Meet Jocelyn Bernal Ochoa
What is your name?
Jocelyn Bernal Ochoa
What’s your official job title?
Budget manager
Years/Months at NYU:
10.23 years as of Dec 2022
What’s your hometown?
Born in the Philippines but now proud to call New York City my hometown.
What kind of projects do you work on?
As the budget manager for the College of Dentistry, I handle the entire compensation budget for all the employees at our school. I also have a close working relationship with the Human Resources department.
If applicable, what’s your role in the AMC?
2022-2023 Chair, AMC Nominations and Elections
2021-2023 NYU Dentistry Senior Unit Representative
2022-2023 AMC Senator assigned the the Senate Financial Affairs Committee
What does a typical day look like for you?
On a normal workday, I usually do tasks that have to do with compensation planning and analysis. I also process hiring forms from the departments for approval, pay additional compensation for faculty providers and track open vacancies in our school. Then there are meetings to attend such as the standing meetings with our clinical teams, and the finance team. Once in a while, there may be some key analysis that needs to be prepared right away since decisions are being made based on the information provided. Once a month, key administrators meet up with our Executive Vice Dean to hear about the latest announcements or developments impacting our college.
Since the pandemic, I have also incorporated walking to my daily routine. For the days that I am going to my workplace, I usually walk one mile from my express bus stop, then repeat this walk to Madison Square Park at lunch then again to Grand Central when heading home. It is much harder to do my walking while working remotely now that I am back on campus three days a week.
During the summer time, I definitely would close my laptop at exactly 5 pm and would walk for one hour before dinner time. In the wintertime, I hope to just do my walking during the weekends so as to minimize the disruption to my workday.
What is your fondest memory in your time here?
My after school activities were a great way to build relationships with other students while I was at Stern for my undergraduate degree. It was also a way to build up my skills and my confidence. I enjoyed being with the IFA (International Filipino Association at NYU) and being part of the business fraternity Phi Chi Theta. That sense of belonging was critically important as a commuter student and really made my student life so memorable.
For the university commencement, we were one of the last batches to have our graduation ceremony at Washington Square Park. That was the year when John F. Kennedy Jr. graduated from Law School so we had the Kennedy family in attendance, including his mother, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and sister Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg.
Name your favorite spot on campus.
When I was an undergrad student, I loved being on a high floor in Bobst Library near the window overlooking the park. Of course there are days when this is not a good idea since it leads one to daydream about other things besides the task or reading at hand.
Do you have a hidden talent?
When I was younger I wanted to be a newscaster on the television, but the early demise of my father led to a change in career path for me from Media Broadcasting to Accounting. Today, whenever I get asked to serve at the Master of Ceremonies of an event in the Filipino community, I always say yes. In the few hours in front of the audience, I get to live out my dream.
Additionally in the past 6 years, I have been the announcer of the names of our graduates during the International Programs Certificate Ceremony for the College of Dentistry.
As a Filipino, music is also a part of who I am so I enjoy karaoke time with friends.
What are you currently reading?
The Unexpected Leader: Discovering the Leader Within You by Jacqueline M. Baker. I picked up this book because in many ways, I consider myself an unexpected leader. When I was younger, I was quite the shy person. Eventually I realized that shy people won’t get anywhere unless we get out of our shell. I needed to do something to morph from a “nobody special” to become an interesting “somebody”. So with each little step, I gained confidence in myself. There are still times when I feel like this in my professional life so I want to level up.
Coffee or tea?
Definitely TEA! However, I would never say no to a delicious cup of cafe Mocha despite the calories it may carry. Having a cappuccino and espresso would be an extra special treat for me!
Favorite travel destination?
I enjoy historical places – I love Italy and Spain and visiting London with my family. I hope to see other European destinations soon.
When I was younger, my family toured the Southeast Asian countries of Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea and Japan. I would love to revisit those places and add Indonesia to the mix so that I gain a better appreciation for the culture and history of these countries
As for places with a view and a great vibe – Boracay Island and El Nido in the Philippines. I know that I am not really a beach person (getting sand in unexpected places is not fun) but I appreciated the island hopping and water sports that I experienced.
Wanna nominate an NYU administrator for the next Behind the Title? Tell us about them »