Welcome College of Education Community!
Welcome to the Staff Spotlight, where we celebrate the amazing people who make our college such a vibrant and supportive community. Each month, we’ll feature a dedicated staff member, sharing what inspires them and how they help our college thrive. Be sure to revisit the Staff Spotlight to meet more of the remarkable individuals whose stories remind us why our college is such a special place.
This month’s Staff Spotlight features Kayla Batt-Hernandez.
Staff Spotlight - Kayla Batt-Hernandez
Kayla Batt-Hernandez
Business Manager
"My family are big UofA fans so coming here was a given and I immediately moved up to start my college journey after high school. I’ve been here ever since."
Please share a little bit about where you grew up and what brought you to Tucson (if you were raised here, what is something that you enjoy about Tucson?).
I was raised just south of Tucson in Nogales, Arizona. My family are big UofA fans so coming here was a given and I immediately moved up to start my college journey after high school. I’ve been here ever since. It’s close enough to home that it’s an easy visit to see my family while still getting to live in and enjoy the Tucson community that I’ve come to know and love.
How long have you worked at the college or university, and can you share a little bit about your job within the college?
My employment time at the University began as a student worker back in 2014 until I graduated with my Bachelor’s in Law in 2017. A month after my graduation, I started my journey with the College of Education as an Administrative Assistant in the Dean’s Office. Since then, I’ve gone from that role to working on the Grants Management Team, taking a year away to work in the President’s Office, and then coming back to my roots in the College of Education as a Business Manager as of last October. In my current role, I work closely with our Interim Assistant Dean of Finance, Sharon Young, and our departments on budget, finance, and policy management. We work with the grants team and department admins to strategize and provide the best support we can offer. Our team is here to assist with the college’s endeavors and advance our mission in whatever way we can!
"I think the one common aspect is that my role is based on the needs of our college and I try to make sure I’m adapting to manage my support in the most efficient and beneficial way possible!"
What's one part of your job that people might not realize or understand about what you do daily?
My days can vary pretty significantly! One day I’ll be immersed in budget planning and the next day it’ll be all about helping my department colleagues with policy interpretation and strategizing. I think the one common aspect is that my role is based on the needs of our college and I try to make sure I’m adapting to manage my support in the most efficient and beneficial way possible!
If there's a favorite place you enjoy on campus and around Tucson, please share what makes it special.
The UofA has so many great spots that it’s hard to pick just one! I’d say that my favorite is taking some time to decompress at the turtle pond with a drink from either Scented Leaf or Caffe Luce.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
In January of this year, I had my first baby, my son Micah David. He’s going on 7 months, so spare time seems nonexistent at the moment! However, I’m enjoying every minute of spending time with him and getting to watch our little family flourish and grow.
