Steisha Pintado and Lisa Pluff are the new UNCG Staff Senate co-chairs. The UNCG News team interviewed them about their roles on campus and their plans for Staff Senate this year.
Could you describe your roles at UNCG?
Pintado: I am a systems administrator for the ServiceNow platform in the ITS department. I have been in this role since 2017. I build and implement business processes in the ServiceNow platform that help ITS support the campus community. I have been in the Staff Senate since 2019. I feel so lucky to have Lisa as my co-chair. She and I work so well together, and we are on the same page with our mission as co-chairs during this Staff Senate term.
Pluff: I am the director for the Integrative Community Studies (ICS) program (also known as Beyond Academics), a college program for students with intellectual disabilities, where I have worked since 2009. My current responsibilities include: oversight and management of day-to-day operations of the program; supervision of ICS Staff; multidisciplinary campus and community (local and state) collaborations; technical assistance through Think College National Coordinating Center; and supporting program research, evaluation and policy initiatives. I became a Staff Senator in 2019 and am honored to be a Co-Chair for the 2021-2022 term. I am grateful for the opportunity to work alongside Steisha and to continue working with Megan and Murphie as our past co-chairs.
What are your goals for the Staff Senate this year?
Pintado: The theme for this term is “Building Community Through Collaboration and Engagement.” Lisa and I wish to strengthen the Staff Senate’s relationship with the Faculty Senate, the Student Government Association, and the Graduate Student Association. We believe that we can be stronger together if we increase our collaboration and support with each others’ organizations.
Pluff: We hope that the Staff Senate can foster cross-collaborative efforts across different campus departments and divisions. We believe that there is strength in numbers and we are truly stronger together
What will be your emphasis in supporting staff and communicating with leadership?
Pintado: I want the staff to know that they are always welcome to give Lisa and I feedback on how the Staff Senate can best serve them and their colleagues. Lisa and I want to respectfully ask the UNCG Administration the tough questions that are most important to our staff, and hopefully we can find answers, or even compromises, that best suit the needs of the staff and the rest of the UNCG campus community.
Pluff: Steisha and I plan to advocate for staff and amplify their voices. We recognize that during our term, the UNCG community will continue to experience challenges related to COVID-19, along with enrollment & budget challenges. We hope that staff are comfortable bringing their feedback to us so we can work alongside the campus leadership to continue to help UNCG grow and thrive. We are willing to ask the hard questions and will continue to support staff in recognizing that we are a resilient campus community.
What is something you’d like the UNCG community to know about you?
Pintado: I am in my final year of graduate school in UNCG’s School of Art. My thesis work is about my personal experience of being born and raised in a fundamentalist religious cult, and the aftermath of leaving the cult. Although my experience and focus has religious roots, my research applies across the different practices of undue influence, indoctrination, radicalization, and extremism.
Pluff: Nearly half of my 23 years of experience of working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities has been in the health and human services and nonprofit sector. I never imagined I would say that the past 12 years of my career have been in the higher education setting. Supporting students with intellectual disabilities attending college is something that so many students and families never imagined as an option. I am honored to be a part of North Carolina’s first, largest, and only four-year post-secondary education program for students with intellectual disabilities. Family is everything to me. My parents, my husband and my 9 year old son (and many others) keep me grounded and bring me joy, love and peace every day. The beach is one other thing I truly live for. I often refer to the beach as my “reset button”… when I need a break from everything, I need a trip to the ocean.
What is your favorite inspirational phrase and what does it mean to you?
Pintado: “First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you’re inspired or not. Habit will help you finish and polish your stories. Inspiration won’t. Habit is persistence in practice.” ― Octavia Butler, “Bloodchild and Other Stories.” Inspiration is a wonderful thing (and there are certainly many things that inspire me), but I believe that the power of habit is what has allowed me to both survive and thrive.
Pluff: “It Always Seems Impossible Until It’s Done” by Nelson Mandela. I thrive in a culture of change, and I want to make a positive impact in my work and in life. This quote has gotten me through some challenging times and helps me remember that whatever it is, no matter how hard it is, it can be done. Change is difficult, and often seems impossible, but it can be transformational and beautiful if we embrace it!
What books are you reading right now?
Pintado: “Cultish: the Language of Fanaticism” by Amanda Montell and “Rainbow Milk” by Paul Mendez.
Pluff: “Leaders Eat Last” by Simon Sinek and “Outbound Air” by Tom Foster.
Interview by Susan Kirby-Smith and Dana Broadus, University Communications
Photography courtesy of Steisha Pintado and Lisa Pluff
