Valerie Beeman
Senior Director, HR Communications
University Human Resources (UHR)
Years at Stanford
35
Honored
2021
What is one fun fact about you?
I was born at Stanford Hospital and in 1989, I happened to be visiting a sick sister at the old Children's Hospital on Sand Hill Road when the big earthquake struck. In an odd way, it was cool to be in a hospital during the emergency, because the staff were calm and reassuring, and the generators kicked in for power so we could see the news reports on TV.
What is one thing that you like about working at Stanford?
Working with smart people who are making a difference every day; there's a built-in camaraderie in our community that is fantastic and palpable.
Tell us briefly about an event, project, program or initiative you were involved with at Stanford that you're most proud of.
Being hired to manage the newly created communications department in University HR 10 years ago was a "fun challenge." I worked at Stanford for over 25 years and there was no employee newsletter, and then I was in a position to get it created and to align our siloed websites into a single site, Cardinal at Work. I feel like just those two things have had a very positive impact on the employee experience.
What is one of your favorite memories while working at Stanford?
So many memories! A fave is when Marc and Persis attended their first Cardinal at Work Cares assembly party that we held at Porter Drive a few years ago. They were so enthusiastic about helping to assemble all the personal care items donated by faculty and staff for us to donate to local charities, and jumped right into the assembly lines to do their part. This is what it means to live our values; we value serving others, and they lead by example. I was so proud. And when Persis had to leave after chatting with volunteers for almost an hour, she said she was sorry to go, but she had to get back to her "day job," which was hysterical and we could all relate!
Leave your Legacy: What piece of guidance would you give a new hire at Stanford?
It sounds trite, but be willing to ask questions; you'll find others are super willing to help out. Asking questions telegraphs you are curious, you aren't assuming you know everything, and you're willing to learn.
Other Career Celebrations
