Sarah Horgen

Candidate Statement
Group II

My name is Sarah Horgen, and I am the Departmental Administrator for Anthropology. I am a UI alum (BA, 02) and have been fortunate to work in various roles and units across campus, and on both sides of the river, since graduating. I have been in my current position since 2019 and am happy to be back ‘home’ in Anthropology and in CLAS. I feel that both my personal history as a long-time UI staff member and my current professional role as a liaison to various stakeholders across the college and university will provide a unique perspective on issues facing CLAS staff at all levels. If elected to represent my colleagues on CLAS Staff Council, I hope to address issues of staff compensation and work-life balance among other important topics. Thank you for your consideration.

Mallory Hellman

Candidate Statement
Group III

Director, Iowa Youth Writing Project
Magid Center for Writing 

As I approach my tenth year of service in a CLAS staff position, I appreciate more than ever how crucial a role advocacy plays in our collective professional well-being. The changes our College has undergone, and will inevitably continue to undergo in coming years, have sparked justifiable confusion and concern among CLAS staff. To properly meet this concern, the lines of information between our College's decision-makers and those being affected by those decisions must be direct, transparent, and fully functional.

As I see it, CLAS Staff Council carries out two broad missions: To bring staff concerns to those with the capacity to address them (advocacy) and to ensure that staff have a clear path to access all the resources and information they need to flourish in our College. As a conduit between College staff and administration, we're in a unique position to represent and advocate for the body of employees that makes this College run. Over the last three years, I've not taken that obligation lightly. I'd be honored to have the opportunity to continue working as an advocate and amplifier over the course of another term.

Vance Morris

Candidate Statement
Group IV

Role in CLAS: My name is Vance Morris, and I am currently an HR Generalist at the University of Iowa's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS). In my role, I serve as the HR Representative for several departments, including Anthropology, Biology, the Division of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, Computer Science, Geographical & Sustainability Sciences, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Mathematics, and Statistics and Actuarial Sciences.

Tenure with CLAS/UI: I began my journey with CLAS on March 22, 2021, following my retirement from the Air Force after over 20 years of dedicated service.

Main Issue Facing Staff: The primary issue I see facing staff today is the stress created during these uncertain times, leading to feelings of powerlessness and a lack of voice. I am committed to ensuring that all Professional & Scientific (P&S) staff feel empowered and have access to the necessary resources. My military experience has instilled in me a strong focus on taking care of those around me, and I aim to bring this same dedication to this role on Staff Council.

Jamie Klein-Packard

Candidate Statement
Group V

My name is Jamie Klein-Packard and I’m a research associate in the Psychological and Brain Sciences Department. I’ve worked at the University of Iowa since 2014. Working at a university right now feels a bit wild- there’s a lot of information being shared and then retracted, rumors spreading, and the potential for policy changes that would impact staff. It’s quite easy to become siloed in one’s own department (at least for me), but I believe that these are times when we all need to stand together on shared issues. I would like to help represent CLAS voices and to advocate for transparency as decisions are made.   

Ali Romano-McClain

Candidate Statement
Org Rep

I am excited to express my interest in serving as the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (CLAS) Organizational Representative on the University of Iowa Staff Council. I have been with the University of Iowa since April 2021 and currently serve as a Human Resources Generalist for CLAS. In this role, I support various departments by optimizing HR processes and providing comprehensive HR guidance. Additionally, I am currently on the executive committee for CLAS Staff Council.

One of the issues I see facing staff is the need for enhanced professional development opportunities. My goal is to advocate for more accessible training programs that cater to the evolving needs of our staff and help bring staff from across the university together. My experience in HR, along with my active involvement in CLAS Staff Council and various committees, has prepared me to represent CLAS at the university level.

Thank you for considering my candidacy!

Alejandra (Ali) Romano-McClain