Kathryne Dunn brings warmth, steadiness, and a builder’s mindset to UTMB’s School of Public and Population Health (SPPH). After more than a decade at UTMB, she has become a trusted go-to for colleagues who need clear answers and calm execution across travel, events, budgets, and everyday problem-solving. As Kathryne puts it, “I’ve grown in my role and have become someone that people come to for guidance. There’s nothing better than helping my peers grow so we can all grow together.”
Building Administrative Excellence Across UTMB
Kathryne started on the clinical side as a Health Unit Coordinator in the Surgical ICU, managing patient charts and hospital system transfers. In 2018, she moved to the academic enterprise and later transitioned into the Administrative Coordinator title as the school evolved.
Today, she keeps complex operations moving. She coordinates school-level travel for leadership and managers, aligning tickets, hotels, transportation, and reimbursements while navigating when a trip should be handled by a department or the school. She also handles events and committee work, from large community outings to see the Houston Dash to seminar planning and Student Affairs committee meetings, because she enjoys “being in the know” and seeing how the school is changing.
A detail-driven streak shows up most in finance. Each month, Kathryne reconciles ledgers across many accounts, verifying that logs, balances, and spreadsheets match precisely. If numbers are off, she tracks down the discrepancy until everything balances. She even asked to take on more budget-related work, helping build and check spreadsheet formulas so the team starts the year on solid footing. That care comes with a sense of responsibility: “Reconciling is very important. If we get audited and it’s wrong, the consequences could be significant.”
Professional Growth and Goals
This attention to detail reflects her broader professional development goals. Kathryne earned her Bachelor’s in Business Administration in 2023 through UTMB’s tuition assistance program and is already thinking about next steps. She hopes to develop toward a management path, with a long-term goal of becoming a business manager who helps plan budgets with faculty and administrators.
Kathryne’s experience across clinical and academic settings gives her a broader view of UTMB. The move from the ICU to the school deepened her understanding of administrative operations and the ways business functions and clinical care depend on each other. She notes that administrative staff are closely aligned with school priorities and contribute actively to progress.
The daily variety keeps her engaged. Policies evolve, processes shift, and each request has its own context. “I’m still doing the same thing, but it does change,” she says. “That is the part that has made the years go by so fast.”
Advice From Kathryne
- Know your institution’s policies and procedures like the back of your hand.
- Let experienced teammates guide you.
- Keep a positive mindset, even on hard days.
What Colleagues Notice
Reliability, organization, and clear communication define her approach. She pairs these qualities with creative problem-solving skills and a calm, people-first mindset that strengthens workflows while keeping teamwork at the center. Those strengths show in how she supports colleagues and keeps operations moving at SPPH.