In Charge of the Hottest Ticket in Town
Shelia Allen oversees ticket operations for Duke Athletics
Name: Shelia AllenPosition: Director of ticket operations, Duke AthleticsYears at Duke: 19 years
What I do at Duke: I manage and supervise all box office functions pertaining to customer service, ticket sales and game day operations.
If I had $5 million, I would: I'd probably continue to work here part-time, but I'd buy a house on a nearby lake and sit back and enjoy my time off. I'd be happy at any lake, just as long as it has plenty of water so I could boat and Jet Ski. I'd also want to treat some friends for a vacation.
My first ever job: Working at a Baskin-Robbins ice cream parlor at Northgate Mall when I was 17 or 18. It was a job during the school year - I worked there after school and handled customer service and made decorated cakes. I was pretty good at decorating. The hardest part was not eating the ice cream.
My dream job: I think I have a dream job now because I get to work with our coaches and student-athletes, and I'm a big sports fan. There's also a great group of people who work in my department. I love having access to all the sports here, from football and basketball to field hockey and wrestling. I love what I do.
If someone wanted to start a conversation with me they should ask me about: Cooking or my grandkids. Cooking is my stress relief. After a long day at work, nothing makes me feel better than getting in a kitchen and coming up with recipe to make. I also have two grandkids that are the apple of my eye. They're two special boys, and I love spending time with them outdoors playing sports, working in the garden or taking them to the park.
The best advice I ever received: Make sure you always have a backup plan. I'm in a detail-oriented job and you need to make sure all aspects are covered and ready to go at precise times. It's good to be ready for anything.
What I love about Duke: The people because we're all team players who work together and respect each other.
When I'm not at work, I like to: Cook and be outside. I love being in my garden. I like to grow vegetables because I try to use all fresh vegetables in my cooking. I've also learned how to can so I can use them later.
If I could have one superpower, it would be: Reading people's minds. It would definitely help me with my job. I think a lot of our customers think you know exactly what's going on in their head.
Something most people don’t know about me: I played softball in high school, and I was a great third baseman and then played in an adult league for years.