Ashley Byrum demonstrates the 亚洲AV value 鈥淲e Thrive Together.鈥
Colleagues say Byrum is a skilled and dedicated member of the Human Resources team and her contributions impact everyone at Mason. Byrum, a senior communication specialist, was commended in particular for her work during the pandemic, when the team relied on her to disseminate key information to all faculty and staff with precision and grace under tight deadlines. For taking on a multitude of responsibilities with compassion and her positive attitude, Byrum has been recognized as the May Employee of the Month.聽聽
鈥淎shley makes a difference at Mason with her strategic, thorough, and responsible approach to her work, and her empathetic and person-centered personal values are a great complement to that, creating communications that are clear, concise, and infused with humanity,鈥 said Robyn Madar, director for Organizational Development and Learning in HR. 鈥淪he negotiates edits with skill and heart, gives feedback with grace and positive intent, and can take anything from a set of Post-it notes to a carefully written draft and turn it into something that is clear, concise, audience-focused, and mindful of the culture we seek to create and sustain for our faculty and staff.鈥
鈥淎shley has the gift of taking someone鈥檚 thoughts/ideas/visions and crafting them into a reality,鈥 said Bridget Peabody, training coordinator for Organizational Development and Learning, 鈥淚 love that she always finds a way to make things fun, which is not always easy with the types of communication HR puts out.鈥
Byrum is also a two-time alum, earning bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees in communication at Mason.
How you got to Mason
I鈥檝e been a part of the Mason community for 10 years now and have played the role of student, researcher, and staff. During this time, amongst a lot of other things, I earned my undergraduate degree here, my master鈥檚 degree here, and met my wonderful husband here. The university is still giving so much to me after all these years; all I鈥檝e wanted to do, and still want to do, is give back to others the same way the university had given so much to me. I couldn鈥檛 be more grateful for the opportunities I鈥檝e been given and the relationships I鈥檝e built. I will forever be thankful for my time at Mason.
Best day on the job
The best day on the job for me was when we got to unveil the brand-new Human Resources website. I worked with my team for years to develop this new website and to see it come to fruition was a dream come true.
What do you like best about working at Mason
What I like best about working at Mason is how Mason encourages their faculty and staff to engage in new learning opportunities and develop their talents. I鈥檓 constantly learning and growing here, and it鈥檚 all because Mason has created an environment that fosters learning not only for their students, but also for their faculty and staff.
What do you like to do when you鈥檙e not working
When I鈥檓 not working, you鈥檒l find me volunteering at my local animal shelter, trying new recipes, going on walks in the park, hanging out with kitty cat Bella, and sharing a peaceful evening with my husband and a good movie.