Jamie Gayer
Assistant Vice President
Capital Planning and Facilities
Jamie Gayer has spent nearly 15 years working at Indiana University in a variety of human resources roles, including the past three years as the assistant vice president of business services for Capital Planning and Facilities. She has accepted a new role as senior director of human resources for the Bloomington campus and will be transitioning in the near future.
She has built her reputation as an innovative executive with a proven ability to persuade, influence, and engage others to envision possibilities and alternatives leading to organizational effectiveness, development, and ultimately, advancement.
She serves as executive sponsor of the inaugural Diversity and Advocacy Team, created in 2020 by CPF team members. Gayer recently hired the first full-time, staff-focused diversity, equity, and inclusion specialist at IU, and she showcases her expertise by presenting on the topics of respect and dignity, DEI, and multi-generational communication for higher education facility organizations.
Gayer earned a bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and is currently pursuing her online MPA from the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. She was the first woman elected to formal leadership roles at her church, serving as treasurer and trustee, and she enjoys taking her family to shows at the IU Auditorium and the Musical Arts Center, where she has been a season-ticket holder for several years.
Q: Where were you when you decided to come to Bloomington? What drew you here?
A: We were living in Evansville, Indiana, and I was working at the University of Southern Indiana when my older children’s father took a position here in the area. By that time, I knew I wanted to continue to work in higher education, so I jumped at the opportunity when offered an HR position at IU. Originally, I thought IU was just going to be a steppingstone in my work journey; little did I know it was going to become the entirety of my path.
Q: With such a rich and active life, how have you incorporated your online MPA classes into your schedule? What sort of difference has using IU’s tuition benefit made?
A: The flexibility of the online MPA has made all the difference in being able to successfully complete courses. With the demanding schedule I have, the asynchronous class structure allows me to complete the course work when I have time. Some weeks I navigate it evenly throughout the week, others I get it done proactively by Tuesday, and yet other weeks I might be pushing the Sunday night deadline. I like that I can read assignments at lunch or listen to lectures while traveling to my children’s events.
The tuition benefit is the entire reason I am working on this now instead of waiting until later! Trying to prioritize life needs is challenging and with the tuition benefit in place, I only need to prioritize my time.
Q: How do you understand the relationship between your work at IU and the rest of your life? Are they separate?
A: Over the years, I have had to learn how to balance my work/life relationship. As my work responsibilities have grown, so has my own expectation of being available and present to all needs presented by those responsibilities. I must be purposeful to set down technology and put boundaries around my time. I take a lot of pride in being a part of the IU community and a Hoosier. In a perfect world, I would be able to be exactly who I am both at work and home, so I believe it is my responsibility to work every day to create an inclusive space where that is possible.
Life is a wonderful journey full of turns, challenges, and rewards in both the work and home environment. The skills I use to successfully navigate the workplace often serve me just as well outside of work. Learning how to listen and always keeping in mind the importance of the greater good has helped me bridge gaps in my relationships with my family, friends, and colleagues.
Q: What have been some of your favorite performances at IU? What do you enjoy most about IU’s artistic programs?
A: Oh, we have seen so many wonderful programs at the Auditorium, so this is a hard decision! A few of my favorites would be the Shaolin Warriors, John Mellencamp’s Ghost Brothers of Darkland County, Elf the Musical, The Book of Mormon, and The Sound of Music. The biggest surprise of all is that my teenage son’s favorite program every year is Dennis James Hosts Halloween. The first performance we saw was Dennis’s 50th-anniversary show of Phantom of the Opera in 2018, and we have not missed a performance since. I never thought Ethan would appreciate silent films and musical scores, but the way Mr. James performs them invokes a desire to continue the experience.
This year was our first year to hold season tickets for the MAC, and we enjoyed the programs there just as much. My youngest daughter’s pleasure of watching The Nutcracker was magical to observe, and knowing that it is IU’s finest students and faculty performing the programs adds to the pride of being a member of the IU community.
Q: What are some of your favorite activities to do with your children in Bloomington?
A: We love to use all the outdoor activities in the local areas — within a 10-minute drive in any direction, you can find a nature preserve, a local or state park, a forest, or other wildlife preserve to enjoy. Playing in water is a favorite, whether it is a creek, small pond, or Lake Monroe. We have a couple of favorite secret quiet spots, but if I share them with you, then they won’t be a secret or quiet anymore. :)
We also enjoy spending time at Red Hill Stables, where we board our horses and ride in the local area.
