Pam Gabel

Executive Director, Shared Services Center
University of Michigan

Pam Gabel is currently the Executive Director of the Shared Services Center at the University of Michigan.

She has over 16 years of experience in the shared services field, having held leadership roles in 5 centers, spanning diverse industries including publishing, financial services, construction, and manufacturing. Her current position is her first in higher education. She has been involved in all phases of shared services from design and implementation to continuous improvement and on-going management. Pam earned a B.S. in Psychology from Penn State University and a Master of Divinity from the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia.

Check out the incredible speaker line-up to see who will be joining Pam.

Download The Latest Agenda

Main Day 1, Thursday, April 25, 2019

Thursday, April 25th, 2019

4:30 PM PANEL DISCUSSION: THE ‘WHO’ AND ‘WHY’ OF LEADERSHIP AT DIFFERENT STAGES IN YOUR SHARED SERVICES JOURNEY

Given the conflicting interests at stake in higher education institutions, a lack of strong leadership in your shared services initiative is almost sure to result in failure. However, the leadership skills needed vary according the stage or maturity of your SSC. Join this discussion to hear what leadership skills are required for the three main phases of your shared services initiative -- Project Stage, Go-live Stage, Grow-and-Sustain Stage, and why each requires a tailored approach. Leave this session with a better understanding of why the different challenges of each phase require a tailored approach that will determine the success of your shared services project.

Main Day 2, Friday, April 26, 2019

Friday, April 26th, 2019

3:50 PM CASE STUDY:OUR FIRST ROBOT - MAYBE?

Over the last 2 years the University of Michigan Shared Services Center (U-M SSC) has been engaged in evaluating RPA (Robotic Process Automation) as a potential automation tool to free up our staff from rules-based, high-volume transactions in order to provide more services and hands-on problem solving for our customers . In late 2018 we decided to launch a project to bring this tool to fruition for the U-M SSC and are now engaged in that implementation.

This session will share lessons learned during the selection and implementation process:

∙∙ Considerations in the Software Selection Process

∙∙ The relationship between the U-M SSC and U-M Central IT

∙∙ Staffing for an RPA Center of Excellence

∙∙ Unexpected costs and roadblocks

And maybe we will introduce you to our first robot!