Marilyn Hansen

Yardi

By Leah Etling on Mar 13, 2012 in Giving, People | 1 Comment

Marilyn Hansen has a life she loves, from her work as a programmer at Yardi, to dedicated community volunteering efforts, and athletic achievements as an age group runner.

Recently, she served coinciding presidencies, from 2009-2011, on the boards of two Santa Barbara non-profit organizations that are very important to her: the Arthritis Foundation and the American Cancer Society.

“Both are very close to my heart. I’ve had a lot of friends who have had cancer,” said Marilyn, adding that she and her husband are both cancer survivors also.

As a longtime organizer of the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, she put together a team from Yardi Systems that raised much-needed funds for the organization. Her fundraising work is also important at the Arthritis Foundation, where she helps organize the annual Arthritis Walk and popular Taste of the Town event.

“Marilyn Hansen is a dedicated, passionate, hard-working volunteer,” said Jeanne David, director of the Arthritis Foundation, Santa Barbara chapter. “We have been honored to have Marilyn serve on our board for the last 5 years.  She always goes above and beyond the call of duty and is always willing to step up to new challenges.”

As a longtime programmer, Marilyn has seen tremendous changes in technology since her days as a student at the University of Arizona, where she studied math and systems engineering.  She compares the programming process to a creative task like painting, and says her work is something she truly enjoys.

“I love coming to work every day,” said Marilyn, who has been with Yardi for 16 years. “To have someone pay you to do something that you really love – that’s amazing.”

Another love in Marilyn’s life is long distance running. As an active member of the Santa Barbara distance running community, she’s been a volunteer course marshal at the annual Santa Barbara International Marathon and also holds the course record for her age group in the race.

Her reasons for running are practical as well as for fitness and love of the sport. “I run to eat,” Marilyn said candidly. She hosts a weekly Sunday dinner for her family where she enjoys trying new gourmet recipes from Bon Apetit, particularly desserts.

A mother of two and grandmother of two, Marilyn enjoys hiking as well as running and climbed Mt. Whitney with her husband to celebrate his 70^th birthday.  There’s no sign of her slowing down anytime soon.

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Learn more about Marilyn:

What is your favorite type of music?

I love classical music … especially classical guitar.

What is your favorite book of all time and (optional: why)?

I don’t think I can narrow it down to just one …

If you have an hour of free time to spare, what do you do with it?

Sit on the patio and read!

What kinds of food do you like?

Unfortunately I love almost everything!  There are only a few foods I don’t like.  If I had to decide on just a few it would be lasagna, Caprese salad, rare filet mignon, fresh ahi sashimi.

Where is the most interesting place you’ve ever traveled?

Tibet.  My husband and I were there in 2007 just before China started making it harder for tourists to travel there.  It was very interesting to see the contrast between native Tibetans and the Chinese.

What do you like best about your job?

I love programming!  I’ve been programming for over 45 years!!  I don’t think of myself as being artistic, but programming is artistic to me … a way of creating something that all fits together just right.

If you could have dinner with anyone, alive or historical, who would it be?

I think I would have to have a dinner party and invite more than one person!  The guest list would include Isaac Newton, Abraham Lincoln, Mozart, Leonardo Da Vinci, the Dalai Lama, and Mother Theresa.  Each of these people has such a story to tell!

What are the words you live by?

Treat other people the way you would like them to treat you.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I don’t think I want to “grow up”!  For a career I love programming and I feel very fortunate that I found a career I loved early in my life.

Do you speak any other languages, and which ones?

Not really.  I studied Russian in college…  and remember very little!  For me, languages were much harder than math and physics!

If you could own one piece of famous art, sculpture, memorabilia or historic artifact, what would the item be?

Michelangelo’s ‘David’.

 What are some things on your bucket list?

Read more of the classics.  Travel more.

What was your last Do It Yourself project?

I guess my sewing projects are my ‘Do It Yourself’ projects.  I make Halloween costumes for my grandchildren, and I’ve done some quilting projects.  I’m very short so I learned to sew and make my own clothes when I was quite young.  I can’t imagine not having a sewing machine!

What online sites do you visit?

Epicurious.  I love to cook and try new recipes.

If you could have a super power, what would it be?

I would have a hard time choosing between two: I would love to have the power to end all the wars in the world and make everyone more tolerant of each other.

I would also love to be able to cure rheumatoid arthritis and cancer.  My youngest daughter has rheumatoid arthritis and I have numerous friends who have or have had cancer.

What’s something about you that few people know?

I don’t know how to whistle.

I grew up in a very small town in Idaho.

I’ve run three marathons … the last one when I was 67!

I’ve done the ‘Mt Whitney in a day’ hike twice.