Stanford University

News Service


NEWS RELEASE

3/15/01

Lisa Trei, News Service (650) 725-0224; e-mail: lisatrei@stanford.edu

Teresa Rasco named director of WorkLife Office

Teresa Rasco, acting director of the WorkLife Office, has been named director effective March 16, according to LaDoris Cordell, vice provost for campus relations.

Rasco, 48, joined the office in February 1998 as associate director. She was selected from 15 candidates following a nationwide search headed by John Cammidge, executive director of human resources. Rasco replaces Kathleen Sullivan, who retired Dec. 20.

"Teresa is highly qualified for this position," said Cordell. "It is very important that when a person is qualified, has worked his or her way up through the ranks and has contributed to the Stanford University community, that the university recognize and reward that loyalty. Teresa is going to be a joy to work with."

The WorkLife Office is part of the Office of Campus Relations, which Cordell heads. It supports the university's academic mission by helping staff, faculty and students find a balance between their work and personal lives.

Rasco, a native of Sacramento, has worked in child care since 1978. She earned a bachelor's in early childhood education in 1994 and a master's in human development and family studies in 1996 from the University of North Texas. Since 1996, she has taught child development at DeAnza College in Cupertino.

Rasco says the promotion will enhance her ability to respond to the needs of different constituencies on campus and to create programs that add value to people's lives. While the office's traditional focus has been on child care, Rasco says, elder care and issues facing single people are becoming increasingly important. "Over the last three years, I've learned about the broader quality-of-life issues and how they affect not only parents, but singles," she says. "Work is changing. If we are working smarter, that should give us an opportunity to better balance our work and personal lives."

Rasco says she plans to continue developing the university's child care initiative that Sullivan announced to the Faculty Senate last November. The plan includes building additional child care centers on campus and, for the first time, providing subsidies to parents with young children in licensed care.

Beyond this, Rasco wants to look more closely at work issues such as flexible hours. "And down the road," she says, "I'm interested in Stanford being on the cutting edge and introducing a work-life curriculum into the business school so that we can change the culture of people going into business."

In addition to Cammidge, the search committee included Jeff Wachtel, special assistant to the president and provost; Rosa Gonzalez, ADA compliance officer; Chris Griffith, associate dean for graduate student life; Jane Volk-Brew, assistant provost for faculty affairs; and Human Resources Officer Nancy Schonher.

Rasco is married and has an adult son. She lives in Sunnyvale.

 

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By Lisa Trei


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