Just Another Thursday

May 18, 2022

This week we talked with Tamara Villarina, manager of Retail Services and Jen Dowd, associate director of Retail, Conference and Event Services, two of the many FAS staff involved in the recent top-secret UCSF event featuring Vice President Kamala Harris.

A lot of trust was placed in us. They asked us for input and respected our decisions. It was nice to know our opinions mattered. We know the space and who to call to make things happen.
Jen Dowd
‌Associate Director Retail, Conference and Event Services
Campus Life Services
Tamara Villarina
‌Manager, Retail Services
Campus Life Services

Just Another Thursday

It seemed like just another Thursday when Jen Dowd got an event services request for a top-secret high-security event featuring VP Kamala Harris in support of Black maternal health – with less than seven days to prepare! Senior Associate Vice Chancellor of Campus Life Services Clare Shinnerl talked about something she observed at the event the following Thursday, one short week later: “I watched Tamara and Jen work their magic and transform the conference center in rapid time. I told them it looked like they were reading each other’s minds; it ends up they have worked together for 21 years.” Tamara and Jen gave us an inside scoop on working together for two decades and hosting the nation’s most powerful woman.

Do you feel like you read each other’s minds?

Tamara: Yes, and we can finish each other's sentences. With just a head nod the other one knows what to do, no words needed. Our work life is a “controlled chaos” of constant change and pivoting. We’ve literally grown the department together, starting from a team of two. Here we are 21 years later.

What happened when you found out you’d be hosting the Vice President?

Jen: I was notified one week out and sworn to secrecy. It was challenging to plan rooms without being able to give information. Another hurdle was having to relocate a group that had the VP’s event space previously booked. It took a lot of public relations work to relocate and assure them their business was important to us, while not being able to tell them why. In the end, it all worked out beautifully because of people’s willingness to support each other and the University.

What surprised you?

Tamara: A lot of trust was put in us by Clare and Senior Vice Chancellor Erin Gore. They looked to us for input and respected our decisions. It was nice to know what we thought mattered. We know space and we know who to call to make things happen. The relationships I’ve built over the last 21 years paid off when we needed people to respond quickly. There was also kindness in how we asked for assistance – a mix of customer service and desperate pleas. Everyone helped.

Jen: Every single step the Vice President takes is choreographed, literally. The logistics were so complicated for this event, and this was just a few hours of one day in her very busy life. All of the hard work was worth it to see how excited the UCSF EMBRACE team was for the honor and to see all the women with their children in the audience.