Lindsay Allen

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Lindsay Allen (image by Jamie Powers, used with permission)

 

Published March 28, 2018 This content is archived.

Each month, we'll introduce you to an interesting member of the Professional Staff Senate. This month's featured member is Lindsay Allen, staff assistant in the Office of University Shared Governance.

How long have you worked at UB?

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I’ve been in my current assignment in the Office of University Shared Governance for 14 months, but I’ve also worked for the School of Social Work and was a graduate assistant for student life and athletics (for the Marching Band and Pep Band) while I was earning my master's degree in urban planning. I’ve had several assignments here at UB!

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I really enjoy seeing the five pillars of shared governance interact. There is so much happening here at UB, and it’s inspiring to see all of the inner workings. 

Tell us something about your department that isn’t well known.

In general, I don’t think most people know what shared governance is, nor what the functions of the senates are. I didn’t, prior to starting this position! From the SUNY Shared Governance webpage: “In a shared governance system, faculty, professional staff, administration, governing boards, and students participate in the development of policies and in decision making that affects the institution....By coming together with different constituent groups who have different opinions on how an institution should be governed, the shared governance process can become the desired way to help institutions implement changes.” It’s inspiring when people feel empowered to create change, and the senates help all of us do that!

If you were to share some advice for other professional staff, what would it be?

Get involved in shared governance at UB! You have a voice here, and you are most definitely heard. Get to know the people around you too: colleagues, co-workers, students. UB is a gold mine of institutional knowledge, and it’s exciting to be a part of that history.

Do you have any hobbies? What do you do for fun?

I love to create art, especially hand-lettered art. I am a Girl Scout Brownie troop co-leader, so that allows me to tap into my artistic and crafty side with the 11 girls in the troop. I also love to cook, read, visit estate sales, play board games, journal, and just hang out with my wife Courtney and our dogs. 

Do you have a favorite meal you like to prepare?

I make amazing French onion soup. I’m always researching new recipes and cooking methods.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

I definitely want to visit Europe soon. I’ve been to Australia but never Europe! For Christmas, I got an AncestryDNA kit and learned that I’m a significant percentage Scandinavian, which was very surprising! So now I want to visit and research my Scandinavian roots, which are somewhat of a mystery.

Any other fun facts about you?

I am a UB alumna and earned my BS and MUP here. I lived in Denver, Colorado, for a few years after finishing school but came back to Buffalo to be near family again. Also, when I was a UB student, I was in Marching Band and Pep Band, and I played mellophone, a marching version of a French horn. I played French horn for 18 years.