One IT Picnic 2025: Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Future

On June 5, the One IT community came together once again at UC Berkeley’s Faculty Glade for its annual picnic. What began in 2022 as a post-pandemic tradition has become a much-anticipated summer celebration. This year’s gathering honored retiring staff and marked the first anniversary of Tracy Shinn’s leadership as UC Berkeley’s Associate Vice Chancellor for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer.

Cheers to Retirees

Loretta Willis (pictured left), retiring after 28 years of service, offered advice to newer employees in the One IT community: “Don’t expect to understand Berkeley right away. There are a lot of moving parts and history. Some things seem complicated at first, but they’ll make sense over time. Just keep talking to people!" She is most proud of a digital library project involving an early web application preceding MapQuest and Google Maps. 

Gladys Oddoye (pictured right), retiring Telecom Support Services Manager, expressed her gratitude: "I really enjoyed the picnic today. It was great seeing old friends and meeting new ones. The planning that went into it was so thoughtful and amazing! Margarita and the team are the best hosts in the world! Thank you to all those involved for making everyone feel welcome. It has been my great pleasure to have worked here at UC Berkeley!" 

Congratulations and best wishes to retirees in Berkeley IT (please email one-it@berkeley.edu to add retirees from other campus units):

• Lucy Greco (CITE)

• Gladys Oddoye (CITI)

• Robin Tate (CITI)

• Jason Trout (CITE)

• Simon Litvak (CAD)

• Colette Jackson (CAD)

Reflecting on a Year of Leadership: Tracy Shinn

This picnic marked one year since Tracy Shinn stepped into the role of CIO. In that time, she’s come to appreciate the distinctive lengths and values of the One IT community. “So much information, so much support, so much kindness from all of you...my gratitude is profound.”

When asked how her vision has evolved over the year, Tracy shared: “I understand our challenges and strengths a lot better now. Many of the tools I brought into this role had to be adapted for this context. I’m more informed, and despite obstacles, I see where we can make progress.”

Among her proudest milestones over the year: Berkeley’s successful compliance with systemwide cybersecurity mandates.

“We made a lot of progress in a challenging time, with disruptions from outside factors. It was a true team effort across Berkeley IT, One IT, faculty, and staff. And we even started categorizing tickets – an important step towards improving IT service management.” Tracy also praised the spirit that defines the community: “The #1 value that’s stood out to me during my time is collegiality– kindness and inclusivity.”

Happy One Year, Tracy! The community is lucky to be guided under your leadership.

A Community Beyond the Screen

As a remote student worker, this picnic was also a special moment for me personally (you can spot me in the photo to the right, on the far left). It’s one thing to attend Zoom calls and another to share a plate with colleagues on our beautiful campus. 

Seeing familiar faces reminded me how vital in-person connection is in the workplace. From new leadership to fond farewells, the 2025 picnic captured the best of what One IT stands for: community, collaboration, and care. In case you missed it, you can still watch Tracy’s video address and view photos taken by our volunteers.

A Big Thank You to Volunteers

The annual One IT Picnic would never be possible without the help of our fantastic volunteers. Thank you to everyone who helped out and made it such a wonderful experience. See the full list of volunteers: