Great empathy and patience toward every student is the standard that Lisa Sanford sets for herself in her role as Health Service Assistant. Sanford is being honored this April as the Classified Employee of the Month. She has been a De Anza employee since September 1998, and demonstrates her skills working with students every day in the Health Services Office.

"I enjoy working with students. Each day is different in Health Services because of the variety of students who walk through our door," she said. "I learn something new every day. I get to help students in many ways, such as with health issues and insurance."

Her nominator, Health Services Coordinator Mary Sullivan, said Sanford is a strong advocate who strives to assist students to the fullest extent available through their insurances, using initiative and thoroughness to ensure all appropriate claims are resolved quickly. "She also makes sure Nursing and Allied Health students have immunizations that meet their programs' requirements. It's a complex puzzle, compounded by different languages and confusing documents," Sullivan said.

Sanford said she enjoys learning about the diverse population at De Anza, and looks forward to learning about where they come from. "Dealing on a daily basis with our international students has been very rewarding for me," she said. International students need extra attention to decipher their health insurance problems because of the differences in health care in the United States, according to Sullivan.

Working in a small office setting with minimal staff promotes a friendly environment, Sanford said. "They make my job a lot easier because we work together well as a team."

Sanford has been married to her husband, Tom, for five years. They have a daughter, Megan, and another daughter due in late July. Sanford attended De Anza for two years and earned a B.A. in developmental psychology at Sacramento State University.