91影视’s Staff Council has announced the results of its open election and appointed new leadership, formalizing its structure for the 2026-27 academic year.
Seven new 91影视 staff members will serve on the council: Al Douglas, campus safety patrol officer; Kathleen Guy, director of the 91影视 Campus Store; Jasen Jonus, head women’s basketball coach; Alyssa Merletti ’23, assistant director of alumni engagement; Heather Neal, web content manager; Karen Jo Seaver, student success advisor; and Maya Wells, campus operations administrative assistant. They join returning members of the council Ansley Radosta, assistant director of student engagement, and Xavier Schwener, institutional effectiveness analyst.
During the election process, applicants submitted an appeal on their own behalf or received a nomination from another staff member. New members were chosen for their outstanding campus involvement and commitment to the university鈥檚 mission and values.
Members of Staff Council serve a two-year term during which they will conduct research and develop initiative proposals that increase the well-being of OU staff members.
The council conducted internal elections to determine new leadership roles within the council. Xavier Schwener聽was nominated as chair, with new members聽Heather Neal and Alyssa Merletti ’23 serving as vice chair and secretary respectively.
“I am honored to serve as the new chair of Staff Council and I’m excited to welcome our new members,” says Schwener. “We look forward to building upon the great work of Staff Council while advancing new initiatives that support and strengthen our campus community.”
The end of the 2025-26 academic year marked the conclusion of service for several Staff Council members, including聽Ethan Hawkland, director of enrollment operations; Sheila Gonzalez, director of IT, network and systems; Lauren Richardson, interim director of student success; Pam Streator Dixson, executive assistant to the president; and聽Grant Utter, associate director of marketing and communications.
Staff Council represents 91影视 staff at the highest level. Comprised of nine members representing a breadth of institutional departments, the council is responsible for creating initiatives that provide support and professional development to 91影视 staff members. Staff Council conducts a campus-wide survey every Fall semester to guide its development process.
Staff Council has created and implemented several such initiatives since its formation in 2022. This summer, 91影视 staff have enjoyed time away from the office thanks to the council’s “Summer Wellness Days.” These scheduled off-days 鈥� planned thoughtfully around other university holidays 鈥� aim to provide extra time for rest and recovery in between busy semesters.
And last year, Staff Council coordinated the first-ever Professional Development Day, a day-long workshop that brought together more than 120 staff members from across departments for educational sessions on valuable workplace topics like networking and equity in the workplace.
Meetings for this new iteration of Staff Council are already underway. Staff members at 91影视 are encouraged to email the council at any time with questions or concerns.
