A conversation with Retail Vendor Specialist Robert Kirkbride.
Tell me just a little bit about how you found your way to UCSF and what brought you into your current role.
I had just been laid off from a packing job with Celebration Fantastic, so I went back to San Francisco State, where I studied, to see what film jobs were there. I saw a little flyer on the wall in the film department, asking for someone who knew how to run 16-millimeter projectors at UCSF, so I applied to be the cinema manager in Arts and Performances.
As part of that role, we handled performance scales back then, like for the gospel choir, and I did the lighting and other tech work. I did seasonal tech work here for maybe a year, and then an opportunity opened and they saw fit to put me in that role.
At that time, it was a lot of publicity [work]. I did press releases for the Chancellor’s Concert Series. Back then, we had 20 to 30 concerts a year. I’d write releases to the San Francisco Chronicle’s “Pink” section [an arts and entertainment digest]. Back then, I think we even faxed them, so it was a long time ago!
Then I went into event production and learned how to edit the website. Empact! Presents had one of the first websites after Fitness and Recreation.
Violinist Lisa Lee warms up before her performance with the Lee Trio, part of the Chancellor’s Concert Series in Cole Hall, on the Parnassus campus.
I’m so curious about your film background. What were you doing?
I went to film school at SF State, and by the end of it all, I realized I didn't enjoy making films. I didn't enjoy the stress of it. I didn't enjoy the debt of it…[laughing].
I can play my guitar and get my ya-yas off that way, and I don’t have to make a film. It's a lot cheaper.
It's so hard when you study something that you did love at one point, and then you leave school, and you're like, I don’t know…
Cole Hall Cinema publicized in a clipping from Synapse - The UCSF student newspaper, Volume 44, Number 20, 2 March 2000
But I still enjoy film. That's why I applied to be the manager of the cinema here, Cole Hall Cinema, back then. It was here for almost 50 years.
We showed films in Cole Hall. I'd get them on these reels before DVD or video release back then. I'd have American Beauty and that line was down the hall for two days because it was already out of the theaters. Harry Potter was another memorable one, I had kids dressed up. To fill a Hall that has 300 seats is something.
When I first took over the booking, I got to pick the films. Oh my God. I did a French New Wave night because I really enjoyed my Jean-Luc Godard films and whatnot. And I had four people or six people in the audience that day, and I realized, 'oh, we're going to change this right away'.
So, I started paying attention to surveying the audience that came and asking, 'What do you want to see?' And then the top five, I'd go out and try and get. And for a while, those Julia Roberts movies and Matt Damon movies drew people.
Robert Kirkbride hosted movie screenings at Cole Hall Auditorium.
You have to book for the crowd and not for yourself.
That’s a very good lesson for any event planning.
One of the early things I learned was: know your crowd, know your target audience, and please them. And that that applies to everything, whether it's an audience or your boss. It translated very well to Retail.
Robert Kirkbride poses while modeling UCSF merch from the UCSF Campus Store at Parnassus.
So how did you wind up ultimately in Retail?
I was very fortunate. There was a lot of change in my department, and I heard through the grapevine that Retail was hiring.
What's your favorite part of your job?
I'm always busy. There's always something to do…apparently, it's not cleaning my desk, but…[laughs]. And not only that there’s always something to do but that what you do is helpful or meaningful for the tenant.
If they have something leaking on a Saturday, they can call me, and I'll call Facilities and navigate that system.
Being helpful, that's the bottom line.
Giovanna Huerta works the counter at SF Kebab, one of Retail's on-campus eateries. Photo taken in 2021.
I think it's so interesting that you started in Retail during the onset of Covid. What your experience like being of service to these tenants during that time? How did you navigate that?
My direct boss and my manager, Jen [Dowd] and Tamara [Villarina] provided good leadership. There was so much to take care of on the health and safety front to keep people open. We had a block off the food court, and then I had to screen people and ask for IDs to check for their vaccinations.
It [COVID] stretched you, challenged you, and made you stronger and better at the end of it all.
I think what inspired me is that no matter what, Tamara and Jen came onto site more than anyone. They didn't ask me to do anything they weren't willing to do. In fact, they probably protected me a lot during that time. Those first initial months were scary. My hat's off to the tenants who stayed open. The stress they had to go through, and the loss of revenue…there was an incredible loss of revenue for every tenant.
Retail went above and beyond to keep people open, things that the outside world would not do.
Robert Kirkbride at the UCSF tent at the AIDS Walk.
What was it about UCSF that made you want to continue being a part of this community?
I think the pillars of any great place are the people, and the good people are the ones you latch onto. There are so many people here to admire, whether it's their work ethic, their intellect, their moral compass…it’s the people that kept me here and wanting to help.
Like any population, there are people who aren't so great, and you focus on the good people and stay close to them.
So remind me, how many years, roughly, have you been at UCSF? And when is your work anniversary?
I think next year would have been 30.
Do you have any words to live by in terms of having a career that has so much longevity at an institution like UCSF?
At some point I killed my ego about what I did and who I am, and the main thing was to be of help here, whatever it was to be helpful and to be useful and be appreciated.
You might have caught a glimpse of Robert Kirkbride as UCSF's unofficial bear mascot.
Are there particular people who inspired you or were essential to your career journey at UCSF?
Oh my gosh, there are so many! I’ll start with Red Mangio. He passed away 20 years ago, but he's had such an impact that I still think about him. His frame of mind. He didn't take it all too seriously. There are rough days. Especially when you do events and have budgets.
He knew how to whistle when you work, have a smile, sing a song, even when times are hard. I really appreciate people like that, and they're rare. Red Mangio definitely one of them.
Robert Kirkbridge (center) poses with Tamara Villarina (left) and Joey Convento (right) at the UCSF Llama Day event.
Joey Convento is another one. He's still here. Oh, that poor man had to supervise me at one point. Can you imagine? There were times I was mad about something. Looking back it was probably silly. And then he talked me off the ledge. It’s always good to have a good friend here at work or outside of work where you can confide in them and tell them what you're thinking.
I remember there was a time I thought about leaving, because I had that outsider syndrome, that I think sometimes you have when you feel out of place. Joey basically told me that I belonged here, and so…if there’s anyone to blame for me staying so long, it’s Joey [laughs].
I have to also shout out Tamara Villarina. She's been an excellent manager. She is so knowledgeable and patient. I learned a lot from her about dealing with tenants and situations, her grace, how to talk to people.
Well, I knew how to talk to people. You talk to people nice ([aughs].
Kristen Parks, part of the cast at Barrel of Monkeys, entertains the campus and community at the 10th Annual Block Party at Mission Bay.
Is there any accomplishment you feel particularly proud of? Or to put it another way, something you feel like you're leaving off better than when you found it.
The last block party I did, Block Party 10, was certified 100% Zero Waste and it had 4,000 people. I haven't seen anyone do that.
Robert Kirkbride receives an award to commemorate Cole Hall Cinema.
Another one is Cole Hall Cinema. That has a close place to my heart, because I did it for at least a decade. They gave me an award for it. My old manager, Jennifer Mannox, gave me this big gold reel that had the number of years I ran it, how many screenings, and how many people attended.
The one I'm most proud of is that they used to have the Red Mangio Simply Divine Award. They gave one to a volunteer or to a staff member who was just a joy to be around. I was the only one who won it twice.
I think maybe winning the Simply Divine Award twice was the highlight of my career.
What are you looking forward to after retiring? What's next for you?
Oh, I have to spend time with my mom. She's aged and I have to make sure she's not eating cat food and all that [laughing]. Looking in on her is a big thing, and that’s what I’m looking forward to.
Okay, one last question. What has UCSF taught you about being a good staff member, being a good leader?
That and patience, listening to people, and accountability. Being able to say, ‘I don't know, but I'll get back to you,’ and actually getting back to someone. That’s good leadership.