Staff Spotlight: Beckie Kriz

This month, we're spotlighting Beckie Kriz, MS, RN, program director for the Person-Centered Reproductive Health Program (PCRHP). In this interview, Beckie tells us about her role at PCRHP, her learnings from the UCSF Leadership Academy, and what she enjoys most about working at FCM. We also get a glimpse into Beckie's life outside of work and learn which 80's British new wave band she "just can't get enough" of.

Tell us about your role at PCRHP. What might a typical day or week entail for you? 

Currently I’m the Program Director for the PCRHP. Along with working on our new project to develop a measure of Sexual and Reproductive Wellbeing and leading the training arm to support person-centered contraceptive counseling, I oversee the administrative and operational needs of Dr. Christine Dehlendorf’s research and programmatic portfolio including making sure all 13 people on the team have what they need to be successful in their roles and accomplishing our mission to advance reproductive autonomy and wellbeing. My week involves a lot of meetings and a lot of putting out fires. Every week, every day is different and I generally just make sure no balls get dropped. 

What drew you to the role? 

I joined PCRHP/FCM in December of 2020. I was drawn to the role and to working with Christine. I’ve known Christine since she was a Fellow at UCSF and I was the project manager for the Fellowship in Family Planning. I have always admired her research and mission and felt like it aligned with my values. I knew my skills would be an asset to the team and was excited to work with such an amazing group of people. 

My career journey

Can you tell us about your career path? 

I started at UCSF in 2003 as an admin assistant for the national office of the Fellowship in Family Planning. I worked my way up to Project Manager. I knew that if I wanted to grow at UCSF, I needed to further my education get a graduate degree. I wanted to understand healthcare from the patient perspective and resonate with the holistic frame of caring for the whole person that is central to Nursing education. I went back to school and became an RN through the UCSF MEPN program. I had dreams of working as a bedside nurse, but it was the worst of the recession, and there were no jobs. So, I pivoted and completed my Master of Nursing with a focus on Health Policy. I worked briefly for the Institute of Population Health at UC Davis but was thrilled to come back to UCSF and join ANSIRH as a Project Director. I eventually took a position overseeing the Postnatal Research Arm of the California Preterm Birth Initiative and finally landed here. I’ve always looked for the next steps that provided me with growth and opportunity while aligning with my core values and interest in reproductive health. 

What do you like the most about your role and working at PCRHP and FCM? 

I love FCM. It’s such a great department and I like how small and nimble it is. Everyone here is mission-driven and works to make remarkable things happen. I love talking to colleagues in FCM about their work – it’s so inspiring and thought-provoking. I don’t know where to even start with how much I love my team. They are a fierce group of individuals who I am proud to call colleagues and friends. I feel blessed to be on a team that cares about each other and the people we strive to help. 

Any particularly memorable moments at PCRHP/FCM to date? 

The singing at last year’s State of the Department - that was one of my favorite things!

Leading and Innovating

You recently participated in the UCSF Leadership Academy. Can you tell us about it? 

This year I participated in the UCSF Leadership Academy, which was a seven-month program for experienced people managers and leaders who aspire to serve as a senior leader within an academic health center. The Academy includes seven monthly leadership learning sessions, completion of a leadership project proposal, two 1:1 executive coaching sessions, and 2-4 hours of work between sessions. Building on a foundational skill set and thorough self-exploration, the Academy provided participants with long-lasting skills to navigate the complexities of an academic health center and to lead and innovate. The program ended in December. I learned a lot! My favorite sessions were on coaching staff and managing change. 

How do you plan to apply your learnings? 

As part of the program, I took on supporting the FCM Research Community in meeting one of their strategic goals, creating a formalized plan for professional development planning for staff. I conducted a landscape analysis and gathered lots of feedback from staff and faculty on what they want/need to maximize professional development opportunities and goal setting. It was really interesting! I am currently working with Whitney Wilson and FCM Vice Chairs of Research to create the templates and process and hope to conduct a pilot very soon.

Fun Facts

Now tell us about your life outside of work. What do you do in your free time?  

I wish I had more hobbies, but most of my time involves driving my 12 and 13-year-olds to their various activities. I like cooking big family meals on Sundays. I foster kittens and often work with a kitten attached to me. And I like to travel with my family. 

Any favorite books, movies, music, podcasts, etc? 

I’m currently obsessed with the podcast Normal Gossip. My favorite movie of all time is Heathers and my favorite band is Depeche Mode.