Any idea who represents you on Staff Council? The feedback we’ve received suggests for many staff members the answer is “no.” In response, we are launching a new Councilor Spotlight series in the monthly newsletter. The Spotlight series is intended to introduce Council members as well as provide a glimpse of the work that occurs on Staff Council. Why would you want to contact your representative? They can elevate your concerns or ideas, help you find information, and connect you with resources across campus. Click here to find your representative.  

Swarnima Chaudhary, Senior Behavioral Assessment Consultant, and Staff Council Function Representative for Behavioral Health/Healthcare staff members. Chaudhary joined the University of Iowa in December 2021. This year she is a member of the Healthcare, Bylaws and Diversity & Inclusion committees. 

When asked what staff council project she is most proud of, Chaudhary shared “Working as a team to champion for tuition assistance for staff at UI and assisting in planning two successful Diversity Celebration events.”

Some additional Q&A with Nima:  

Q: What inspires you?

A: The resiliency of our staff and their ability to overcome adversity through teamwork, thoughtful leadership and compassion inspires me. The power of being present and empathically listening to then work towards problem-solving – seeing those simple tenets work over and over again inspires me. The stories of people and their lives inspires me. Human beings are so interesting and seeing our commonalities inspires me.