Hello WashU IT! My name is Celeste Graham, I am the new Operations Supervisor for WashU IT End User Services (EUS) and I just celebrated my 2-year anniversary with WashU IT in March! I was asked to tell a bit about myself and my journey to WashU so here it goes!
I started my IT career in 2017, interned at Madison Mutual for a summer, worked at Panera IT for a short stent and I was later hired as an IT specialist at The Gori Law Firm in Edwardsville, where I was responsible for providing technical support, troubleshooting, and maintaining the IT infrastructure. I quickly learned the ropes and demonstrated my skills, initiative, and problem-solving abilities. In 2018, I was promoted to IT manager, leading a team of 2 IT professionals. I oversaw the IT strategy, budget, projects, and security of the firm. I enjoyed the challenges and opportunities that came with my role. Ultimately, I left the law firm in 2021 and was lucky enough to land a job with WashU IT EUS on Lisa Jordan’s team. I left after 4 months, came back after 2 months, and quickly moved into the Quality Coordinator position after 6 months, and now have the pleasure of leading the Systems Support team! I am happy with my decision to come back and look forward to what my future holds here!
I have been married to my high school sweetheart for 23 years, but we have been together for 32! He is my best friend, my partner, and my soulmate. We have a son who just turned 18 and graduated from Edwardsville High School. He is following in my footsteps and pursuing a degree in Computer Science at SIUE. We are very proud of him and his achievements. He is a smart, kind, and creative young man. We also have a dog named Lucy, who is a part of our family. She is a loyal, playful, and adorable companion.
When I am not working, I love to spend time with my family and friends. We own a lake house in Southern Illinois, where we go as often as we can during the spring and summer months. We enjoy boating, swimming, and relaxing by the water. It is our favorite place to unwind and have fun. When we are not at the lake, I like to swim in our pool or play pickleball with my husband. Pickleball is a new sport that I discovered recently, and I find it very enjoyable and challenging. I hope to join a league in my town next year and compete with other players. I am also a big fan of St. Louis sports, especially the Cardinals. I watch their games whenever I can, and I cheer for them even when they are not playing well. I also like to surf the couch and watch TV with my husband and Lucy. We love to watch reality crime shows like The First 48 and HGTV – which my husband hates because I get too many ideas for new projects around the house.
Some things people do not know about me, I have 2 older sisters and all of us were born in Oahu, Hawaii while my dad was in the Navy. My parents were very creative, only with my name – my full name means Heavenly Flower – very 70s. I am also very proud to be half Filipino from my mom’s side – and yes, all the stories Jo Koy tells in his comedy routine about his mom are all true!