1. June 23, 2015
To: Whom it may concern
Re: Recommendation of Luisa Scott
I have known Luisa Scott since she began working for the University in 2007 and she has
been my direct report for the past six years in her capacity as a professional staff associate.
Based on this extensive knowledge of her capabilities, I highly recommend her without
qualification. With this stated, I must add that with Luisa I enjoyed the support of a direct
report with whom I was pleased to not compete. If she had my academic qualifications, she
would have had my job as well. She has played a significant role in whatever success I’ve
realized as associate dean.
Luisa is an individual who speaks her mind in a most professional manner and always
delivers the truth. She is a very skilled data analyst and engages every assignment with
complete attention. Her work product is always delivered on time and usually exceeds
expectations. While she has been a “back office” staff member for most of her time here, she
has always been the “face” of the Masters in Occupational Therapy program. She is
extremely pleasant, even solicitous, with the program candidates and eventual students.
Luisa accurately portrays and administers the admissions program and new student
orientation and goes so far as to register some students for their first semester of classes.
We have a great challenge in replacing Luisa.
Finally, Luisa’s latest professional passion is learning and applying the concepts of
continuous improvement to USM operations. Since being given her notice due to
downsizing of the organization, she has twice reminded me that she recommended
eliminating her position two years ago as a “continuous improvement opportunity”. For
me, it is painfully ironic that after being downsized, the University contracted with her to
evaluate a troubled and disorganized operation on another of USM’s campuses. I’ve been

2. privileged to learn some early findings of this effort and they are pure Luisa- on point, very
specific, and highly implementable.
Clearly, my and the University’s loss is Luisa Scott’s next employer’s significant gain.
Sincerely,
Blake Whitaker, Ph.D.
Associate Dean of the College
Associate Professor of Natural & Applied Sciences
Lewiston Auburn College, University of Southern Maine