Gonzalez named employee of the quarter

SNRE fiscal technician Debbie Gonzalez is the first employee of the quarter for the new merged unit (School of Natural Resources, Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and UAF Cooperative Extension Service).

The fourth-generation Alaskan was manager of the UA Press for 14 years before taking her current position six years ago.

Debbie Gonzalez

"My job allows me to be involved in what Extension, the school and experiment farms do, which is some very cool stuff," she said. "I appreciate that my job includes a wide range of tasks and that I work with some really great people. I like accounting, numbers and problem solving.; it may be challenging but it is never boring."

Fellow employees had high praise for Gonzalez.

"Debbie has really come through for all Extension faculty and staff this past year by taking over the role of travel technician in the business office. Although Debbie is the fiscal technician she has served as backup for processing travel requests and reimbursements many times...Debbie was there to assist and ensure all travel transactions complied with travel regulations mandated by UAF central travel office. Debbie even found time to offer several travel training sessions to faculty and staff."

"Debbie has kept her composure under pressure and made it possible for employees and volunteers to continue to travel and receive reimbursement without interruption. It is clear to me she is a very valuable and loyal employee."

"She has displayed  endless patience with me and others like me who need assistance in travel and purchasing. Even though she was doing the work of two or more people at a time, Debbie was always timely, accurate, helpful and supportive."

"She is dedicated to making things run smoothly and to following the rules and regulations required in all fiscal matters. Her knowledge and her willingness to share it in a constructive and patient manner has been a real blessing to me."

A graduate student wrote, "Without her outstanding dedication and vigilance to work stuff I would be so lost or just have my student life be made so much more complicated. Deb works super hard to uncomplicate my life. She is just so great and does an amazing job and makes it a pleasure to know I am so well taken care of. Deb has always been there for the students, working with me (and I am sure others) who require detailed and clear explanations and she offers great direction and communication. I have known her to follow up on tasks that were within her work description but were just that little extra step and effort to make everything run smoothly. Deb has always put the extra effort in, and with great humor and energy."

Gonzalez will receive a $100 bonus and a certificate of appreciation. In her free time she enjoys gardening, cooking and spending time with family and friends. She and her husband live in the house she grew up in, next door to her parents.

Michelle Pope, executive officer, left, and Steve Sparrow, interim dean and director, right, present fiscal technician Debbie Gonzalez with a certificate for being employee of the quarter.