Custodial Director Lauren Bautista joined the Facilities Management team just this past January and has already made a splash! We sat down with her to talk about her favorite parts of her new role and UC Davis as a whole. 

Before starting at Facilities Management (FM) in January, Lauren was working as an operations manager at Cintas. A friend of hers who works at Student Housing and Dining Services raved about UC Davis, so when Lauren saw the job opening here she decided to apply! She says she has the “best job ever” and loves her team and the Davis campus. 

A typical day for Lauren is spent in meetings with the custodial team, who works 24 hours 7 days a week! Her team is responsible for all custodial services on campus, including restrooms, classrooms, labs, and other off-campus buildings. Lauren regularly joins custodian team meetings and collaborates with operations managers and other departments to ensure they are performing well. One of the largest projects Lauren is working on is an initiative to build custodial team staffing and retention through engagement and development. 

Lauren says her favorite part of the job is the people! She says her team, others in FM, and other departments are always communicative and open to help. She feels especially supported by her management team, who she says were instrumental in helping her onboard. There was a lot to learn, says Lauren, and they were with her every step of the way. One of her favorite memories so far was the January town hall, where her team showed up to support and encourage her during her presentation. 

When she’s not hard at work, Lauren loves staying active! She and her husband love scuba diving, snowboarding, and playing soccer. She also loves spending time with her dog Charlotte! 

We are so happy to have you on the team, Lauren!