Business Service Worker; Counselor/Adjunct Professor

Thom and Valerie Gebhardt strongly support their employer, the University of Illinois. They are active on the UIS campus with Safe Zone and the LGBTQA Resource Office. Valerie is a certified substance abuse and mental health counselor in the Human Resources building who facilitates a support group for the on-campus LGBTQA community. She also meets with various students who seek help from the counseling center and teaches a substance abuse class for the Social Work department. Thom starts his day as a building service worker around 4 a.m., helping to keep the UIS campus sparkling. He is also a student, taking a few classes during the week and finding time to work off campus with the homeless and an outreach ministry through his church. His knowledge of the faculty, staff, and campus in general makes him a valuable resource to students. Together, the Gebhardts have been improving the university for more than 14 years.

Leadership is lived at UIS. Every day.