We sat down with Celbie Velez, Xenium’s Administrative Specialist, to discuss her four-year journey with the company. Starting just before the pandemic, Celbie navigated the challenges of a shifting work environment. Previously with a college in California, she brings a wealth of experience to her role. Outside of work, Celbie is an action movie enthusiast and an avid reader, with “Bridge to Terabithia” holding a special place in her heart. Her calm demeanor and dedication make her a valued member of the Xenium team. Read on to learn more about Celbie!
How long have you worked for Xenium HR?
Almost four years.
Tell me a little bit about your role?
I am in Operations, so I do a little bit of everything. I spend a lot of time supporting with corporate licensing, ensuring we’re up to date with registrations. I also handle our billing and filing, plus the administrative office duties. So, it’s like wearing multiple hats.
What did you do before you came to Xenium?
I worked for a college in Anaheim, California. I was in the admissions office, so I was processing all the Applications before students enrolled, managed the filing and the Admissions CRM. I was working for them for about 11 years.
You started about a month before the pandemic, and you were in a critical role, so you had to be onsite. What was that like?
It was strange at first. There was an attempt to work from home. It was a half-day situation because I had to ensure we processed the outgoing mail, so I came in in the afternoons every day, but I live close enough that it just made more sense to come in for the full day. With so few people sharing a large office space, I was comfortable with it.
What’s it been like since in the last year, since we’ve come back to the office to join you more regularly?
I had mixed feelings in the beginning. It’s nice to have people back, but I did get used to the quiet. Now, since it’s hybrid, it’s the best of both worlds. I get to see people and talk to them face to face, share some laughs, but still have the occasional quite day.
How do you build relationships with people in an environment where you are in the office and so many people are remote? Is there anything you did to stay connected?
I stayed connected to my manager, having more frequent check-ins that weren’t work related. I noticed that I just kind of got less formal in some of the emails because they won’t see my personality any other way unless they come into the office.
What’s your favorite part of working at Xenium?
My favorite part is my role itself and being able to expand on my knowledge. Having to do so many different pieces in one role really broadens my horizons because there are things I never thought I would be doing, like the billing and licensing. Constantly learning something new and still doing things I enjoy on the technological side is very rewarding.
How does your role make an impact on the clients?
It’s kind of like having that second source of information behind the scenes. I’ll occasionally have direct contact with a client if they have questions about an invoice, but I can also support our Sales and HR teams if a client reaches out to them and I can provide some assistance in areas that are not specific to billing.
Your level of accuracy is high. Obviously, you have good attention to detail, but what do you do to ensure you’re crossing your T’s, dotting your I’s?
I think that’s partly because I’m lucky. I have a good memory and I actually enjoy looking at the details. If I get stuck on something, I’ll start digging and doing the research. It’s not fun to make mistakes, so I do what I can to find what the problem is and fix it.
Can you tell me about a project or something that you’ve worked on that you’re really proud of here at Xenium?
Gosh, there are multiple things. The recent reporting in the ClientSpace [CRM] has been very rewarding. One I recently did for COBRA was reminiscent to my old job because it’s more technological and I find building reports like that fun. Also, taking a little more active role in the SOPs when we were improving processes last year was a proud moment. I like building forms too, so it felt good to take part in it.
What advice would you give to someone starting out in an operations role and wanting to get their feet in the door into a professional organization?
I would advise them to be patient with themselves. It can get overwhelming and at times it may feel like too much to do in an eight-hour day, but it’s okay. There’s always the next day so be patient, keep calm and take breaks. It’s something I taught myself with every job title I’ve held in my work life.
How would you describe what it’s like to work at Xenium?
There’s always something new to learn. Operations is rewarding to me because of how much I’ve learned and continue to learn, but the same could be said of all roles. I admire my manager, Dena. She constantly encourages me and the there’s no shortage of encouragement from other teams. We all support each other.
How do you see your role evolving in the future, and what are your goals?
I would like to be more involved in the technological side of Operations, maybe with Prism. I would like to shadow a different department to see if there’s anything I’d want to pursue later down the road.
What were you surprised about coming into to work at an outsourced HR and payroll?
I was surprised about the whole operation. I didn’t know what a PEO was when I started, and I didn’t know that outsourcing HR was an option. I think it was just the whole business model that was surprising and fascinating.
What do you think the future will be like for Xenium?
I expect Xenium will continue to grow and expand. The way things are now with a hybrid work environment or solely working from home, there’s much more opportunity to expand, maybe have a base of operations in another state besides Oregon in the future. I understand what a PEO is now, and I definitely don’t see it going away.
What’s it like to work with Celbie? How would people describe you?
I’ve heard a lot of comments about being down to earth and having a calm demeanor. That I’m helpful. So, I think people would describe me as easy to work with personally and productively.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I love to read and watch movies, and I do like I like to find different parks to explore and walk. Especially when it’s overcast because I’m not a fan of the sun.
What’s your favorite movie?
I love action movies or action and fantasy. So, Transformers and the Lord of the Rings trilogies are on the top.
What’s your favorite book?
Bridge to Terabithia because it’s nostalgic. It was the first book I ever read. And all books by CJ Box, he’s my favorite author.