“Two minutes with…” is a feature blog focusing on the lives behind some of the faces and names you may see in your daily life at IT Services. Maybe you even know them personally and what they do here at Northeastern. But do you know what they like to do on a Saturday morning? Or what their go-to karaoke song is? That’s where “Two minutes with…” comes in, to shed some light on our ITS colleagues.
In this edition of “Two minutes with…” Anne Allison shares the career path that led her to her current role as Manager of AV Media Services.
Read on to learn more about Anne’s passion for music, her adventures outdoors, and how she spends her free time.
How long have you worked at Northeastern and what roles have you held?
I have been at NU, here on the Oakland campus since the transition from Mills College to Mills College at Northeastern University and worked at Mills before that from 2014 on.
What did you do before you joined Northeastern?
I have worked in AV since about 2010; before that, I worked as a sound engineer in several San Francisco recording studios and live sound venues, and on some worldwide tours, including the Where You Live Tours for Tracy Chapman.
It’s Saturday morning. Where are you, what are you doing, and with whom?
Most Saturday mornings are spent with my nine-year-old son–some of our favorite activities are riding at the BMX bike park near our house, playing basketball, skiing/snowboarding, hiking, playing board and card games, and doing puzzles.
What did you want to be when you were in second grade? How did any of it carry over to where you are today?
In second grade, I wanted to be a conductor for a symphony orchestra. Though that dream never came to fruition, my professional life has often involved musical endeavors; I am also a DJ which has some similar characteristics to being a conductor as you are guiding the crowd though your musical selections and transitions.
What accomplishment or contribution in your current role at Northeastern are you most proud of?
I believe I was a vital resource for ITS during the transition from Mills College to Northeastern University on the Oakland campus, sharing my institutional knowledge that came from close to 10 years of work at Mills. We were able to bring multiple classrooms online and up to current NU standards in one summer of hectic hard work, and we continue to improve and expand each year.
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received?
As a sound engineer, I was taught that early is on time, on time is late, and late is fired! This is not only an important piece of advice for the workplace, but for all of life.
What’s your preferred way to unplug?
I like listening to and playing music, camping, hiking, enjoying nature, snowboarding, and hanging out with my kiddo!
Any pets?
We have a 15-year-old pitt mix, possibly part Ibizan Hound, who is the sweetest and best friend to my son. 15 years is an impressive age for a large dog, and she’s still going strong!
Do you speak any languages besides English? If not, which other ones do you wish you spoke?
I’m not sure I can say I speak any languages fluently, but I took Spanish in school for nine years, and German in college–I also did extensive traveling in Germany and Austria as a youth as my mom grew up in Vienna for several of her childhood years.
What was the first live concert you attended?
My first live concert with a chaperone was U2 Zootopia with the Sugarcubes opening, but my first concert without a chaperone was Pearl Jam. I still attend many concerts and festivals whenever I have the chance!