Staff Assistant Dec 2014 –PresentOffice of Postdoctoral Services, Duke University• Postdoc Demographic/Outcome Tracking: Collaborated with several Universities as part of the Coalition for Next Generation Life Science: by gathering demographic and outcome data for Duke Postdocs. • Budget Management: Collaborated with the Director of Postdoctoral Services on maintaining and not exceeding the department’s annual budget.• Administrative: Maintained office filing systems. Responded promptly and professionally to all email requests. Met weekly with the Director to discuss the budget status of fund codes, reconciliation process, and processing of AP check requests. Updated the department’s websites. One in drupal and three others in word press. • Event Planning: Collaborated with the Director planning large annual events: Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Orientation, “Postdoctoberfest”, and “Spring Fling. As well as over 20+ workshops and panel discussions during the Fall and Spring. Booked event space through 25Live. • Continuing Education: Completed several courses through Duke LMS such as: I Need a Check! - Accounts Payable Check Requests, Introduction to Duke Accounting and Business Practices, Introduction to Duke G/L Accounting, Duke SAP, Purchase Orders at Duke, SAP Reconciliation and Documents, Procuring Goods and Services at Duke, Why Didn’t It Pay, and several other courses.

Gretchen Mathison is an on-location children's photographer serving Cary, Chapel Hill, Durham, Hillsborough, and Raleigh, North Carolina. She specializes in expert portrait work for babies, children, and families, by capturing every person's unique essence and personality into each precious photo. Studio Manager, Gretchen Mathison Photography, Durham NC Apr 2007- Mar 2014Gretchen Mathison is an on-location children's photographer serving Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, & Hillsborough, North Carolina. She specializes in candid portraiture of babies, children, and families.• Leadership: As the Studio Manager with full P&L responsibilities, ensure business owner can focus on her craft as a professional photographer, resulting in a profitable company. The business is now ten years old and still is successful.• Financial Management: Managed daily financial operations, including accounts payables and receivables for the company to their successful conclusion. Early on, clients took their time choosing and then paying for their photographs. I suggested giving clients a specific time frame and incentives for being timely. Once that was in place the cash flow improved significantly.• Customer Relations: Initiate communicating with customers to address their satisfaction with the company's products, generating 50% of client referrals and repeat business.• Product Delivery: Carefully package and mail client orders on time as promised to ensure the highest customer satisfaction with the company's quality product.• Tax Compliance: Review the IRS small business tax codes to remain in compliance and successfully identify relevant tax breaks or business deductions, saving the company over 30% in 6 years.• Operational Efficiencies: Research the latest budgeting and financial management software systems for potential use to support the business, leveraging technology to increase efficiency.

Store Manager, Barnes and Noble, Raleigh NC Jul 1995 - Apr 2007• Successfully recruited and hired staff and supervised up to 100 employees.• Liaised with corporate HR office concerning payroll, performance reviews, and training. • Anticipated potential local sales opportunities to maximize sales growth.• Consistently achieved sales goals, maintained perfect shop scores. • Managed large and small in-store events; e.g., Harry Potter book release parties and author book signings.• Only manager in the district to achieve perfect shop scores six years in a row.• Maintained sales of over $6 million per year.• Was an objective and fair manager, a good listener, and an excellent trainer.• Kept the store profitable, received an annual raise and a significant bonus.• Listen to the customer and remained level-headed and as a result, had very few problems with customers.• Promoted to larger, more challenging stores.

Store Manager, Record Bar, Durham NC Jul 1987 - Jul 1995The Record Bar is a former retail music/entertainment store that grew from a single location to 180 stores.• Maintained accurate HR records and tracked training.• Consistently achieved sales goals each quarter for the entire time I worked there.• Promoted from Store Clerk to Sales Audit Clerk to Sales Audit Coordinator to Store Manager. • Kept payroll in check, ensured profitability for the store and maintained a well-trained knowledgeable staff.• Performed audits to ensure the stores made their bank deposits in a timely manner, that spending was kept within budget guidelines, and alerted the Loss Prevention Department to any discrepancies. • Led quarterly store inventories to ensure counts were accurate and following company guidelines.• When Super Club purchased Record Bar, they closed the offices in Durham and moved to Atlanta. After a short training period, managed the store at University Mall in Chapel Hill and then was promoted to the larger Chapel Hill store in Eastgate. That store had 1.5 million in sales, two floors, and sold tickets to concert events.

Office Manager, Pepcom Industries (Pepsi Bottling Ventures), Garner NC 1985-1987Pepcom is a manufacturing company with an annual revenue of $50-$100 million and staff of up to 249 employees.• Started in the Durham plant as an Office Manager trainee. After six weeks, promoted to Office Manager at the Garner plant.• Oversaw the general accounting operations of the cost center, prepared monthly financial statements and, ensured Accounts Payable was up to date, daily deposits were made, and daily inventory was correct.• Kept Accounts Receivable 90% current: maintained a 90%+ A/R rating (before electronic money transfers).• Drove across state to get a check from Food Lion as an example of “going the extra mile.”• Called on many Mom and Pop stores when it was time to collect their payments. This was tough because so many customers were on a shoestring budget. Ultimately, I was firm and collected 100% of goal.• When auditing the plant’s inventory of soft drinks, noticed accounting irregularity; alerted Loss Prevention Department, leading to successful audit and company savings.• Supervised 3 employees.