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William (Bill) Tirado is grateful for the sense of community provided by his job at ����AV.

“I love my job and the people I work with,” said Tirado, an instructional and distance technology support technician in the (CEHD). “I’ve made a lot of great connections, and it’s turned into a family for me.”

Tirado, who has been at Mason since 2011 and is the June Employee of the Month, supervises a support team that answers technical questions users have about computers and programs, and hardware, such as printers and phones. He also helps track inventory, manages employee schedules, and keeps CEHD labs and classrooms running in tip-top shape.

“I believe that Bill Tirado exemplifies the values and work ethic that we want at Mason,” said Margaret P. Weiss, an associate professor in CEHD’s Division for Special Education and disAbility Research. “His expertise, willingness to assist, and straightforward interaction style help me every day in my efforts to manage projects and to instruct students.”

CEHD faculty and staff agree that Tirado’s knowledge and familiarity with what tech can and can’t do is invaluable. He also understands the urgency of their needs, what they want to accomplish, and provides short- and long-term options.

“I especially appreciate his honest way of communicating and his friendly nature when technology problems can be highly stressful,” said Kelley Regan, a professor in the Division of Special Education and disAbility Research. “Bill should be recognized for not only the quality of his contributions to CEHD and the university, but how he executes his service as well to better our delivery of instruction.”

Born in Puerto Rico, Tirado came to the United States with his family in 1986, and is a 1996 graduate of Centreville, Virginia, High School.

“It would be very hard to imagine the Office of Technology Support without Bill Tirado,” said Stephanie Werhane, director of IT and cybersecurity in Mason’s Office of Technology Support. “We would be missing the dynamism, preparedness, care, integrity, skill, dedication, and creative problem-solving that Bill brings to our office and to our college.”

How he got to Mason:

I used to work at a furniture design store and knew someone who was working at Mason. This person introduced me to my first boss at Mason, Kristine Neuber. Kristine hired me as a tech in the Assistive Technology Lab [in the Kellar Institute for Human disAbilities] even though I had little or no experience. She gave me an opportunity when others wouldn’t because I don’t have a college degree. I worked part-time for Mason at the ATlab and part-time for the furniture store. The rest is history, as I just kept working hard and worked my way up the ladder.

Best day on the job:

For me, I think all days can be good, but I specifically like when something I have been working on for a while with a user is complete. The feeling of accomplishment and the user being happy with a solution is always a big plus to my day.

What he likes best about working at Mason:

The best thing about working with Mason is the sense of community my job provides. I really do love my job even if at times it is frustrating or difficult. 

What he does when he’s not working:

I spend a lot of time riding a bike. I am an avid cyclist and spend many hours a week training and riding.