Staff Spotlight: Jennifer Elliott

We'd like to invite you to get to know Jennifer Elliott a little bit better, our Administrative Director!

Q: How long have you been with OWL Oncology Research?

A: Since the beginning of OWL – 15 years and counting!  I got started when my husband Ben, one of the managing partners, needed someone reliable to handle invoicing and accounting. He knew I had experience in banking, accounts payable/receivable, and QuickBooks and he trusted me to keep the numbers in line. 

Q: What’s your favorite part of your role?

A: The months have a rhythm and every day brings a different challenge.  I like the rhythm of it - seeing projects move from timesheets to invoices to payments. There’s satisfaction in knowing everything balances and nothing slips through the cracks. 

Q: What’s one thing that makes OWL Oncology Research a great place to work?

A: The people. Everyone here cares about the work and about each other. It’s a strong mix of professionalism and humor, which helps when things get busy.

Q: What’s a small habit that helps you stay organized?

A: Paper. Shamefully, I still have a desk littered with post-it notes and notepads and sheets of paper with to-do lists so I can have that distinctive satisfaction of crossing things off when they’re completed.  I’d like to be more Earth-friendly, but I love to write on paper.

Q: How has your role evolved since you started?

A: It started out as a very part time job in 2010 – averaging less than 10 hours a month for a couple of years.  In the beginning, I worked from my sofa during my son’s naps with a laptop computer on the side table in the family room.  As OWL grew, my role grew too. I eventually set up a personal office with a proper desk, a supportive chair and a computer with a 10-key numeric keypad, dual monitors and a printer.  When the workload expanded further, we brought on an Administrative Coordinator, Ellie Rohrbacher, to share responsibilities.

Q: If you weren’t doing this job, what would you be doing instead?

A: I like to think that I will be here at OWL Oncology Research until I retire.  When I have free time, a favorite hobby is genealogy and I have become the family tree historian. I would happily research our family tree all day as a retiree.  Of course, I would travel.  I look forward to lots of traveling across the world. But if I ever missed having a regular “day job” to go to, I would apply to be a bank teller again. It was my favorite previous occupation. (Not-so-secret confession: I love the smell of money.)

Q: Coffee order?

A: Flat white or a breve when I am feeling decadent.  I joke that I use coffee as a liquid nap.  No more than 2 shots of espresso a day, though, or I’ll never sleep!  I am not a regular coffee drinker, as I prefer tea over coffee!  I start my day with a cup of black tea and switch to genmaicha for the rest of the day.

Q: Did you know?

A: I’ve made it my personal goal to never pay our contractors late. In 14 years, it’s only happened twice both times just one day late, once due to a banking snafu and once because of the Thanksgiving holiday. As a perfectionist, I also personally review every expense report and make sure it balances to the penny. It matters to me that our contractors are reimbursed for every cent and that our clients are never overcharged.

Q: Fun fact?

A: I’m an animal whisperer. My two “office mates” are my cats.  They follow me to the kitchen for lunch or a cup of tea and then back to the office. I’ve always had a natural connection with animals - the shy ones, the stubborn ones, the ones everyone else calls “a handful.” Stray dogs follow me home. Cats choose me. Even wildlife seems to know I’m a soft touch. They trust me, and I love earning that trust. If I’m not balancing accounts, I’m probably surrounded by furry chaos. 

Q: Behind the scenes:

A: The voice you hear when you call OWL Oncology Research at the main telephone number? That’s me! I recorded our main phone greeting — “Thank you for calling OWL Oncology Research. Please listen carefully as our menu options have recently changed…” So even if we haven’t met, you’ve probably heard me.