Danita Eichenlaub
Associate Director Goddard Earth Sciences and Technology Center (GEST)
Joint Center for Earth Systems Technology (JCET)
Presidential Distinguished Staff Award, Professional Staff, 2008-09

In addition to her outstanding management skills, Danita Eichenlaub has demonstrated leadership in the development of financial systems and controls which are now being modeled across the campus.

Eichenlaub supervises all aspects of the administrative and financial management for two research centers, GEST and JCET. She has merged the two administrative staffs from the centers into one team and monitors sponsored research funding of $20-25 million annually.

As one of the original PeopleSoft peer mentors, Eichenlaub is frequently consulted for her expertise in business processes and the management of a large administrative unit. She serves on the HR-Finance Advisory Board and the HR Upgrade Committee.

Eichenlaub takes time to train business staff across the campus in business specialist skills, helping them to be more efficient in their jobs. She is acknowledged as a mentor by the Centers' nearly 200 research faculty. Her diligence, perseverance, knowledge and ownership of the Centers makes an important difference to both her colleagues and UMBC. Despite her large workload, she brings a teaching attitude and patience to every situation.

She received her B.A. in Physics and M.A.S. in Administrative Science from The Johns Hopkins University.