This quarter’s employee spotlight is Dr. Erica Holmes….
Name: Dr. Erica Holmes
Current Position: Financial Aid Consultant
What do you enjoy most about your current position at HEAG?
I enjoy the diversity of working with different institutions. Working in culturally diverse colleges and communities has enriched my career over the years. We find in higher education many commonalities; however, there is no one size fits all when it comes to teaching and learning. I enjoy providing consultation and offering professional development to staff that enables them to implement best practices in a manner that is consistent with their mission and values.
What makes HEAG unique or special compared to your work experiences elsewhere?
HEAG creates unique opportunities to work on short- term and/or long-term assignments.
Before working for HEAG, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?
I worked as a Spanish Translator. While I do not consider myself a “language expert”, I had fair command of the language with the ability to understand, read, and write Spanish. After successfully passing written and oral exams in Spanish, I was offered the job with duties of translating company policies and Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) laws and standards. I gave oral presentations in Spanish and was a translation liaison between management and employees working on agricultural farms.
When you’re not consulting, what kind of other hobbies/interests do you have?
We are sports fans in my family. We regularly attend NBA, NFL, and college games as well as games at the local high schools. With that said, obviously, we love to travel. I have a passion for cooking and we host many family gatherings at our home.
You have held many senior positions in small and large colleges. How is your role different now as a consultant to schools?
The roles are similar in some aspects, although the scope may be more concentrated in one area or another. As a senior administrator, I held responsibility and accountability for maintaining compliance and accreditation. No one person does that alone so in some aspects I provided consultation to my teams. I had to lead my teams in the right direction, keep up with rapidly changing requirements, adjust policies, implement workflow strategies, etc. and ensure that my team accomplished the set goals. I have held many of the positions of those I supervised, so I had first hand knowledge of their roles and day-to-day operations. These experiences also are assets in consulting with other schools. I have built a network of professional resources and relationships with government and accreditation agencies.
Read more about Dr. Holmes:
Recent articles: Compliance – Keep Calm and Let Your Stars Shine