Inspiration drives creativity and often results in a positive action; this is a concept that Jules Keith-Le embraces daily.
“Through my role, there are so many people that I can try to positively affect,” said Keith-Le, a learning and development specialist in the Human Resources Department. She joined the University in August 2012. “Change is constant, and I’m really open to change. I try to inspire people, and, in turn, so many people here have inspired me. There are so many incredible individuals here who have touched me and made me think about classes and workshops we need to offer to help our personnel grow. I feel there are a lot of opportunities for me to affect positive change here at the University and to help it grow and advance, and I feel my voice is heard through the various committees on which I’ve been asked to serve.”
As a member of the learning and development team, Keith-Le and her colleagues are responsible for professional development for faculty and staff members. Permanent employees are eligible to take a variety of workshops and programs. Some of the newest offerings are ones Keith-Le developed, “Stress Management Essentials” and “Understanding and Embracing Organizational Change.”
She is one of the facilitators for New Employee Orientation for staff members, which is conducted twice a month, and she serves on various committees, including the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee for Employee Health and Wellness.
“We’re always looking at what our faculty and staff need with regard to professional development,” Keith-Le stated. “We often hold focus groups and speak to campus units to determine employee needs and add them to our catalog. Our team is experienced in instructional design and facilitation, so a lot of the new programs we’re introducing we’ve researched and developed from scratch.”
A native of Charlotte, Keith-Le returned to the area in 2012 after living in Florida for a number of years. While in the Sunshine State, Keith-Le completed a Master of Fine Arts in photography from the University of Florida. Her bachelor’s degree in industrial technology is from Appalachian State University.
“I wanted to study with Barbara Jo Revelle, who is this really hard-core feminist photographer. She’s famous for going into tough situations and exposing injustice. She would always brag about where she got arrested,” said Keith-Le. “She was so bigger than life to me. Even though I was enamored with her for getting arrested for her photos, I’ve luckily never been arrested for any of mine.”
Photography is a hobby Keith-Le continues to enjoy outside of work. She and husband Ngoc Le have a four-year-old daughter Stella, who consumes most of their free time. However, they still engage in a lot of outdoor pursuits – hiking, biking, canoeing and gardening.
“Being active has been a big change in my life,” Keith-Le noted. She said after losing more than 65 pounds a few years ago; she is more focused on living a healthier lifestyle. “We love to go outside and be in nature. I love books, but if you look at my reading now versus before I lost all the weight, I struggle to finish a book now because being active is so much more important.”
Photo: A self-portrait of Keith-Le