Robin Pearson

Business Grad Organizes Oberlin Police Department

Robin Pearson, Business-Administrative Assistant, Class of: 1989
Robin Pearson is a busy administrator and a busy woman.

In her full-time position as an administrative assistant for Oberlin Police Chief Michael Moorman, Pearson has to juggle tasks like …. well … just about everything.

To be a successful and effective top aide, Pearson shoulders many responsibilities and must manage the flow of information from several departments.

“It’s paying bills, ordering supplies, making sure we have the funds for purchase orders, budgeting, and troubleshooting,” Pearson said. “I’m also the technical person in the office and responsible for computer setup and software issues.”

Pearson worked at Kendal at Oberlin, the Lorain County JVS and the Oberlin Community Services Department before taking her job with the Police Department three years ago. “I was looking for a job where I could advance my career while gaining more responsibility. I replaced a woman who retired after 32 years of service.”

There’s never a dull moment on my job, she said. “I like the variety of my position. I’m not tied to a desk, and it is never boring. The challenging part of working for a police department is that we’re open 24 hours a day so there are many shifts to navigate.”

She also appreciates the responsibility and privilege of working for the people at the Oberlin Police Station. “I’ve come to know a lot more about law enforcement while working with the officers and the court system.”

One of the highlights of Pearson’s career at the police station was her involvement with the implementation of the new video arraignment system for the courts. “Because of my interest and involvement, I am now the technical support person for the new system.”

She also assists in the coordination of special projects for the Police Department, including Safety Town for students entering kindergarten.

Pearson never met a challenge or a job, she didn’t like and in addition to her full-time job at the Police Department, she also works on-call at Kendal at Oberlin as a medical secretary, a non-state tested nurse’s aide and an activities assistant, and is a beauty products consultant. She also volunteers her time to serve as an advisory board member to the JVS Business & Marketing Academy and serves on committees to help organize community events in Oberlin.

Pearson is a 1989 graduate of Oberlin High School and attended the Lorain County JVS. Pearson first began polishing her administrative skills at the JVS. “My first work with computers came at the JVS in my business class and while working at NASA CORE, a government materials distribution center located at the school.”

“The programs at the JVS have changed a lot since I was there, but the basic skills being taught remain the same,” affirmed Pearson. “The school’s Business & Marketing Academy teaches about the work environment and the importance of professionalism.”

Pearson has also attended Lorain County Community College, taking courses in subjects like data base management, which have helped her automate many manual systems at the police station.

Administrative Assistants need to have great organizational and people skills and be capable of working with changing technologies, spreadsheets and databases.

A member of the International Association of Administrative Assistants, Pearson enjoys living and working in the city where she grew up. She’s single and has no children.

“It’s just me and my four jobs,” she said.