George Mason University staff member Kathy Zimmerman was recently recognized by Liaison, the company that supports TargetX and Salesforce, for her significant contributions to the higher education community.
TargetX, a higher education customer relationship management platform, is an enterprise-wide solution that supports recruitment and enrollment efforts at Mason.
Zimmerman first joined Mason in 2006 and has worked as the Salesforce administrator in Mason’s Office of Enrollment Management since 2017. Zimmerman is a recognized member of the TargetX Rockstar Community, a group of the most advanced and collaborative TargetX users.
At a virtual ceremony attended by higher education administrators from around the globe, Zimmerman received two additional honors: 2023 Rockstar of the Year and induction into the Rockstar Hall of Fame.
“Kathy has such a long institutional memory and can operate in so many different Mason systems that her expertise is an invaluable piece of Mason’s enrollment puzzle,” said David Burge, vice president for enrollment management at Mason. “She works long and hard for students—never backing away from a challenge.”
Zimmerman recognizes the impact of professional communities of practice and values the opportunity to share knowledge with others. She is also a member of the 2023 Salesforce America Higher Education Advisory Council.
Although public speaking is not Zimmerman’s favorite activity, she said presenting at conferences allows her to see the “lightbulb moment” for others in real time. Sharing experiences and learning from other institutions has allowed her to perform her job more effectively—and helps the higher education community at large.
“Kathy is not just knowledgeable in what she does, but generous in sharing that knowledge to help others,” said Kristi Kooyman, client success director at Liaison.
To those working in the higher education realm of TargetX users, Zimmerman’s recognition is no surprise. “Kathy Zimmerman is probably the most recognized name among our community of celebrated contributors,” said Zach Varga, vice president for client success at Liaison. “For years, she has presented at national conferences, has freely shared her experience with others through webinars hosted by Liaison, and never misses an opportunity to meet with peers from other institutions with the shared mission of exchanging knowledge and growing together.”