Meet Christina: Donor relations officer, mom of a daughter, 1

“If possible, I recommend setting up your work space to minimize distractions. For example, my work space at home is away from anything anyone in my family will need during the day. ”

Christina Kelley, donor relations officer

• What do you do at HACC?
  I proudly serve HACC’s donors through various communications and programming. My work supports HACC students by helping to raise funds for the HACC Foundation.
   
• How old are your children?
  My daughter is 1 year old.
   
• How are you effectively juggling your professional duties and your personal duties of having your children at home while you work?
  I start my work day early – well before she wakes for the day. I am thankful to live with family members who can help care for her when she wakes, and then I am able to time my breaks to give them breaks. It is very reassuring to know that I can work flexible hours. So, if something arises with my family during the day, I can adjust my schedule accordingly.
   
• What tips (things to do and things to not do) would you offer to other parents who are struggling with this?
  • With little kids, I recommend taking advantage of sleeping hours to complete as much work as possible. My daughter’s bed time is relatively late, but as a result, she sleeps in late in the morning. Her naps are also very productive times for everyone in our house.
  • If possible, I recommend setting up your work space to minimize distractions. For example, my work space at home is away from anything anyone in my family will need during the day. This way, no one “drops in,” especially during meetings. I also play background music so I don’t get distracted with what I may hear around the house. I even keep water and snacks nearby so I don’t need to visit common areas during the day and get “sucked in” to what’s happening with others.
     
• Is there anything else you would like to share that we did not ask?
  I want to express my sincere gratitude for the flexibility we’ve been granted to work remotely with flexible hours. So many people have lost their jobs or are going unpaid. I am so thankful that my livelihood is intact and that empathy is being shown for employees. It means everything to me that HACC is protecting our livelihoods and showing empathy, especially now. THANK YOU!