the neverending day-to-day facilities and safety issues. We talk about our game plan for the day and what we are working on.
After that check in, we jump right into our tasks, projects, meetings and whatever may land in our lap for the day. Every day is different and every day there is something new to learn. Some days you may only be at your desk for a moment and others you could be on zoom or emails all day. On the days I'm on my feet all day, I could find myself assisting our HVAC Tech Joel Billena troubleshooting a building chiller, reviewing lab designs with my partners at the Letters & Science Facilities Office, tracing an electrical problem with my area electrician Eugen Dreve, or working on commissioning a new research lab with our campus projects team.
Days can sometimes end via email or weekly check in meetings with my wonderful and supportive MPS Dean's Office colleagues led by Dean Steve Kahn and my great supervisor Wanda Nieters.
You have a unique legacy story, growing up around Campbell Hall and now serving as its Facilities Director. How does it feel to come full circle, and how has this personal connection influenced your work?
It's quite amazing, really. I fondly remember coming into Campbell Hall with my mom when she worked at the L&S Executive Dean's office as a budget analyst. I think of all the times she told me to "just sit and don't make too much noise" when her boss, Dean Ed Feder, used to come in to talk with her. Then from being part of the project team that built Campbell Hall and now to one of the key persons to keep it running and looking gorgeous holds a spot very close to me. I sometimes do like to give it that little extra attention to keep it running great, supporting the wonderful Physics research labs in the Lower Level and Astronomy in the upper areas. I also often bump into my mom's previous boss, Mark Richards, because he's returned to be chair of the Earth and Planetary Sciences department.
What are some memorable projects or initiatives you’ve worked on that have made a significant impact on the MPS community?
I could think of so many great projects or initiatives here, but the one that sticks out most to me is the Spring 2020 Resumption of Campus Research. Our campus closed in March 2020 as a result of the covid pandemic. During that time, I was a senior building manager of the Physics Department. I remember those days very clearly because I was one of the very few people that was allowed to work in person to ensure the buildings were secure and safe. I recall how creepy it was when I would walk through the buildings as everything was so quiet. The campus closure left us unable to do in-person research and shifted learning to a remote mode. During that closure time, MPS Dean Frances Hellman was trying to figure out how to get our research community back in the labs. She asked me if I could support the entire MPS division on the research side of operations and meet with different people committed on campus to figure out some solutions. I gladly accepted.
During that time I got to work with her, along with fabulous staff and faculty from different parts of the campus. We worked on ways to manage and limit the number of persons working in space at the same time, while maintaining lab safety. Eventually we had approvals for people to slowly return to work and then after some time, we fully reopened the campus. Those days seem like they were only yesterday.
With nearly 20 years at Berkeley, what changes have you seen in the campus facilities, and how has your role evolved over the years?
As with all things, there has been lots of change. Our campus is really focused on clean energy. This shifts the way we design our buildings and labs. With these changes, it really complicates the things we can and can't do to build high performance facilities. We often have to come up with creative and innovation solutions, but this is one of the things that makes working at Berkeley great.
My fundamental role of supporting teaching and research hasn't changed. I was taught these fundamental things from two great supervisors and mentors I had early in my campus career: Katalin Markus and Eleanor Crump crafted me into the person I am today. Now I have the great chance to work with a great employee, Espe, who is so enthusiastic and energetic about supporting the teaching and research now. It's my chance to mentor her to be a campus leader as well as influence others around me to support that same mission.
During your time as a primary liaison between UC Berkeley and the “Oppenheimer” production team, what was the most exciting or memorable aspect of working on such a high-profile project?
My most memorable time from that event was when the cast crew asked if I could find a private office for Mr. Cillian Murphy (the lead actor in "Oppenheimer," who went on to receive an Oscar for his role), to use while he was on set for the day. I offered my office for use. The crew happily accepted. When it was time for Mr. Murphy to use my office, I got to shake his hand and asked him to sign one of my Oppenheimer biography books. He absolutely did!
What are you currently learning and/or would like to learn?
I would love to be extra proficient in Auto CAD (computer-aided design software that is used for precise 2D and 3D drafting, design, and modeling). I have toyed with it for a while, but just can't quite find the time to really dedicate to it.
What else can you share with us about you or your work?
A dream of mine is to be able to build and design a house for myself and my wife in the Philippines. Being involved in construction on campus has given me a solid base to rely on, so when I retire, I can manage that project myself. My father was born in the Philippines, and ever since, I've been visiting family and friends there for the last 25 years. I feel like the slow and simple pace of life there suits where I'd like to be after UC.