Kasia: I have been lucky to work with dedicated people

Kasia and her family

What does a typical day at work look like? 

The work I do for Children’s HeartLink is behind-the-scenes and can be summarized as keeping things running. I support our organization in functional areas such as HR, IT and facility management with one goal: to make sure we operate efficiently. During my typical day, I interact with vendors to ensure we have the best services for the lowest price, with staff to make sure they have the tools to do their job, and with my teammates to discuss new ideas and projects that provide support to other departments and enhance our operations.

Tell us a little about your background and why it led you to Children’s HeartLink. 

Originally, I came from Poland. I was fortunate to visit many European countries, study in Germany and work for the French multinational corporation Saint-Gobain. After moving to the United States, I wanted to continue working in a company with international reach but also try my strengths in a nonprofit sector, which I find more rewarding, especially when the organization saves lives by improving care for kids with heart disease.

What motivates you? 

 Learning something new every day, solving problems, making observations and finding areas for improvement.

What is the most rewarding part of your job? The most challenging? 

 I have been lucky to work with a dedicated group of people who carry out our mission in underserved countries. The most rewarding part of my job is automating office processes so that our employees are no longer confined to the walls of the office to accomplish a task. This allows them to work wherever it makes the most sense, and they can access the information they need from anywhere on any device. The most challenging part of my job is finding technological solutions that are both reasonable and can improve organizational performance and lower our expenditures.

What are the most important traits for your job? 

 In my role, I need to be organized, analytical, pragmatic and adaptive. Optimism and enthusiasm are the traits that help me get through any challenges.

 What do you like to do in your spare time? 

 I love spending time outdoors walking my dog, biking, skiing and canoeing with my family. Reading and yoga help me relax and recharge.

Tell us about your family. 

 My husband Bartek and son Jasiu, 14, are my immediate family. We enjoy going to our son’s concerts and hockey games. We have a 5-year-old Portuguese Water Dog, Czarek, which means little Caesar. He pretty much rules our household.

Kasia oversees IT strategy, office redesign and other special projects. Kasia grew up in Poland and moved to Minneapolis with her family when her physician husband accepted a medical research position. She has an M.A. in German studies.

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