Elisa Rucker joined ACET as a Portfolio Manager in October 2023, coinciding with ACET’s new structure of portfolio teams. Elisa brings more than two decades of experience in customer service, project management, and quality assurance processes to her role managing the Community-Based Engagement Portfolio and the Events, Training, & Technical Assistance Portfolio.
Elisa says that ACET’s portfolio structure allows her to efficiently oversee the projects in her purview and guide her staff, while also collaborating with others on ACET’s management team. All ACET projects now fall under one of four portfolios. Each project also has a project lead responsible for planning and execution, a Project Coordinator handling day-to-day logistics, and a Project Assistant managing tasks including meeting scheduling, notes, and communication with stakeholders. “My responsibility as a manager is about overseeing and developing,” she says. “I’m responsible for removing barriers that the Project Lead might run into, ensuring tasks and deliverables are completed and met and everything is proceeding as planned.”
Her favorite component of her work at ACET has been the educational aspect, Elisa says. It’s a two-way street: she’s able to help her staff grow and build their own capacity while she’s also learning herself. The most rewarding experience, according to Elisa, is when she can bring her own experience, personal and past professional experiences, to her role as manager and find ways to give her team opportunities to grow. “One of the best managers I ever had, never gave me the answer to a problem. Instead, they guided me towards independent thought and self-discovery by posing questions instead of providing direct answers,” she says, noting that she strives to incorporate that practice into her leadership at ACET. Elisa is a wonderful addition to our team, and has already demonstrated a deep commitment to the success of our staff and their ongoing development, encouraging each member of her portfolios to provide the best possible service to our clients and the communities they serve.
As far as her own personal growth, Elisa says she has gleaned insight from every client she has collaborated with at ACET. One project involving a series of seven community conversations provided her with a profound understanding of diverse community perspectives, while challenging preconceived assumptions. Overall, Elisa expresses immense satisfaction in how she is able to contribute both to the continued development of ACET staff and support of the broader community. “When I left my last position, the question that I asked myself was ‘How can I make a meaningful impact through my work?' I wanted to be of service.” Currently, she says, her role at ACET fulfills her desire to be of service and she’s already feeling she’s making a positive impact. We echo that sentiment and are delighted to have her lead and serve with us at ACET!