University Staff Advisory Council

Name: Beth Simms

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Position/Department: Project Manager/Information Services

How long have you been at UR? On and off for 25 years. I started working at the Helpdesk in 1996 and then moved to Network Services in 1999. In 2005, I decided to stay home with my three kids. I was fortunate to be able to return to the University in a part-time capacity as an IT consultant in 2009. I continued consulting until accepting my current position in the Project Management Office in 2016.

What should everyone know about your role or department? In the PMO (Project Management Office) our goal is to ensure that all IS projects are delivered on time, within budget, and with expected results while effectively managing and prioritizing resources in accordance with the University’s strategic and operational goals.

The PMO provides a centralized resource for all technology-related projects that require Information Services input and involvement. These can include:

• Computer application and hardware installations, integrations, and upgrades;
• Outsourced/hosted services;
• Business process analysis;
• System analysis and research; and
• Anything that connects to the campus network.

The PMO seeks to increase the effectiveness of Information Services projects and enable a project management culture by:

• Fostering and facilitating communication;
• Developing and promoting project management standards, processes, and best practices; and
• Creating a framework that promotes project visibility and transparency and manages expectations for involved parties. 

Technology-related project requests should start with the PMO using SpiderTechNet. For additional information about the Project Intake and Vetting process, please view the Knowledge Base article in SpiderTechNet here. You will be prompted to log into the system if you aren’t already logged in.  

What is something fun or a unique fact about you? I have been married for 25 years and I have three amazing kids, two of which are studying at the University of Richmond who come to see me almost every day (to get coffee). I also grew up as an Army brat and moved basically every year of my life until the age of 16.