Procurement Corner

Concur Updates Are Coming

What Travelers and Travel Assistants Should Know

Updates are coming to UVA’s travel booking experience.

Updates arriving soon!

Christopherson Business Travel (CBT), UVA’s travel management company, will transition to a new reservation and ticketing system later this month as part of ongoing efforts to improve the travel booking experience and expand available travel options for the UVA community.

There are a few temporary impacts and important dates that travelers and Travel Assistants should be aware of during the transition period.

Concur Downtime

To complete the transition, Concur will be temporarily unavailable beginning Friday, May 22 at 3:00 p.m. ET. Access is expected to return by the morning of Saturday, May 23.

During downtime:

• Travelers may still book or modify reservations by contacting CBT directly
• Standard booking fees may apply for reservations requiring advisor assistance

What’s Changing?

CBT will complete its system upgrade on May 22.

Reservations booked before May 23 will remain active and valid, but previously booked trips will have limited self-service functionality after the transition.

This means:

• Travelers and Travel Assistants will still be able to view existing trips in Concur
• Existing reservations booked before May 23 cannot be modified directly in Concur
• Changes or cancellations for those reservations will require assistance from a CBT advisor
• Standard booking fees may apply when advisor assistance is required

The primary impact will be to reservations created before the upgrade.

Why This Update Matters

While transitions like this can have impact, the goal is a more modern and streamlined travel booking experience moving forward.

The upgrade supports expanded travel capabilities and continued improvements to how UVA travelers book and manage travel arrangements.

Key takeaways:

• Review upcoming travel before the May 22 downtime
• Be aware that older reservations may require advisor support for changes
• Allow extra time if modifications may be needed during the transition period

Need Help?

Travelers and Travel Assistants needing assistance with reservations during the transition should contact CBT directly:

Phone: 844-488-2228

Email: UVA@CBTravel.com

For more information and to see a preview of the new Concur platform, please see this FAQ page.

T&E Card Enhancements Moving Toward Launch

Enhancements are coming!

UVAFinance is preparing to introduce enhancements to the Travel & Expense (T&E) Card process later this June, including the transition of the T&E Card Application and Change Requests into Workday.  

These updates are intended to create a unified experience for cardholders, requesters, approvers, and support teams by leveraging Workday functionality to improve visibility and streamline the request process.  The enhancements also support ongoing efforts to modernize and align purchasing and payment-related activities within a cohesive Workday-First experience.  

Over the coming weeks, additional information will be shared regarding training resources, support materials, timelines, and what the transition will mean for the UVA community.  Prior to launch, there will also be a temporary period of downtime to support final transition activities.  

UVAFinance teams are available to the UVA community as these enhancements are introduced over the coming weeks.  

UVAFinance Team: Share Your 2026 Graduates With Us!

Celebrate your graduates!

Happy Graduation season! It's time to celebrate all of our students' academic achievements and success!

If you or someone in your immediate family is graduating this year, your UVAFinance teammates would like to celebrate alongside you. Whether they're graduating preschool, high school, college, or receiving their PhD, we'd love to take the time to honor them.

Please share your news with the blog by emailing us at bv8h@virginia.edu before the end of June.

Please make sure you provide:

• Your name
• Your student's name(s)
• Relationship to your student
• Where they're graduating from

Feel free to include a picture of your grad as well! Graduates will be shared this June. 

UVAFinance Welcomes Tracy Pavone as Executive Assistant to VP for Finance and CFO

Congrats Tracy!

We are excited to share that Tracy Pavone has been selected as Executive Assistant to the Vice President for Finance and CFO.

Many of you are already familiar with Pavone from her work supporting Olga Weider and Michael Phillips since joining the UVAFinance team in June 2025. Since Jill Simpson's departure earlier this spring, Tracy has also served as the interim executive assistant, helping to ensure continuous support throughout this transitory period.

Pavone officially assumed the role of Executive Assistant on May 11 and will continue to support Weider and Phillips, in addition to her new, expanded responsibilities.

Pavone brings decades of experience in coordination and management, along with several years of service within the University's Health System. Throughout her time with UVAFinance, she has demonstrated outstanding professionalism, responsiveness, and a commitment to supporting both our team and our stakeholders.

We are thrilled to have Pavone step into this new role, and we look forward to her continued, future contributions to the UVAFinance team.

Please join us in congratulating Pavone on her new position!

Matt Carter Brings Years of Higher Education Experience to UVAFinance

Matt with his wife and two daughters.

Whether he is traveling with family, attending a live concert, or learning the details behind a new financial system, Matt Carter enjoys experiences that allow him to connect with people and learn something new. That curiosity has followed him throughout both his personal life and professional career, eventually leading him to UVA Finance after nearly 15 years at Virginia Tech.

Carter joins UVAFinance with a background in public accounting, asset management, and higher education finance. Much of his past experience has revolved around helping departments manage equipment, navigate financial processes, and support the operational side of university systems.

Early in his career, Carter worked in public accounting and was introduced to fixed asset audits before moving to the private sector. While working for a coal company in Southwest Virginia, a staffing change within his department created an unexpected opportunity for Carter to step into a larger role supporting fixed assets. What began as temporary help filling a gap eventually evolved into leading that area full-time, giving him experience managing equipment, processes, and operational reporting.

Carter later moved to the Blacksburg area, where he spent nearly 15 years in higher education finance and asset management at Virginia Tech. He supported campus departments with equipment management, reporting, and operational finance, gaining broad experience in the university setting. He has come to appreciate the variety that working in higher education offers. 

“I like that you are able to see different things,” he shares. “Every department is buying something different. There are farms, research labs, and all kinds of projects happening across campus.”

For Carter, the role goes beyond systems and reporting. He values the opportunity to connect with people across Grounds and gain a deeper understanding of the projects, research, and operations happening throughout the University community. “There is a lot of work behind the computer,” he says, “but there is also the opportunity to meet people and learn about their research and what is happening across campus.”

Although Matt was not actively seeking a new position, a former supervisor encouraged him to consider UVAFinance. As he progressed through the process, he recognized strong potential for professional growth and new challenges in higher education finance.

Since joining UVA, Carter has been impressed by the welcoming environment. He notes that “What I have noticed most is the people,” he shares. “Everyone has been very kind, warm, and welcoming.”

As he settles into the role, Carter is focused on learning UVA’s systems and processes while finding ways to support both his team and departments across Grounds. Having worked in similar areas previously, he noted that many of the goals remain the same even when the terminology and systems differ.

Outside of work, Matt enjoys traveling, attending concerts, and spending time with his wife and two daughters, Hope and Anna. A highlight was studying abroad in Spain, where he traveled throughout the country and visited Portugal. He hopes to visit Australia and New Zealand in the future.

Carter also enjoys live music and has attended concerts with family and friends for years. He says “Some of the best concerts are the ones you do not expect much from. You end up having a great time.”

We are excited to welcome Matt to UVAFinance and look forward to the experience and perspective he brings to the team.

From Operations Leadership to UVA Finance: Meet Nina Padberg

Nina Padberg and her dog Penny

UVAFinance is pleased to welcoem Nina Padberg as Service Experience Manager for the "Ask Finance" Team.

Originally from the Netherlands, Padberg brings a strong background in operations, customer support leadership, and team development to UVAFinance. She earned her bachelor's degree in public administration in the Netherlands before completing her master’s degree in European Studies at the University of Münster in Germany.

Her original career goals centered on nonprofit and public-sector work, but her professional path eventually led her into operations and customer support leadership, where she developed a strong interest in people management and process improvement. Her experience spans customer support, training, analytics, quality assurance, and workforce management.

Before joining UVAFinance, Padberg worked with organizations including Rosetta Stone, Frontpoint, and CarMax.

Padberg looks forward to collaborating with her team and building strong relationships across the University in her new role.

“I’ve only been with the team a short time, but I can already tell they are very passionate about going above and beyond for customers,” Padberg shared. “I’m really looking forward to working with them, strengthening operational processes, and continuing to strengthen relationships so Finance Solutions can remain a respected partner within the finance department.”

Outside of work, Padberg enjoys time with her family, traveling, visiting farmers' markets, knitting, and watching baking shows. She lives in the Richmond area with her husband and daughter and is an active member of the local running community, which she describes as supportive and family-like. She plans to complete a marathon later this year.

Padberg’s favorite travel destination has been Costa Rica, particularly the west coast, where she enjoyed the beaches, rainforests, volcanoes, and natural scenery.

Please join us in welcoming Nina to UVAFinance.

UVAFinance in Action: May 2026

Email Security Tool Review & Approval Support - Heather Hite

Heather Hite

Throughout the recent review and approval process for the abnormal email security tool, Heather Hite (Category Manager - IT and Scientific Discovery) provided exceptional support to the Procurement team. She was consistently responsive to the team's needs and proactive in helping to identify and clarify potential obstacles along the way. Heather's contributions were instrumental in securing this security tool and played a key role in the overall success of the project. Within just the first few days of deployment, this tool has already driven an over 87% reduction in phishing attempts by effectively blocking them. This percentage is expected to continue improving as the model is trained on additional data, further reducing after-hours calls by resolving issues that previously required team intervention. Thank you to Heather and the Procurement team for your dedication and hard work throughout this effort!

Thanks to all who joined!

Department Finance Partners Kickoff

On May 12, UVAFinance hosted our first Department Finance Partners session, bringing together colleagues from schools and units across Grounds, both in person and via Zoom.

The session provided an opportunity to connect, share updates on current UVAFinance priorities and initiatives, and hear feedback and perspectives from our partners across the University community.

We are grateful for the strong collaboration and engagement of this group and appreciate everyone who took time out of a busy season to join us. We’re fortunate to work alongside such thoughtful and dedicated partners, and we look forward to what we’ll continue to accomplish together!

Annual Attestation Process Completed Successfully

Thank you for attesting to your team's roles!

As another Workday Attestation cycle comes to a close, we want to take a moment to recognize the collective effort across the University community that made this work possible.

From managers in the University Medical Center and UPG to teams across UVA’s Academic Division, your time and attention helped ensure that employees have the right access to do their work and that our sensitive financial and HR data remain properly protected.

That may sound simple, but it plays a critical role in protecting our systems, safeguarding data, and supporting compliance across the University. Thank you for taking the time, especially during a busy time of year, to complete this important work.

Your partnership helps ensure that Workday remains a secure, reliable system that supports UVA’s mission in education, research, and healthcare.

By the Numbers

This year’s attestation cycle included:

1,368

Managers participating across UVA

3,330

Employees reviewed

38,762

Individual assignable roles evaluated

Across 229 role-based and user-based security groups

As a result:

423 roles

1.3%

Removed to better reflect current responsibilities

38,144 roles

96.8%

Approved for continued access as assigned

These numbers tell a story of active stewardship: ensuring our systems stay aligned with our people and processes.

Shoutouts Across Grounds

This work reflects coordination across many schools, units, and leadership teams. Special thanks to the FAN representatives and participating managers who helped move this work forward in their areas.

Special Shout Outs: Charles Rush, Emily Stuckey, Wayland Bryan, Megan Lowe, John Mastrandea, Scott Willis, Ty Jablonski, Anjula Joseph, Brendon Coll, Allison Holt, and our executive leadership who knocked it out of the park (Lori McMahon, JJ Davis, Augie Maurelli, Brie Gertler).

Behind the Scenes: Supporting the Process

Efforts like this do not just happen; they are supported every step of the way by teams working behind the scenes.

A special thank you goes to Dawn Wood of the Ask Finance Team, who provided dedicated, “white glove” support throughout the campaign. From answering questions to helping managers navigate the process, Dawn ensured that stakeholders had a clear path forward at every stage.

Additional appreciation goes to the teams and partners who supported communications, troubleshooting, identity and access management, and stakeholder support throughout the campaign.

Why Attestation Matters

At its core, attestation is about more than checking a box.

By pausing to review and confirm access, we:

• Strengthen the integrity and security of our systems
• Reduce risk by ensuring access is appropriate and up to date
• Support compliance with internal controls and external expectations
• Enable our teams to work efficiently with the tools and data they need

It is a simple step with a significant impact, and one that helps us continue to be strong stewards of University resources.

Anaplan Advancements: User Acceptance Testing in Action

Stay up-to-date on Anaplan advancements!

Over the past several months, the University's Anaplan implementation for the Academic Division has continued to make meaningful progress. This effort has been shaped by ongoing collaboration with key stakeholder groups and the broader Budget Community, including engagement through Budget Office Hours. As we move closer to go-live, User Acceptance Testing marks an important milestone in ensuring Anaplan's system is ready to support UVA's budgeting needs. 

Recently, Michelle Gregory, Manager of Finance Data and Analytics, led a series of User Acceptance Testing sessions focused on validating key components of the Anaplan system. These sessions brought together colleagues across schools and units to actively test functionality and provide real-time feedback. 

User Acceptance Testing in Action

The testing sessions spanned two days, covering a wide range of functional areas essential to the budgeting process, including:

• Vacant Position Management & Base Planning
• State Planning 
• Supplemental, Wage, & Bonuses
• New Positions
• Pooled Labor
• Deployment Topics 
• Data Conversion 
• Reconcilement

This phase of implementation is intentionally collaborative and iterative. Participants were encouraged to ask questions, share insights, and identify opportunities for improvement. Feedback was incorporated in real-time, so that the system could be refined as testing progressed. This collective approach ensures that Anaplan reflects how budgeting works across Grounds, while also introducing thoughtful enhancements.

Michelle Gregory at a UAT session

Looking Ahead

As testing wraps up, the team is focused on preparing for the next phase of implementation. We are now approximately five months away from the FY28 Budget Kickoff and the full transition from Adaptive to Anaplan. 

We are so grateful to everyone who has contributed their time, expertise, and reflective feedback throughout this process (including our consulting partner, Tru Consulting!). Your collaboration is helping us build a stronger, more effective budgeting platform for the future!

Celebrating Nancy Honeywell: 37 Years of Service

Nancy Honeywell

After 37 years at UVA, Nancy Honeywell is retiring, leaving behind a lasting impact across Finance and the broader University community.

Nancy’s journey at UVA began in 1982 in the Physics Department, where she served as a technical secretary, supporting professors and staff on the department word processor, at the time considered cutting edge technology.

Even early on, her ability to stay calm under pressure was clear. During final exams in 1984, someone called in a bomb threat. Nancy put the caller on hold, not once, but five times, while alerting her colleagues and UVA Police.

Her work continued to grow across the University. In the Biology Department, she helped develop one of UVA’s first travel and expense processes, creating a structure that is still in use today. In 1999, she joined the Integrated Systems Project, supporting the implementation of Oracle’s grants module. After go live, she spent several years on the HR Training Team, helping colleagues learn and use new systems with confidence.

Nancy later moved to ITS Enterprise Applications as a Grants Functional Analyst, where she supported major initiatives and worked closely with teams across the University. Most recently, she served as a Workday Senior Finance Analyst, partnering with the Office of Sponsored Programs and supporting day to day work with care and accuracy.

Sue Clements shared that Nancy was someone people relied on. She followed through, took the time to help others understand their work, and made sure things were done correctly. She also invested in others, sharing her knowledge and helping colleagues grow over time.

Thomas C. Schneeberger noted the consistency Nancy brought to her work. She paid attention to details, stayed focused, and handled her responsibilities with care. He shared that even in the years they worked together, it was clear how much others depended on her.

Nancy’s impact is reflected in the people she supported, the work she helped complete, and the trust she built across teams.

Please join us in congratulating Nancy on her retirement and thanking her for 37 years at UVA.