Faces on Campus – Liz Zampino
Meet our new Manager of Experiential Opportunities! Liz Zampino joined the staff at the Seattle campus in October 2017. Liz has over ten years of experience in IT, five year’s experience working directly with students and has a graduate degree in Clinical Informatics from UW. As Manager of Experiential Opportunities, Liz will develop and manage industry partnerships to provide work opportunities for our students.
Hi Liz! Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Well, I am originally from Florida, but I have lived in Seattle for just over 15 years. I don’t really know how much time should pass before I can officially say that I am from Seattle! I love it here. It has grown exponentially, especially in the last few years. It’s exciting, albeit a little crazy to see just how much Seattle is growing, especially in the South Lake Union area. As much as I love living here, I am an avid traveler. I also garden quite a lot! I also love spending as much time as I can with my son, Oliver Reese. He just turned 4 last month. He’s got tons of energy and always keeps me on my toes!
In terms of my professional experience, I have a very strong background in IT. I started my career in the IT industry in desktop support. I enjoyed it, so I started working my way up to more technical jobs. Since then I have assisted with writing some programs, I have experience with coding and I have also been involved in a number of startups. The most recent project I have been involved in was a mobile health startup. We developed our own product line to help patients be more engaged with their care in the hospitals in Seattle.
I am also an adjunct professor at the University of New England. I teach a Health Informatics course online. I have also had quite a lot of involvement with curriculum development at Bellevue Community College.
I am very busy at the moment, but I love the field of academics, particularly interacting with the students. I have only recently joined the team at Northeastern University-Seattle, but I am really looking forward to working closely with the students, staff and faculty.
Tell us more about your role at Northeastern University – Seattle.
I have only been in this role for a few weeks, but I’ll try to answer this question as best I can! I am still getting to know the ropes, but my main focus has been on strategizing. I am figuring out the most effective methods to bring in more co-op opportunities. I am also working on securing experiential lab project opportunities. In order to do this, I will be working very closely with the business community in the area, so we can foster those relationships. By doing so, our aim is to build strong professional links and build upon our excellent reputation in the area. The goal is to create strong professional ties with industry leaders in the area that will prove mutually beneficial. My goal is to find the best possible opportunities for our students.
I am really looking forward to working with the students. I’m hoping to work closely with Jim Knapik and XN Labs in the future. I think XN Labs is a wonderful venture. I think it is important to encourage collaboration across departments, even across degrees. We definitely want to continue to encourage this type of collaboration, as when students from different majors and backgrounds work closely on projects, it creates a unique and innovative synergy.
What influenced your decision to join the team at NU-Seattle?
The progressiveness of the Seattle campus has really impressed me. For instance, I attended one of the talks that our Dean presented about Digital Ethics. This discussion really opened my eyes to just how dynamic and progressive the Seattle campus is. It is quite rare for a university to invite leading experts from other educational institutions and members of the community to a seminar addressing the pressing issues that may have a massive impact in the future. I thought it was amazing, for a university to host a free event to foster collaborative thought at the community level. I am also really impressed by the range of course and programs we have on offer, particularly the ALIGN program. It is quite rare to find that progressiveness in many higher-level institutions. The result is an innovative campus with a great energy.
What motivates you?
The question I always try to ask myself is, “what helps me to wake up in the morning?” because I do like to sleep! I think it is really important to find a job that you love. I’m very fortunate, as I love my job! The Seattle campus is growing rapidly and I love that my role affords me ample opportunity to continuously adapt and grow with the campus. I also have the opportunity to help students achieve their goals, which is the most important and rewarding part of my job.
What do you value most about Northeastern University – Seattle’s vision?
I respect that the Seattle campus offers exceptionally strong programs in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and project management. These courses are up-to-date and frequently evolve. As a result, NU-Seattle is consistently ahead of the curve. By having, and maintaining, such strong programs, we can contribute to the tech industry in the area. I am delighted to be joining the team here. I am really looking forward to spending more time with the students, staff and faculty here, as well as contributing to the growth and development of the campus.