It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our dear colleague and founder of the Stanford Travel Program, Janet Wyer, on Friday, July 5, 2024.
Janet joined Stanford University in January 2014 and quickly embarked on creating a pioneering travel program to serve faculty, staff, students, postdoctoral scholars, and visitors focusing on safety, savings, ease of use, and compliance. Her work has ensured that Stanford travelers feel safe and supported when booking through the Stanford Travel Program.
Janet had a deep love for the Stanford community and was determined to build strong relationships and work collaboratively with campus stakeholders. She established the Travel Advisory Board (TAB) in 2014, recognizing the importance of having the voices of campus travelers at the forefront of building a successful program. She actively participated in numerous campus forums, including new hire orientations, University Management Group (UMG), administrative excellence communities such as TIPS, the international student fair, and departmental training sessions, among many others. Her annual Stanford Travel Forum was a marquee event that connected campus with travel suppliers and FMS educational sessions.
During the onset of COVID-19 in March 2020, Janet played a critical role in the Travel 2020 group, ensuring Stanford travelers received the highest level of service and support to help them return home safely before countries closed their borders. Her exceptional dedication continued that year during the CZU Lightning Complex fire, where she leveraged her relationships with local hotels to quickly find temporary lodging for displaced members of the Stanford community.
Janet epitomized the Cardinal spirit, consistently bringing thoughtful leadership, a caring attitude, and a sense of joy to the workplace. She was an avid Stanford sports fan who was always eager to chat about all things Stanford athletics. She also enjoyed swimming at the Elks Club and spending time with her husband, Rolfe, her two sons, and her granddaughters. She was deeply respected by colleagues, clients, travel industry partners, and higher education peers.
Her FMS family will miss her dearly, and we aim to honor her legacy by building on the incredible work she did here at Stanford.
Janet’s online obituary can be found here.
