Kristin Mlakar, Director of Operations, is responsible for more than she’ll take credit for: renovations throughout campus, in places like the Winn Science Center, the Zierk Athletic Center. She plays a vital role in the organization and execution of everything from major construction projects to trash cans and floor mats.
She pursued her master’s in architecture and worked in the field before coming to the school 14 years ago. The skillset required to be an architect conveniently overlapped with her position.
“My background in architecture makes me very organized in planning different projects and carrying them out, knowing the details,” Mlakar said. “I can read plans, I can do AutoCAD, and I can go through all of these things as we’re building and have an extra set of eyes on what’s going on to work with the team.”
AutoCAD is a computer software that professionals use to draft building plans to scale. Mlakar uses it to map out spaces for events: she has plans of the Great Hall and many other spaces.
One of her motivations is seeing how Marksmen use the spaces that she helps create.
“I love this environment,” Mlakar said. “I love getting to see the students and their joy, the middle schoolers sprinting to class every day and the lower schoolers are just so fun too. I love having a passion for bringing spaces for you all and doing things that impact your lives.”
An annual project that she undertakes is planning graduation. Making sure everything is in place for the seniors takes meticulous planning that starts at the beginning of the year. She creates an 11- page document.
“It’s a timeline for graduation,” Mlakar said. “(It) outlines everything that needs to be done throughout the year, throughout each day, each precise time when things need to happen. I share this with our team, and so everyone can see who’s going to help out with what. This is just a great guide to make sure the event happens well.”
While using this timeline, Mlakar develops a dedicated team in order to meticulously create an extraordinary event.
“Graduation is a huge task that’s coming up. We’ve been working on that, and we have a wonderful committee of parents. So the junior moms help plan graduation for the seniors every year. And so there are two moms that are kind of the co chairs for it, and so I work with them, and they help assemble a team of volunteers to help with every little baby thing,” Mlakar said.
Even with the organizational skill and precision she brings to the table, Mlakar avoids taking credit for any large success. She credits those successes to her team.
“I like to be involved, and I like to help and make everything go off as well, but everybody has a vital role,” Mlakar said. “I hate to say that ‘I did this.’ I never want to come across as if ‘This is here because of me,’ because it’s not. We just have such an amazing team, and there’s so many people that put time and effort into everything that happens here.”
For Mlakar, this collaborative environment at the school has truly sustained her passion throughout her career.
“There are so many (great people),” Mlakar said. “Everybody’s so great that it’s hard to say one person or another. But again, my office is so supportive. I tend to not do as much of the business office stuff as I used to help out with. But they’re really supportive when I need things, or they’ll help out as well.”
Mlakar has a huge effect on nearly every major project involved with the school. She felt a personal connection to the need for a fieldhouse. Due to her fathers career as a high school coach, she knew something had to be done to continue field athletics in spite of bad weather.
“I love how that space transformed into this amazing field house, which will be able to be used for so many years, especially with all the rain that we have lately, it’s just a great space to go inside,” Mlakar said.
She is constantly devoted to new projects, including those she understands she may not get recognition for.
“I helped with ISAS, just to make sure all the event spaces and everything were coordinated and all of that with security and buses and all of that,” Mlakar said.
And no matter what project she is working on, she always gives credit to her coworkers.
“I feel like I’m part of a team,” Mlakar said. “I don’t want to take the credit for it. In my mind, if something goes well and it’s going to be successful. I want it to happen without people seeing something that’s wrong.”
