Liz Chacon’s career journey is a shining example of what it means to connect and grow within the Stanford IT community. She joined University IT (UIT) in February 2020 as a Year Up intern on the Service Desk team, just a few weeks before the global pandemic hit.
Despite the challenges of navigating a new role in a remote and uncertain environment, Chacon’s determination and curiosity quickly set her apart. By the end of her six-month internship, she had earned a continuing position with the team as a service desk analyst.
At the Service Desk, Chacon gained hands-on experience supporting clients and expanded her knowledge across a wide range of IT services and technologies. With her manager’s support, she continuously sought opportunities to grow.
“Liz’s ambition and curiosity, including shadowing UIT colleagues while in her Service Desk role, helped her set personal goals inspired by the work she observed,” said Sarah Wilson, associate director, UIT Service Desk.
Another catalyst in Chacon’s growth was her participation in the IT Mentoring Program, where she learned about her mentor’s career journey, which inspired her to chart her own path forward. Through mentoring, she received valuable career guidance, learned how to navigate workplace challenges, and gained perspective on advancing her career at Stanford.
A new role brings new growth opportunities
All of Chacon’s ambition and hard work paid off in 2022, when she joined the UIT Computer Resource Consulting (CRC) team as a computing support analyst I (CSA1) – marking the next step in her career journey. In this new role, she provided in-person technical support on the main campus.
With guidance from her then manager, Katrina Hwang, and support from her teammates, Chacon embraced her role by learning new tools, adapting to evolving technologies, and taking on diverse projects that broadened her expertise.
“Once I joined CRC as a CSA1, I learned as much as I could, shadowed senior techs, and gradually took on more responsibilities, like helping new hires and managing appointments on my own,” Chacon said.
Three years later, in 2025, Chacon was promoted to computing support analyst II (CSA2).
“As I moved into the CSA2 role, I transitioned into more field-focused work, which built the skills and confidence I continue to use in my role today,” Chacon added.
To best position herself for the promotion, Chacon reviewed the CSA2 job description to identify any skills gaps and proactively developed the competencies needed for the role. Her teammates supported her by reviewing her resume and connecting her with other CRC team members who had previously been promoted. Chacon also focused on expanding her network across campus, especially through the #it-connect Slack channel.
Overall, Chacon credits her success to maintaining a growth mindset: continually learning, stepping outside her comfort zone, setting achievable goals, and keeping her long-term aspirations in sight.
“Liz has embraced every challenge sent her way as an opportunity to learn,” says Jay Heyman, interim CRC manager and Liz’s manager. “Her unfailing enthusiasm for growth opportunities has made her a vital part of the CRC—even as the newest member of the team.”
Connecting to purpose
Chacon finds fulfillment in building relationships, helping others, and seeing the positive impact of her support. Her passion for IT and a commitment to continuous growth keep her excited about the opportunities that lie ahead.
To connect with Liz Chacon, find her on Slack at @Liz_Chacon.
