BY PHILIP LITTLE
UCLA Today
His name is not up in lights, but Michael Heafey
is definitely at center stage.
As general manager of The Anderson School’s 285,000-square-foot,
seven-building management education complex, Heafey thrives
on working behind the scenes.
Yet as early as high school, Heafey aspired
to be an actor. He came to UCLA in 1969 as an acting major,
but soon gravitated backstage where he discovered a love for
lighting, sound and scenic design. While still a student he
began working at Royce Hall, where he developed his production
skills.
“I switched to production because I didn’t
have to audition,” said Heafey, laughing. “Selling
myself was a difficult issue for me.”
After receiving his degree in theater in 1975,
Heafey took a job in facilities maintenance at a local junior
college while maintaining a part-time position at UCLA. Two
years later, he returned full-time to UCLA and to his first
love: theater. For the next 14 years, Heafey worked at Royce
Hall, first as a stagehand, then as technical director/production
supervisor, and finally as assistant director for theater production.
Always eager to provide assistance, Heafey
migrated to Royce Hall’s event-planning group. He worked
with various internal and external constituents, handling meetings,
events and commencements. In this role his talent for helping
others flourished.
In 1996, Heafey joined The Anderson School,
where he supervises a staff of nine and is responsible for the
general operation of the complex and the safety and comfort
of its occupants. He oversees office space design, construction
and alteration, facilities access and security, event support
and mail delivery, among other things.
“It’s a blessing and a curse being
hands-on,” said Heafey, who expertly blends facilities
management skills with expertise in theater production.
At one moment he might be changing a lightbulb;
at another, he is coordinating production of a TV show, as he
did when CNN’s “Lou Dobbs Moneyline” did a
live show from The Anderson School’s Alumni Plaza last
fall. Heafey served as the point person for all production aspects
for the event, which took five weeks to plan.
One of Heafey’s most memorable moments
at UCLA took place some 25 years ago, when he was dispatched
to fix a broken washing machine in the theater department. The
person who called was Kathi Nishimoto, then an M.F.A. student.
Heafey fixed the washing machine and got the girl, too: They
married in 1983.
Retirement far from his mind, he would like
to finish out his career at UCLA. “There’s still
a lot to be done here, and a lot to take pride in,” Heafey
said. “I’m just a lifelong Bruin.”
