CBS People: Jennifer Kalaidis-Meslow

July 12, 2021

The new manager for the St. Paul administrative cluster is returning to her roots in Minnesota.

 

Jennifer Kalaidis-Meslow

What is your title?

Manager of the St. Paul Administrative Cluster for the College of Biological Sciences. 
 

You started in CBS a few months ago. What are you looking forward to the most in this new position?

My position primarily supports two academic departments and an Institute, so that means that no day is the same. For me, that's the big appeal of the job. I can't think of another job where I'd go from doing budget analysis to a meeting about finding new space to support cephalopod research.
 
Speaking of cephalopods, the fact that there is such diverse, innovative research at the U of MN presents so many opportunities to get involved. While I'm not a scientist by training, I'm fascinated by the research that comes out of the College of Biological Sciences. I'm looking forward to coming up with new ways to help support this research and promote it in the wider community.
 

You recently moved to the Twin Cities from Los Angeles. What are you looking forward to about living here and what will you miss the most about Los Angeles?

I grew up in the Twin Cities, so in a lot of ways the move has been me coming home. I'm excited to be able to drive (or even walk!) to see friends and family after many years of living thousands of miles away. I'm also excited to live in a place with four distinct seasons. That said, there are a lot of things I'll miss about Los Angeles, including the perfect 70 degree January day, the sheer diversity of climates and topography within a one-hour drive of LA, and, of course, the tacos.
 

What do you like to do with your free time?

I love staying active, whether that's biking, paddle boarding, or hiking. I'm also a big film/TV nerd, so you can likely catch me at the Riverview or Trylon theaters. Last but not least, I love exploring new restaurants, so if you have any recommendations, please send them my way!