There are many people in the athletic department who are in the background, yet they play important roles in keeping the department running.

Tina Westerhold, one of Sacramento State’s Employees of the Month for February, is one of those people.

She was the compliance coordinator of the resource department before she moved to the financial department.

While she was the compliance coordinator, Westerhold’s job was to monitor all of the coaches, student athletes and booster clubs to make sure they adhered to NCAA rules.Westerhold said she had no idea she was going to win.

“I knew of it because I heard a colleague talking about the award before, but when I heard the president of the department’s phone call, I was shocked,” Westerhold said. “Then I received a basket and now I am in the paper.”

Katherine Zedonis, also a compliance coordinator, said Westerhold was nominated for the award because of her dedication and attitude on the job.

Zedonis described her as “of the highest integrity and professionalism both in her dealings with the student-athletes she serves and her colleagues in University Administration and the Athletics Department.”

Westerhold said it is nice to be recognized for working hard.

“It is nice to know that your hard work is not going unnoticed,” she said. “The fact that my co-workers took the time to nominate me is just awesome.”

Westerhold said she wanted a career in a college athletic department after graduating from the University of Nebraska.

“All I have ever known is college athletics,” she said. “That is all I have ever worked in. I have come from Nebraska and it is a much different program.”

Mark Livingston, associate athletic director for development, commended Westerhold on her work ethic and attitude.

“She probably has one of the best work ethics I have ever seen, and she makes everyone around her work better,” Livingston said. “She is an outstanding person.”

Westerhold has been working with Livingston in the Financial Services Department.

“She is going to assist in all aspects in our fundraising for student scholarships,” Livingston said.

Westerhold is excited about her new position and plans on doing her best to improve the department.

“I am going to be helping with the outreach and with the fundraisers and working with different people and with the booster club,” she said. “It is a change that I am excited about.”

She also said work ethic is something she values greatly.

“I want to improve and make it better,” she said. “I want to see how we can do bigger, better things. That is what I want to do in this new position. It is always nice seeing a position after you have left. Being able to say it was one way when I started but now we have come this far.”

Jules Ramzy can be reached at [email protected]