Stephanne LHommedieu is used to playing a backstage role, but she agreed to step into the spotlight when she became the new president of NAU’s Staff Advisory Council. Read about how she found her dream job as manager of theater and public events and what she wants to accomplish in her year as president.
Why did you come to NAU?
Twice now, I have made the decision to come to NAU: once as a student in 2001 and again as a job applicant in 2021.
The first time, I arrived on a music scholarship. As a Tucson native, I wanted to stay in the state while also gaining some independence and experiencing the beauty of Flagstaff’s four seasons. I didn’t realize at the time how much I would fall in love with NAU. While I wasn’t quite ready for the challenges of being a first-generation college student, my short two years at NAU— particularly my work backstage for Auditoria—left a lasting impression on me and planted the seed that one day I might return.
Fast forward 20 years. I was looking for a change and, on a whim, started browsing job listings. I saw a job posting managing NAU Auditoria, and it felt as though someone had written the position specifically for me, my passions and my goals. My boss and I still joke about the fact that I was so eager to accept the position that I practically said yes before he had even finished the offer.
Returning to NAU felt like coming home, and every day since has reaffirmed that decision.
What does a day in the life of your job look like?
I love this question because there really is no such thing as a typical day in my job. On non-event days, I often work remotely, answering emails, coordinating projects, attending virtual meetings and preparing for upcoming events.
Event days are a different story. I could be overseeing thousands of attendees coming and going from three venues, managing a complex livestream, troubleshooting technology, coordinating production logistics or backstage tracking down the next performer. (On some occasions, I might even be coordinating with the Secret Service when political leaders visit campus!)
What I love most is that my work brings people together. Whether it’s a concert, lecture, ceremony or community event, I get to help create spaces where people can connect, celebrate, learn and share experiences. In a society that often feels short on “third places” where people can gather and belong, helping create those experiences and third places feels less like a job and more like a calling.
How did you get involved in SAC?
During New Employee Welcome, I was immediately drawn to Staff Advisory Council because it seemed similar to a resort-wide problem resolution committee I had helped create at a past job. I loved the idea of employees from across the university coming together to identify challenges and improve the working experience for everyone.
As a new NAU employee and department manager, I also quickly realized how much there was to learn. I wasn’t expecting the city-like operations of a university to be so decentralized, with information, processes and expertise spread across hundreds of departments, offices and teams. I often found myself searching for answers, trying to identify the right people to contact or simply learning how different parts of the university fit together.
To better understand the university and meet people across campus, I began attending SAC public meetings and participating in committee work before I was a council member. Through involvement with the Events & Community Building Committee, I had opportunities to pilot a few initiatives to help bring people together around shared interests. One example was an informal gathering of AV enthusiasts we lovingly called the “AV Club”: colleagues from IT, theater and event venues, TV Services and other staff who were hobbyists.
My hope is that, whether through SAC or through a broader cultural shift at NAU, collaboration across departments becomes increasingly common. The more connected we are, the better we can serve students, faculty, staff and our community.
What do you want to accomplish as SAC president?
When I accepted the vice president position last year, I wasn’t entirely enthusiastic about the prospect of becoming the public figurehead for staff the next year as president. What I didn’t fully appreciate was that, amid the significant changes taking place across both NAU and SAC, I was increasingly invested in the future we were creating. Eventually, it became clear that if I believed in those changes, I had a responsibility to help carry them forward. So, after a lifetime of happily working behind the scenes, and shining the literal and figurative spotlight on others, it was time for me to step onstage myself.
Serving as SAC president provides an incredible opportunity to advocate for staff in the most direct and meaningful way I can imagine. One of my biggest goals is increasing awareness of the work SAC does while encouraging greater staff participation and feedback. When concerns are brought to us, I want us to do more than simply listen to complaints. I hope we can fully embrace a customer service mindset by listening carefully, identifying the root causes of challenges, discussing them collaboratively through groups such as our Advocacy Committee and working together to develop meaningful solutions to elevate to leadership.
My vision is for SAC to bring university leadership not simply frustrations with a process, but opportunities for improvement supported by thoughtful analysis and practical solutions. Staff possess an incredible amount of institutional knowledge and expertise, and I believe SAC can help bring that collective wisdom to the table. The more context, perspective and potential solutions we can provide, the more empowered leadership becomes to create positive and lasting change.
I’m proud that SAC has already made significant progress this year in building and reinforcing productive relationships with university leadership. I am confident that when staff, SAC and leadership work toward common goals, there is no challenge too large for us to tackle.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Looking back, I think my life was always leading me toward the work I do today, even if I didn’t realize it at the time.
From a young age, I was heavily involved in the activities my parents participated in. I spent countless hours at concerts, events, community gatherings and volunteering. One of my earliest memories of event work was helping at a classic car auction as a young teenager, running paperwork between the auctioneer and the winning bidders. There was something exciting about the energy, pace and organized chaos of a large event that had me hooked.
I was also convinced at various points that I wanted to be a teacher. As the oldest sibling, I loved taking on leadership roles and helping others learn, much to the chagrin of my younger siblings, who occasionally found themselves enrolled in my make-believe summer school. Music eventually became a major part of my identity as well. Through the camaraderie of performing in band and orchestra ensembles, I built lifelong friendships and experienced adventures I never would have imagined otherwise.
For a while, I thought becoming a band director was the answer. Over time, however, I realized what I truly loved was the opportunities that allow music to connect people and build community. NAU became the catalyst for that realization. Between my student employment in Ardrey Auditorium, my involvement with Tau Beta Sigma, the national honorary band service sorority, and the opportunities I had to help organize conferences, performances and events, I discovered a passion for creating experiences that allow others to perform, learn, connect and grow.
What are three items on your bucket list? 
- Be Louie the Lumberjack. One of these days, Louie the Lumberjack is going to need a substitute, and I hope I get the call. Even if it’s only for a few minutes, stepping into the mascot role would feel like the ultimate Lumberjack experience.
- See Ardrey Auditorium renovated. Ardrey Auditorium has been part of my life for more than 25 years. The venue has been the setting for countless transformative experiences, and I can clearly see its longevity in question. I would love to help guide the renovation and modernization of the building so it can continue serving NAU and the Flagstaff community for generations to come. Did you know we have an amazing pipe organ that is actually part of the building itself? Come to a performance sometime—the powerful sound it makes will leave you breathless!
- Create something lasting. There are always rainbows on my mind, a song in my heart and a story to tell. Before my time is done, I want to create something meaningful and lasting. Maybe that’s composing music. Maybe it’s writing. Maybe it’s painting. Maybe it’s something I haven’t even discovered yet. Whatever form it takes, I want to slow down enough to transform the ideas constantly swirling around in my head into something that can be shared with others.
What do you want people to know about SAC?
NAU has experienced a tremendous amount of change over the past several years, and SAC has been adapting right alongside the institution. It’s always encouraged to initially work through your supervisors and established channels whenever possible when it comes to concerns at work. However, when processes are unclear, when concerns aren’t finding the right audience or when broader conversations need to happen, SAC can help bring visibility to those issues.
I encourage employees to share their ideas. Some of the best improvements begin as simple observations from people closest to the work. Every university challenge is an opportunity for innovation and the solutions often already exist within the NAU community.
At our best, SAC serves as a bridge between staff and leadership, helping ensure that staff perspectives are included in the conversations that shape the future of NAU. If reading this sparks a thought, concern or idea, I encourage you to reach out. One of the easiest ways is by emailing SAC@nau.edu. There’s a good chance I’ll be the one reading and replying to your message.
For more information about Staff Advisory Council, visit https://in.nau.edu/sac/.
For more information about NAU Auditoria and upcoming events and how to donate, visit https://in.nau.edu/auditoria/.