About Systems
Meet the Staff – BOC Systems Team
The Systems Department is an instrumental part of the Facilities Business Operations Team. Under the direction of Senior Director of Systems Tanish Newell, the department is comprised of:
- GIS/mapping
- Space (system of record)/floor plans
- Construction document library/OWL
- Technology management for the Facilities Department including support for eBuilder, AiM, and ReADY.
Tanish Newell, Director of Systems
Tanish Newell assumed the position of senior director of systems in the Facilities Department in 2018 after working in the Vanderbilt University IT network team for over 20 years. Tanish oversees the Facilities Business Operations Systems Department which includes the GIS/mapping and systems administration teams and has led the launch of eBuilder and AiM Ready applications.
In her personal time Tanish and her husband are learning to sail and play pickleball. She also enjoys listening to science & technology books and podcasts, hiking and recreational cycling.
Tanish earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Tennessee Tech and a master’s degree in industrial engineering from the University of Tennessee.
Email: tanish.newell@vanderbilt.edu
Systems Team
Andrew Gelasco, Systems Manager
Andrew Gelasco is the Systems Manager for the Facilities Department, a role he started in 2023. Prior to joining the Vanderbilt University Facilities team, he had worked as a system administrator in the facilities department IT group, headed up facilities reporting, and directed the space management office at the Medical University of South Carolina. As Systems Manager of the Business Operations Systems department, he is responsible for the systems administration and space management teams, especially as related to AiM, ReADY, and related supporting systems.
Andy has a B.S. from the University of Massachusetts and a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan.
Email: andrew.gelasco@vanderbilt.edu
Mike Adams, Engineering Technician
Mike Adams joined Vanderbilt University in 2013 as a CAD Drafter for the Facilities Space team. Mike keeps current floor plans for all Vanderbilt Buildings updated with new renovations or all new buildings. He also keeps the records for what spaces in the buildings are occupied by the various Vanderbilt departments, data collected from the Annual Space Survey.
Prior to joining Facilities, Mike worked as a CAD drafter for the Corps of Engineers. He used drill boring logs to map any voids in the earthen parts of the dams that the Corps maintain.
Mike earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in Architectural Engineering from Nashville State Community College.
Email: michael.s.adams@vanderbilt.edu
Jeff Deason, e-Builder System Administrator
Jeff Deason came to Vanderbilt with a little more than 20 years of IT experience in enterprise asset maintenance management and resource planning. With certifications in GIS and Agile Product Ownership, Jeff has experience working in and managing teams focused on systems development and data management in industrial, educational, and governmental settings. Years working on software and documentation development activities in the niches of Process Plant Design and Cadastral Database management, followed by years of managing GIS data for Metro Nashville Public Schools and roadway / sidewalk data used by Metro Nashville Public Works and Parks departments led to Jeff’s current role as e-Builder System Administrator, collaborating with internal and external peers to help Vanderbilt Facilities Operations continually improve its ability to make data-driven business decisions about its built and planned environments.
Email: jeffrey.deason@vanderbilt.edu
Michael Shrum, Systems Administrator
Michael Shrum started at Vanderbilt University as a Building Maintenance Tech in 2014 and later became Facility Renewal Coordinator in 2018. Where Michael managed the serializable assets and their planned replacement as part of the deferred maintenance program for the department of facilities. Michael assumed the position of System Administrator, facilities services at Vanderbilt University in 2022.
In his leisure time, Michael enjoys camping with his family, DIY projects, building custom computers, and 3D modelling and printing.
Email: michael.j.shrum@vanderbilt.edu
GIS Team
Amy Woods, GIS Manager
Amy Woods started with Vanderbilt in 2022 as the GIS Manager in the Facilities Department. She has over 25 years of experience in creating and maintaining maps and datasets. She received her Undergraduate degree in Geology from North Carolina State University and her master’s degree in Geographic Information Technology from Delta State University. Amy also has her Geographic Information Systems Professional (GISP) license, accredited through GISCI. With help from her GIS team, Amy manages on campus maps, creates data, and displays data using a variety of GIS applications.
Outside of work, Amy has a husband, son, two dogs and three cats. She enjoys spending time with her family, crafting, building Lego, and traveling. She enjoys traveling abroad to experience new cultures and hosts international exchange students for a year of American High School.
Email: amy.woods@Vanderbilt.edu
Jonathan Herrin, GIS Analyst
Jonathan Herrin joined the Vanderbilt GIS team as a GIS Analyst in Fall 2022. Earning a Bachelor of Geography from Samford University, Jonathan has previously worked in multiple geographic fields ranging from Telecom to Local Government. Originally from Atlanta, Jonathan moved to Nashville to join the Vanderbilt team.
Email: jonathan.herrin@vanderbilt.edu
Chris Jones, Architectural Record Management Coordinator
Chris Jones joined Vanderbilt University in 1999 as a Geographical Information System (GIS) Technician in Campus Planning & Construction / Facilities Information Services department. Years later in the same department, he started working in the Space Inventory (Space Accounting) department. In 2010, he started working in his current position as the Senior Administrative Specialist of the Architectural Record Library.
Jones coordinates all activities of the library; provides VU departments, outside agencies, consultants, and vendors, with facility and site related information and services. In addition, he maintains the library, off campus and on campus archive and filing systems, electronic databases, and hard copy documents.
Jones has a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from Fayetteville State University.