Administrator Spotlight: Penelope Fernandes
Director of Institutional Programming and Governance
Tell us the story of how you came to work at NYU Law. Were you always in your current position?
I worked a host of pretty nondescript jobs for many years in the “private sector” before I found my niche in the Dean’s Office, and I’ve been here since 2005. I started as an administrative assistant under Dean Ricky Revesz, became an associate director and director under Dean Trevor Morrison, and now I’m proud to lead our Institutional Programming and Governance team under Dean Troy McKenzie.
What’s a typical day for you like?
That’s a tricky question. There aren’t “typical days” for the Programming and Governance team or the Dean’s Office, which is why I love my job! On most days we have meetings to go over events we manage and requests for space; we write and proofread memoranda, letters, meeting minutes, reports, etc.; we work with colleagues at the University—in the President’s Office, Provost’s Office, and Government Affairs, for example—and across the Law School, with the development office, the office of faculty affairs, faculty committees, student group leaders, for example; and we work with our Board of Trustees on reporting, governance, and event programming. Most excitingly, I help plan programs that bring leaders in law and government to the Law School!
What’s the most challenging thing about what you do? And what’s the most rewarding?
Change management on both counts. 😀 I’ve been incredibly fortunate to see the Law School grow under three brilliant deans, and I find the greatest satisfaction in learning how to refine systems and solve puzzles from my teammates Lillie Rice, Kat Gomes, and Alana Kent!
What do you wish you’d known about the Law School on your first day of working here?
I wish I had known more about the law school curriculum, and how the first, second, and third years of law school are very different from my graduate training in philosophy!
What is your favorite spot on campus, and why?
The courtyard of Vanderbilt Hall! The trees are gorgeous, and it’s a space where students, faculty, staff, visitors, and the occasional tourist can just sit for a minute and take a breath!
Posted November 27, 2024. This interview has been condensed and edited.