Photo by Sean Cook
Lydia Jakovskli is an administrative assistant in the Clinical Trials Office at Karmanos Cancer Institute. She is leading the department's Activities Committee, which was established in spring 2018 to foster and enhance relationships among the more than 120-member staff who make up Clinical Trials Office.
How long have you worked at Karmanos and how long in CTO?
I have worked at Karmanos and within the CTO for a little over two years.
What do you do in your job?
As CTO administrative assistant, I work in the CTO’s main office and assist with the department’s needs. I provide support to multiple departmental committees and serve as a team resource for various technologies, as well as manage inventory, supplies and external vendors.
What is the purpose of the Clinical Trials Office Activities Committee?
To plan activities and events for all the departments within the Clinical Trials Office (CTO.)
What are the names of your committee members, including those leading the group?
Committee members include: Katie Ashworth, Jackie Brewer, Lindsay Casetta, Paige Dykema, Liz Horvat, Courtney Jacobs, Lydia Jakovski (leader), Carol Muzyk, Nikita Patel, Christopher Salas and Marie Ventimiglia.
How/why was the committee created?
Multiple staff and supervisors expressed interest in events that would provide an opportunity to combine the various departments within the CTO. Although we all work together, there was a need for staff to put names with faces and have an opportunity to get to know other staff members in person. I approached Lisa Lange, vice president of Clinical Trials, and offered to organize and lead the committee.
Why is volunteering an important focus for you and the CTO team?
We wanted an opportunity for staff to give back and directly impact the community we work in.
What is the goal of the group and what is the outcome you and the team hope to achieve?
The group’s goal is to bring together all of our CTO departments and provide staff an opportunity to build better relationships with each other. If we have the opportunity to participate in activities together, it builds camaraderie among staff and makes for a happier and more vibrant workplace.
How many staff participated in the volunteer Midtown Clean-Up project and what areas did you clean up?
We had more than 30 volunteers participating in two shifts. We selected neighborhoods in Midtown surrounding Karmanos’ main campus, from Warren to the Fisher Freeway, and from the Lodge to I-75 freeways. We had small teams in each of those areas cleaning up debris.
Why was this project selected?
Employees identified a need, due to the amount of litter in these areas of Midtown. The committee wanted to do something to directly impact the community we work in.
How often do you plan to do an activity and will they all have to do with clean-ups or will they vary?
We plan to have one activity a month and they will vary greatly, such as department potlucks, neighborhood clean-up, after work offsite activities, and a possible lunch visit from a food truck, are all things that we have discussed.
Do you think this team activity will strengthen the bond you and your colleagues have?
Absolutely! We get to learn about each other and learn from each other. We get to work toward a common goal that differs from our daily job. We get to share in challenges and triumphs while making our community better. Overall, I think the staff that participate in the activities will find this a very positive experience.
In your words, why is doing this and other volunteer activities important and how will it benefit the work you do at Karmanos?
Volunteer work provides an individual with an overall feeling of happiness and accomplishment. I believe if we are able to experience these feelings as a team, we will have a stronger bond and sense of community with each other. The CTO has staff members in multiple buildings and our daily job functions are very different depending on someone’s job responsibilities. Oftentimes, we do not have a lot of interaction outside of work related communication. The opportunity to work with members from all parts of the CTO provides a more personal relationship with our co-workers. These personal interactions can translate into better communication throughout our departments and overall better working environment.
Happy employees that are passionate about their workplace create a more productive and effective work environment, and that will ultimately benefit our patients.