What’s My StORy?

What’s My StORy?

A few years ago, I created the series What’s Your StORy? (O.R. = operations research) to interview our members and learn more about what makes them tick. Recently, I read an article that posed the question, What’s your story? which made me smile, then think, Hey. What IS my story? And then figured this would be a good exercise for our Monday morning creative meeting.

What prompted you to enter this field? Why? 

Good question. I started my secondary education as a biotech major with the intention of becoming a brain surgeon, then onto mechanical engineering, psychology, and then a break for work-work. I found my niche with Marriott and decided to keep moving up the ranks of their training program, but to move to corporate headquarters, I really needed that degree. I went back to school, and randomly took a design class to fulfill some requirement. And fulfill it did, much as the Room of Requirement would appear to Harry, the unfolding of possibilities by designing the world around me set my soul on fire. Finally. This was the subject that made me study, read copious amounts of design books, visit museums, learn art history, ponder the paths of those who have come before me, and know that this was a field I could master. I was home.

How have you seen the field change since you first entered it?

The coolest thing about my field is how my passion and my place of work are careening together at an ever-increasing pace. I just saw an Instagram ad for a Master’s program at an art school that asked “Do you love design? Do you love analytics?” How cool to be designing for the largest society of analytics professionals! I get to practice what I preach, at least on the descriptive and predictive levels, I can have a somewhat intelligent conversation about analytics with our genius members.

What do you love best about your job?

I was trained as a print graphic designer. When I started at INFORMS we had a tiny team, so when social media began, I set up the accounts and gave INFORMS a voice. Email needed to be sent, so I learned how to create those and obsessively watch the open and click through rates. We brought more things in house, we started creating the logos and graphics for the meetings. We redid websites, moved platforms, rebranded and won some awards. I helped rehearse the Edelman teams, and got more involved with the committees, I was tutored (by the best, Ms. Cryan) to run the Gala, then Awards Ceremonies. Running marketing campaigns for meetings and membership. Brought our magazines in house to rebrand and extend their reach. I get to lead and mentor a fantabulous team, they make me a better person and are consistently taking our creative to a new level. I am never bored.

What do you like least about your job?

When people say, “I don’t like it.” It isn’t helpful. It is hard to figure out how to fix. Teaching non-design folks how to give constructive criticism to ensure the end product matches their needs is a constant and necessary task.

What’s your favorite color? 376

What is the best advice you can give to students in the field?

Work hard. Listen to people who have been through this before, they might save you a few missteps. Ask thoughtful questions. Did I mention work hard? This is the real world, no one gets a trophy for just showing up.

How do you relax?

Ummm. Yoga nidra. Wine. Definitely a work in progress.

What is your spirit animal?

A hedgehog. I can be prickly on the outside, but I’m cute and cuddly on the inside.