{"id":78702,"date":"2026-09-04T11:52:31","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T18:52:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/?p=78702"},"modified":"2026-09-04T11:53:03","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T18:53:03","slug":"stephanne-lhommedieu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/stephanne-lhommedieu\/","title":{"rendered":"Humans of NAU: Stephanne LHommedieu"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stephanne LHommedieu<\/span><\/b>\u00a0is used to playing a backstage role, but she agreed to step into the spotlight when she became the new president of NAU\u2019s Staff Advisory Council. Read about how she found her dream job as manager of theater and public events and what she wants to\u00a0accomplish\u00a0in her year as president.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why did you come to NAU?<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Twice now,\u00a0I\u00a0have\u00a0made the decision to come to NAU: once as a student in 2001 and again as a job applicant in 2021.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The first time, I arrived on a music\u00a0scholarship. As a Tucson native, I wanted to stay in\u00a0the\u00a0state\u00a0while also gaining some independence and experiencing the beauty of Flagstaff’s four seasons. I\u00a0didn’t\u00a0realize at the time how much I would fall in love with\u00a0NAU. While I wasn’t quite ready for the challenges of being a first-generation college student, my\u00a0short two years\u00a0at NAU\u2014\u00a0particularly my work\u00a0backstage for\u00a0Auditoria\u2014left a lasting impression on me and planted the seed that one day I might return.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/span><\/p>\n

Returning to\u00a0NAU\u00a0felt like coming\u00a0home,\u00a0and every\u00a0day since\u00a0has reaffirmed that decision.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What does a day in the life of your job look like?<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\"Stephanne<\/a>I love this question because there really is no such thing as a typical day in my job.\u00a0On non-event days, I often work remotely,\u00a0answering\u00a0emails, coordinating\u00a0projects, attending\u00a0virtual\u00a0meetings\u00a0and preparing\u00a0for upcoming events.<\/span><\/p>\n

Event days are a different story.\u00a0I\u00a0could be overseeing thousands of attendees coming and going from three venues,\u00a0managing a complex livestream,\u00a0troubleshooting technology,\u00a0coordinating production\u00a0logistics\u00a0or backstage tracking down the next performer.\u00a0(On some occasions, I might even be coordinating with the Secret Service when\u00a0political leaders visit\u00a0campus!)<\/span><\/p>\n

What I love most is that my work brings people together. Whether\u00a0it’s\u00a0a concert, lecture,\u00a0ceremony\u00a0or community event, I get to help create spaces where people can connect, celebrate,\u00a0learn\u00a0and share experiences. In a society that often feels short on “third\u00a0places” where people can gather and belong, helping create those experiences\u00a0and third\u00a0places\u00a0feels less like a job and more like a calling.<\/span><\/p>\n

How\u00a0did\u00a0you\u00a0get\u00a0involved in SAC?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

During New Employee Welcome, I was\u00a0immediately\u00a0drawn to Staff Advisory Council because it seemed similar to a resort-wide problem resolution committee I had helped\u00a0create at\u00a0a past job. I loved the idea of employees from across the university coming together to\u00a0identify\u00a0challenges and improve\u00a0the\u00a0working experience for everyone.<\/span><\/p>\n

As a new NAU employee and department manager, I also quickly realized how much there was to learn. I\u00a0wasn’t\u00a0expecting the city-like operations of a university to be so decentralized, with information, processes and\u00a0expertise\u00a0spread across hundreds of departments,\u00a0offices\u00a0and teams. I often found myself searching for answers, trying to\u00a0identify\u00a0the right people to contact\u00a0or simply learning how\u00a0different parts\u00a0of the university fit together.<\/span><\/p>\n

To better understand the university and meet people across campus, I began attending SAC public meetings and\u00a0participating\u00a0in committee work before I was a council member. Through\u00a0involvement with\u00a0the Events & Community Building Committee, I had opportunities to\u00a0pilot a few initiatives to\u00a0help bring people together around shared interests.\u00a0One example was an informal gathering of AV enthusiasts\u00a0we lovingly\u00a0called the \u201cAV Club\u201d: colleagues from\u00a0IT, theater and event venues, TV Services and\u00a0other\u00a0staff who were hobbyists.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u00a0do\u00a0you\u00a0want to\u00a0accomplish\u00a0as SAC\u00a0president?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When I accepted the\u00a0vice\u00a0president position last year, I\u00a0wasn’t\u00a0entirely enthusiastic about the prospect of becoming\u00a0the public\u00a0figurehead for staff\u00a0the next year\u00a0as\u00a0president.\u00a0What I\u00a0didn’t\u00a0fully appreciate was that,\u00a0amid the significant changes taking place across both NAU and SAC, I\u00a0was\u00a0increasingly 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\u00a0lifetime of\u00a0happily working behind the scenes, and shining the\u00a0literal and figurative\u00a0spotlight on others, it was time for me to step onstage myself.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Stephanne<\/a>Serving as SAC\u00a0president\u00a0provides\u00a0an\u00a0incredible opportunity\u00a0to advocate for staff in\u00a0the most\u00a0direct and meaningful way\u00a0I 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,\u00a0identifying\u00a0the root causes of challenges, discussing them collaboratively through groups such as our Advocacy Committee and working together to develop meaningful solutions\u00a0to elevate to leadership.<\/span><\/p>\n

My vision is for SAC to\u00a0bring university\u00a0leadership not simply frustrations with a process, but opportunities for improvement supported by thoughtful analysis and practical solutions. Staff\u00a0possess\u00a0an incredible amount of institutional knowledge and\u00a0expertise, and I believe SAC can help bring that collective wisdom to the table. The more context,\u00a0perspective\u00a0and potential solutions we can provide, the more empowered leadership becomes to create positive and lasting change.<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u00a0did\u00a0you\u00a0want to\u00a0be\u00a0when\u00a0you\u00a0grew\u00a0up?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking back,\u00a0I think my life\u00a0was always leading me toward the work I do today, even if I\u00a0didn’t\u00a0realize it at the time.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

From\u00a0a young age, I was heavily involved in the activities my parents\u00a0participated\u00a0in. I spent countless hours at concerts, events, community\u00a0gatherings\u00a0and\u00a0volunteering. 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,\u00a0pace\u00a0and organized chaos of a large event that\u00a0had me hooked.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u00a0chagrin\u00a0of 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\u00a0band and orchestra\u00a0ensembles, I built lifelong friendships and experienced adventures I never would have imagined otherwise.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u00a0are\u00a0three\u00a0items on\u00a0your\u00a0bucket\u00a0list?<\/span><\/b> \"Sarah,<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. 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.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \n
    1. 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\u2014the powerful sound it makes will leave you breathless!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
        \n
      1. 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. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        What\u00a0do\u00a0you\u00a0want\u00a0people to\u00a0know\u00a0about SAC?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        \"Stephanne<\/a>NAU has experienced a tremendous amount of change over the past several years, and\u00a0SAC\u00a0has been adapting right alongside the institution.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0always encouraged to initially\u00a0work through\u00a0your\u00a0supervisors and established channels whenever possible\u00a0when it comes to concerns at work. However, when processes are unclear, when concerns\u00a0aren’t\u00a0finding the right audience or when broader conversations need to happen, SAC can help bring visibility to those issues.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        I\u00a0encourage employees to share their ideas. Some of the best improvements begin as simple observations from people closest to\u00a0the\u00a0work. Every university challenge is an opportunity for\u00a0innovation\u00a0and the solutions often already exist within the NAU community.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        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.\u00a0If reading this sparks a thought,\u00a0concern\u00a0or idea, I encourage you to reach out. One of the easiest ways is by emailing\u00a0<\/span>SAC@nau.edu<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0There’s\u00a0a good chance\u00a0I’ll\u00a0be the one reading and replying to your message.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        For more information about Staff Advisory Council, visit <\/span>https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/sac\/<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        For more information about NAU Auditoria and upcoming events and how to donate, visit\u00a0<\/span>https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/auditoria\/<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Stephanne LHommedieu\u00a0is used to playing a backstage role, but she agreed to step into the spotlight when she became the new president of NAU\u2019s Staff Advisory Council. Read about how she found her dream job as manager of theater and public events and what she wants to\u00a0accomplish\u00a0in her year as president.\u00a0\u00a0 Why did you come…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2797,"featured_media":78703,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1817],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-78702","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-humans-of-nau"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78702","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2797"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=78702"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78702\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":78708,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78702\/revisions\/78708"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/78703"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=78702"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=78702"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=78702"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}