I first met SAS Global Forum’s 2011 co-chair, Debbie Buck, through my role as a SAS liaison to the South Central SAS Users Group. Over the years, I’ve gotten to know Debbie pretty well, and my admiration of her continues to grow. I’ve even forgiven her for the awful gift of spoiled spices that she presented to me on stage at a SAS conference in 2001. It was an inside joke between us, and she really got me good!

For those of you that may not know Debbie well, I’ve asked her some questions so that you can learn a little bit about her. I also hope that you’ll continue to follow my blog posts as we move on to SAS Global Forum 2011. You’ll be hearing more from me and from Debbie.

1.) Where I could find you, if you weren’t at a SAS users group conference?
Most likely at my home in Houston, TX. I thoroughly enjoy cooking (thus my constant battle with weight), gardening (to help supply some of the produce for the cooking), and reading. Camping maybe - if there isn’t too much roughing it (at least a tent is required). One thing that might surprise you is that my husband is lead guitarist in a rock band, and he and I both enjoy getting away from our day jobs in front of computers to go to his band gigs.

2.) Why did you get involved with SAS Global Forum?
A number of years ago I attended my first SUGI, not knowing many people attending or what to expect. I was already an experienced SAS user, and I wasn’t sure how much I would gain from attending. I was impressed and amazed at how much I learned in such a few days. But the thing that impressed me most and brought me back the next year was how welcomed I felt. Everyone was so friendly, and the presenters were actually excited about sharing what they knew. That year I decided I wanted to become involved with SAS Global Forum (then SUGI). One regret is that although I became an annual attendee, I waited a couple of years to volunteer as a session coordinator because I was hesitant about whether I was qualified. (For anyone wondering something similar – Yes, you are qualified, and you will be welcomed onto the team.) Volunteer! Becoming part of the conference team (as a coordinator) really made the conference special and started me on the path to being the 2011 conference chair!

3.) What new things are you thinking about trying for SAS Global Forum 2011?
People learn in many different ways. I will be working with my team to examine those varying ways of presenting and learning with the goal of offering some new presentation approaches in 2011. Also, the world of information sharing continues to evolve rapidly, and I am interested in incorporating social media into our conference to a greater extent, including how to use and analyze social media.