Member profile: JoAnne Makela

Traffic Manager and Vendor Coordinator for Creative Services, University Relations

Started working at the University of Minnesota in 2005 and has been in current role since 2012. 

UMCF member since 2008.

What brought you to your current job? 

A colleague brought the job posting to my attention and it was so uniquely congruent with my skill set that I had to apply.

What is your favorite aspect of your job?

I love the people I work with. We all work on very fast-moving news and information on a daily basis, so there's no real routine that is reliable. The people I work with are quick on their feet and must respond professionally in all situations, yet we still manage to laugh a lot.

What excites you about working at the University of Minnesota?

I've worked in higher-ed or non-profits for most of my career and the U is the biggest place I've ever worked. I am proud to be part of a world-changing institution. And yet, it still feels like a small town with people who respect and care about each other.

What is your favorite accomplishment at the U, so far?

I earned my masters degree last year and I couldn't have done that without the Regent's Scholarship.

What advice do you have for communicators at the University of Minnesota?

Keep your eyes open and your head up. You are uniquely situated to tell great stories. So, tell them with enthusiasm and integrity. And then make sure to send them to University Relations so we can promote them for you!

Tell us about one of the coolest projects you've worked on for your job at the U?    

I helped coordinate the 2013 Year-End Video that highlighted U achievements from the past year. I got to meet some fascinating people and learn even more about what goes on here. It was a fun project with a terrific result.

What is your favorite place on campus?      

Farmer's Market on Church Street in the summer. The patio at the Campus Club. Rapson Hall atrium.

What do you consider to be a best kept secret about the U?

That you can get almost anywhere with minimal exposure to the weather. I love walking outside on campus, but during this latest Polar Vortex, I was happy to find as many Gopher Way passages as I did. I'm surprised more people don't use them. And the great restaurants and coffee shops in the Dinkytown and Stadium Village. People who don't work here or go to school here are missing out if they don't eat here.

Your hometown and the first place you lived after leaving your hometown? 

Erie, Pennsylvania. Then I went to college in Painesville, Ohio and grad school in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I would live in Pittsburgh again.

What is your dream job (besides the one you have!)?

To own a winery and olive grove in Tuscany or Puglia and write murder mysteries.

I'm happiest when:

Reading a book that I never want to end.