{"226731":{"#nid":"226731","#data":{"type":"news","title":"No Lack of Diversity in Hofman\u2019s Job","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThere\u2019s always a plan A \u2014 and a plan B.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis is one of Najah Hofman\u2019s guiding principles when it comes to event planning. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s the challenge of events \u2014 things are forever changing,\u201d said Hofman, marketing and event coordinator for the Office of Institute Diversity. \u201cSo, for example, when Martin Luther King III spoke on campus last January, and his wife and daughter arrived at the last minute \u2014 and it was their wedding anniversary \u2014 things didn\u2019t fall apart because I was able to adapt and adjust.\u201d \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOf course, Hofman had an excellent teacher when it came to learning the ins and outs of event planning: her mother. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cShe was an event and meeting planner, so while I was growing up, I was always helping her with event-related tasks,\u201d Hofman said. \u201cWhat\u2019s funny is that I actually majored in political science and pre-law in college. But it didn\u2019t take long for me to realize that being a lawyer wasn\u2019t for me.\u201d \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERecently, we had a chance to learn more about Hofman and her time at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESo how did you arrive at Tech?\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003EAfter graduating from Spelman College, I did some event consulting work for Coca-Cola. About seven years ago, I made the transition to Tech, where I started as a Tech Temp. Eventually, I was brought on as a full-time employee, planning events and assisting with various administrative tasks for the Office of Academic Diversity. That position is what led to my current job in the Office of Institute Diversity.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETell us about an average day in your job.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003EI have an ongoing to-do list that is broken down into three areas: events, administrative projects, and Web development. (I manage the office\u2019s main website and four other diversity-related sites such as those for OMED and the ADVANCE Program.) Every morning, I check to make sure that the websites are behaving. Then, if there\u2019s an event occurring in the near future, that occupies most of my time for the day. If not, I stay busy with all of the other tasks on my plate.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat are a few things you\u2019d like people to know about your job?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ETaking on the Web development tasks was completely out of my comfort zone. I was clueless. But I\u2019ve really enjoyed the challenge. I\u2019d also like to encourage everyone to use the resources that the Office of Institute Diversity offers. I think a lot of people associate diversity with race. But we\u2019re here to serve everyone on campus \u2014 regardless of age, race, gender, job title, etc. We\u2019re all about creating a culture of inclusive excellence at Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat piece of technology could you not live without? \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMy iPhone 5. It\u2019s amazing how it keeps me connected to everything I need work-wise and personally. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhere is your favorite spot on campus?\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003EI love sitting on the patio of the new Highland Bakery. It\u2019s just so welcoming. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhere is your favorite place to eat lunch?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003EBenihana offers a half-price lunch menu. I\u2019m a fan of the chicken and shrimp hibachi.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat do you like to do in your free time?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003EI like to sew. When I was little, my grandmother and I would work on simple projects. A few years ago, I took my aunt\u2019s old sewing machine. Now I am always taking up hems or adding details to a piece of vintage clothing. Whenever I buy a new piece of clothing, I always think, \u201cWhat can I do to make this better?\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat\u2019s the best advice you\u2019ve ever received?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt was something Joel Osteen said on an Oprah special: \u201cAnything is possible if you have the faith to believe it.\u201d \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETell us something about yourself that most people wouldn\u2019t know.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003EI got to participate in President Bill Clinton\u2019s first inauguration. My mother was assisting with the event, and the organizers needed a child to hold hands with Clinton and Al Gore as they walked to the ceremony. I can\u2019t believe they picked me! It was such an amazing experience to be 10 years old and meeting the new president.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThere\u2019s always a plan A \u2014 and a plan B. This is one of Najah Hofman\u2019s guiding principles when it comes to event planning.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"There\u2019s always a plan A \u2014 and a plan B. This is one of Najah Hofman\u2019s guiding principles when it comes to event planning."}],"uid":"27445","created_gmt":"2013-08-05 15:11:25","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:14:38","author":"Amelia Pavlik","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2013-08-05T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2013-08-05T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"226721":{"id":"226721","type":"image","title":"Najah Hofman","body":null,"created":"1449243566","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 15:39:26","changed":"1475894899","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:48:19","alt":"Najah Hofman","file":{"fid":"197436","name":"najah_hofman.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/najah_hofman_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/najah_hofman_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":235399,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/najah_hofman_0.jpg?itok=0tk7a51l"}}},"media_ids":["226721"],"groups":[{"id":"1259","name":"Whistle"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"70711","name":"Najah Hofman"},{"id":"15362","name":"Office of Institute Diversity"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:amelia.pavlik@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAmelia Pavlik\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}