May 14, 2020

Together Remotely – Staff Spotlight: Jannah Maresh

Now more than ever, it is important that we stay connected to one another. The Student Life Staff Development Committee has launched Together Remotely, a series of posts to help staff across the Division of Student Life keep up with each other and share their experiences, successes, and stories during these extraordinary times. We hope that these posts can in some way brighten your day, give you a great idea, or just help you to feel a little more connected.

Content is staff-generated, informal, and open-ended… and we need more! To submit your own content, please visit the content submission form and respond to any of the areas that interest you, or email Nathan Miglich.

Staff Spotlight: Jannah Maresh

Director, Parent & Family Programs

In the Kitchen

Share favorite recipes, go-to snacks, or other culinary creations.

Snacks: TJ Takis and Cheetos con Limon — I eat it after I work out, and I also eat it when I am sad but only during the DAY TIME!!!

Favorite Goo of the Moment: Calabrian Peppers (I’ve been adding them to my cream cheese for a spicy bagel sandwich).

Rice or Ramen with Pork Belly, Garlic Chips and Bok Choy: Make instant ramen (fancy ramen from Whole Foods), get pork belly from Trader Joe’s (in the box), slice and toast garlic chips, and toss bok choy in sesame oil and soy sauce — and then share and eat!

My last meal on earth will be roasted chicken by Jacques Pepin.

Oh and did I forget to mention that I love coffee and chicken wings and Negronis and brut Rose — I am doing ok, I swear!

Self Care Activities

What have you been doing to take care of yourself and unwind?

See Kitchen answers above: I do intermittent fasting and working out — I can do five normal pushups before my knees reach the floor, my planks are better, and ride by non-Peloton bike — no judgment just LOVE our quiet indoor Schwinn. I am trying to get through my book list — currently, I am reading Machines Like Us by Ian McEwan.

Kids & Animals

Stories, adventures, and other content related to your tiny or non-human companions.

I am childless and dogless — but my husband is like a large adult child.

He walks me some days. I walk him other days — we are good human doggies for each other.

We’ve been enjoying my daily walks, where we talk about our fun day at work. We are both working from home so we are grateful to have the ability to have defined work spaces and only see and interact with each other during coffee breaks.

Giving Back

Information about organizations or causes you have been able to support.

I have been actively volunteering for UW Medicine to accept PPE donations, which I have continued to do weekly. I also gave blood and will continue to do so. I have also reached out to local small businesses, newsrooms and newspapers in Seattle and Los Angeles about the following grants from Facebook:

Read/Watch List

What entertainment content are you binging or finding interesting currently?

RuPaul’s Drag Race and the soon to be Celebrity RuPaul’s Drag Race is currently keeping me in a steady happy mental state.

I am a public radio/TV kid so I love PBS Newshour, Fresh Air, Sam Sanders, Pop Culture Happy Hour and Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me.

Cheeky podcasts — The Read.

Book list — currently, I am reading Machines Like Us by Ian McEwan. Next is FranKissstein by Jeannette Winterson.

Music — I cannot live without music, but I am intentionally watching music documentaries every Monday — I love Homecoming, Nina Simone and Oasis Supersonic — I have watched each at least 3X.

I am looking forward to Quincy, Amy Winehouse and LCD Soundsystem’s last concert — and I’m looking for more 90s BritPop, HipHop and RnB docs.

Connecting with Community

How have you stayed in touch with friends, family, and other communities?

My families in Los Angeles and Connecticut have been very concerned about our living in Seattle — so they have gone through every platform from FaceTime, FB Messenger, Instagram, Zoom, but it’s been fun to use Marco Polo and Houseparty.

Work from Home Hacks

For those working from home, what are you doing to increase productivity, functionality, or overall happiness at your work station?

I took it upon myself to accentuate my surroundings buying flowers and put up the art on my walls — so that my Zoom backgrounds look interesting. Pink wireless headphones and aggressively making sure that I am dressed for work, because I am using fashion as a crutch!

Professional Development

What resources for continued growth and development have you been taking advantage of?

All of the ABOVE things are keeping me professionally developed, and staying in touch with our UW community!

Thanks for reading! Remember, to submit your own content, please visit the content submission form and respond to any of the areas that interest you, or email Nathan Miglich.