Pilat is new Director of Benefits

Joanne Pilat joined the University in November as its new Director of Benefits, succeeding Lele Paulson, who served as Director from 1996 through last June.

Pilat, who did private consulting in 1999, served in several managerial positions for AT&T Company from 1984 to 1998.

Pilat was the company’s national manager for its national pension service center and retired employees benefits organization from 1994 to 1995 and regional manager of its benefits offices from 1989 to 1993.

As an operations manager from 1995 to 1997, Pilat managed an annual $2.4 billion pension benefits payroll for 150,000 retirees. She also managed a 100-person operations staff for the national center responsible for retirement-related services for 300,000 employees.

Pilat, who has a master’s degree in social work, also earned a master’s degree in management from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University in 1988. She received certification as an employee benefit specialist in 1997 from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Pilat is a published author of many journal articles and has given numerous presentations on human resources, and benefits policy, design and administration. Pilat also was a subcommittee member for the White House Conference for a Drug-Free America in 1988.