Myrna Cruz jumps right in with a helping hand.

Helpfulness is what set her apart when she applied for the position of Executive Assistant for the Vice Chancellor of Administration and Finance at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Having worked in an administrative capacity in medical settings, she started at the university as a clerk. When her current position became available, she welcomed the opportunity to take on more responsibility. She had already proven herself as a team player and a helpful resource to colleagues across campus.

Myrna feels strongly about treating everyone with dignity, whether they are a student or the chancellor. And she wants to make people’s lives easier, serving in whatever capacity she is needed. This has created quite a reputation for her. Other departments reach out to her regularly, knowing their questions will be met with a helpful, positive attitude.

She’s been pitching in at NAPAHE since the first year she attended. “I saw the need was big,” she said, “and I like helping.” She also noted that volunteering is a way of learning. Her contributions as a volunteer at the conference were so substantial that people were surprised to find out she was a first-time attendee.

From the start, she participated in all the facets of the NAPAHE conference and especially enjoyed the roundtables, where she sat with people in similar roles and learned their best tips. Although she didn’t lead any roundtables, she was very involved in the discussion and gleaned lots of take-aways. The “PA in the Hotseat” session was a favorite of hers, as she had been wrestling with a question that come up with the panel. Myrna had been considering what to share with her executive versus what to hold back, and she wondered if she’d be overstepping by telling him what she thought. One of the panel members expressed that it’s an assistant’s job to protect the executive, so that person needs to make the boss aware if an issue is developing. Myrna described this moment as “phenomenal” because she suddenly felt empowered to speak truth to her executive.

When you work as hard as Myrna, work-life balance can be tough. Especially during Covid, she felt like she never stopped working. A practice that helps her to unplug is to spend the last half hour of the day finishing what is essential so she can leave work behind. As a clerk, she had gotten used to completing her entire list by the end of each day, but her new role of executive assistant proved more challenging. She sought advice from the chancellor’s deputy, who encouraged her that it’s okay to pick up some tasks the next day.

And whether she’s finished every last thing on her to-do list or not, there’s no doubt Myrna is an esteemed contributor to her team, her institution and NAPAHE.