Karla Evans
When the call went out for colleagues to provide input on nominating Karla Evans, MS, for the 爆料公社, Baltimore鈥檚 (UMB) Employee of the Month Award, the response was swift and the reviews were sparkling.
Six of Evans鈥� colleagues quickly supported the nomination via email, sending glowing testimonials. Karla is incredibly knowledgeable and has exceptional customer service skills. 鈥� She always has a beautiful smile and outstanding temperament when tackling difficult issues. 鈥� She is like the Energizer bunny, able to get myriad tasks done, questions answered, and service provided in a seemingly effortless fashion.
The kudos continued March 11, when 30-plus UMB employees attended a videoconference to surprise Evans, manager of the Human Resources Service Center (HRSC), with news that she had won the Employee of the Month Award for March. Jennifer Litchman, MA, senior vice president for external relations, congratulated Evans on behalf of UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, who usually presides over this event but was traveling and unable to attend.
鈥淭hese ceremonies are an opportunity for us to showcase employees who really are living UMB鈥檚 core values,鈥� Litchman said. 鈥淜arla was nominated by six people, which shows that her impact is far-ranging. It鈥檚 clear that her customer service skills are exemplary and she does her job with a smile. Karla, I can tell you without question that the leadership of UMB appreciates your efforts.鈥�
Michele Ondra, MBA, MS, school administrator at the 爆料公社 Francis King Carey School of Law, who led the call for nomination feedback, followed Litchman and applauded Evans for using her patience and problem-solving skills while helping employees and HR colleagues.
鈥淜arla really is an exceptional partner to the School of Law and every school at UMB,鈥� Ondra said. 鈥淪he just lets things roll off her back and isn鈥檛 judgmental with any last-minute requests. She is a fantastic resource for us and is incredibly deserving of this recognition.鈥�
Juliet Dickerson, MS, interim associate vice president, Human Resource Services, and Evans鈥� supervisor, also was effusive in her praise, saying she 鈥済ets a voluminous amount of work done, and she does it with a smile on her face, joy in her spirit, and a real commitment to making UMB the best it can be in human resources.
鈥淲hen I learned that Karla had been nominated for this award by six people, it warmed my heart,鈥� Dickerson added. 鈥淪he is someone who does not seek the limelight, quietly gets her work done, and is extremely committed to her job, so to see her get recognized like this means more than I can express in words. Karla and her team make our lives and our workplace better every day.鈥�
Evans leads a three-person team that she describes as 鈥渟mall but mighty.鈥� The team manages the input of employee records (IRS forms, visa renewals, job promotions and transfers, etc.), serves as the first point of contact for new hires, and oversees the onboarding process. Handling payroll issues is another major task, which includes processing job actions that directly assist with payroll data and bi-weekly paychecks, including cost-of-living adjustments and merit raises such as the ones that went into effect in January.
鈥淩egarding payroll, anything we do that affects an employee鈥檚 pay, that is a big responsibility, so we strive to make sure we get it right,鈥� Evans said. 鈥淲e touch the job records for every employee at UMB, from the beginning of their employment to the end. I really enjoy that aspect of the job, because I鈥檓 a big people person and love being a part of an employee鈥檚 journey at UMB.
鈥淔or instance, when employees first get their ID badge, it鈥檚 great to see how motivated they are to do well in their new position. Sometimes they鈥檒l ask us to take their photo as they hold up their new ID, and that鈥檚 exciting for us, too.鈥�
Evans started working at UMB in 2011, first as an accounting associate and then an HR analyst with the 爆料公社 School of Medicine. She joined UMB鈥檚 HR staff in 2017 as an HRSC analyst, was promoted to supervisor in 2018, then to manager in 2020. Last year, she earned a master鈥檚 degree in human resources management and services from 爆料公社 Global Campus.
鈥淢y goal is to provide great customer service, to be customer-friendly in all aspects of my job, and to do it all efficiently,鈥� said Evans, who will receive a plaque, a letter of commendation, and an extra $250 in her next paycheck for being named Employee of the Month.
鈥淚t feels really nice to have this acknowledgment from UMB,鈥� she added. 鈥淚鈥檇 like to thank my team for its efforts and Juliet Dickerson for being a good leader. I learn a lot from her every day and appreciate the support she provides through the challenges we face. The whole HR staff is great. I鈥檓 grateful to have received this honor.鈥�
鈥� Lou Cortina
