The UAB Department of Neurosurgery is spotlighting staff to focus on the importance of hobbies for stress relief, wellness and self-care.
The goal of the series is to connect individuals across the department by highlighting their hobbies as they relate to mental, physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, environmental, social and financial wellness.
Donna Bailer, J.D., LL.M, is the executive administrator for the UAB Department of Neurosurgery.
She has held this role for all her 11 years at UAB, starting in 2013 when she worked alongside Neurosurgery Chair James Markert, M.D., MPH, to elevate the Department of Neurosurgery from a division within the Department of Surgery.
Bailer’s role is similar to that of a CEO of a business who has responsibilities of leadership, management and decision making. She also oversees an incredible team of leaders in operations, finance, human resources, space, clinical services, research services, data and reporting, communications, development, billing and collection and education. Outside of UAB, Bailer has served with NERVES, a national neurosurgery administrators’ organization, holding positions on the board, as an officer and as president.
Before coming to UAB, Bailer was a tax attorney-shareholder in a Birmingham law firm called Dominick, Feld, Hyde, P.C. for about 10 years. She practiced mergers and acquisitions, commercial real estate, business entities, corporate law and some estate planning and administration. She was instrumental in the firm’s law clerk program and worked on various legal process improvement projects to streamline and improve efficiency.
For the decade prior to practicing law, Bailer worked at a recording studio in Birmingham, running the business of recording music, commercials and jingles and helping manage major artists with national labels like Virgin Records. Some of the bands she worked with were Brother Cane, Gravy, Slick Lilly, Charlie Terrell and Katey Sagal. During this time, Bailer also sang jingles for local, regional and national radio and TV spots, while simultaneously running a successful exercise franchise, Jazzercise, in Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, AL and Gainesville, FL. Bailer received her Associate in Science in audio technology and her Bachelor of Arts in telecommunications from Indiana University, followed by her J.D. at the University of Alabama and her Master of Laws in Taxation from the University of Florida.
What hobby do you currently focus on in your downtime?
I have always been active with many hobbies, but most recently my focus has been on international travel and endurance cycling.
What inspired you to explore this hobby?
Travel: I grew up in rural Indiana on a small farm and always wanted to see the world. I’ve now been to Canada, England, France, Italy, Croatia, Greece, Spain and Turkey – but I have so much more to see! Japan is a possibility for 2025. My 2023 trip to Istanbul, Turkey and Athens, Greece was phenomenal. I want to learn about different cultures and incorporate new ideas into my everyday thoughts. I’m a forever learner and international travel helps fulfill that need.
Endurance Cycling: Since I grew up in the country, my bike was my transportation to my friends’ houses several miles away, so I’ve been riding a bike most of my life. I started riding a lot in 2016 after joining some local cycling groups, like Le Tour de Ham, Birmingham Bicycle Club and Magic City Cycling. I wanted a way to socialize while getting fit at the same time because I like efficiency. I started with only a few miles per ride, but by 2019, I was taking part in the “Bama Backroads Champion Series” completing 12 separate 100-mile organized rides during the summer, all over the state of Alabama. It was a challenge to complete each ride, but I enjoyed pushing myself through new physical and mental goals to become a champion that season. I met the most amazing riders from all over the state and had so many laughs along the way. Now I have lots of stories to tell about the funny things that happened with my cycling friends. I’ve led my own cycling group, Vestavia Hills’ Hills, been a leader for other groups in town and love to encourage riders of all abilities that they can do more than they think. I had an injury last year and have had to heal, but I hope to be back out on my bike regularly soon.
Have you noticed a change in your wellbeing since beginning this hobby and how does that translate into your work?
My wellbeing improves with both hobbies because they require engaged focus outside of work. As we all experience, there is enough work to constantly be doing it, or at least thinking about it, so I need hobbies that engage my mind. With travel, it is seeing the sights, reading about the history and engaging in the culture. With cycling, there are different kinds of rides. I can be fully concentrating on the person in front of me in a fast paceline. If I don’t, and I make a mistake, I could cause a chain reaction for the riders in a paceline who could be injured when we are traveling ~20 mph. On the other hand, it can be a casual ride without pacelines at ~10 mph, catching up with old friends, making new friends and encouraging new riders. I know the names of hundreds of cyclists – none of whom I would have crossed paths with outside of my cycling hobby.
What cycling event are you most proud of?
That’s an easy one! I’m most proud of finishing the Cheaha Challenge Gran Fondo 100-mile ride, with its timed cut-offs, 10,000 feet of elevation, international UCI qualification status and grueling heat. I watched great riders, much faster than me, bail out during the ride due to heat exhaustion and cramping, as well as people who gave up mentally halfway through. I’ll admit that I was miserable by mile 85, and near the back of the pack by then, but there was nothing that was going to stop me from finishing after I had already completed the most difficult part. I was proud of myself for doing something so challenging. Now I can say “been there, done that” and never sign up for that one again!