IntegrateHer: Celebrating the Women of Integrate

Did you know that the one of the first computer programmers was female? 

Meet Ada Lovelace. 

Lovelace’s notes were important in the “early history of computers, containing what many consider to be the first computer program—that is, an algorithm designed to be carried out by a machine” in the 1840s. These notes would inspire Alan Turing to work on the first modern computers.

March is an exciting time at Integrate as we take the time to recognize our very own women in tech through celebrating National Women’s History Month, which recognizes the contributions of women over the course of history in the U.S. It coincides with International Women’s Day on March 8th, which focuses on and honors the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women globally. 

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, women’s increasing participation in the workforce in the second half of the 20th century has been one of the key driving forces for economic growth, with women contributing $2 trillion to the U.S. economy since 1970.

However, the current pandemic has derailed much of that progress, sending women’s workforce participation backward to an all-time low since 1988. According to the National Women’s Law Center, more than 2.3 million women have left the U.S. labor market since the beginning of the pandemic, as compared to the nearly 1.8 million men who have left the labor force during this same time period. That said, women managed to gain 57.3% of jobs added to the economy in October 2021 offering some hope we move away from the pandemic numbers.

Last year, we launched #IntegrateHer to share ideas, provide support, and uplift women in the workplace. At Integrate, we believe in supporting our employees across various aspects of their lives, especially during these challenging times. We recognize working women are disproportionately shouldering the demands of childcare, remote school, and the mental load of other household responsibilities in today’s challenging climate. 

We are proud that our workforce is 48% female and women fill a wide variety of roles across our organization, from c-suite executives to entry-level team members, from marketing and sales to product and engineering, and from California to the U.K.

As part of #IntegrateHer, we are sharing stories of our female employees on our blog during the month of March. Learn about their personal stories, celebrate their contributions, and garner their wisdom. Read our first blog below and enjoy our #IntegrateHer stories.

Meri Arria

Team Lead, Data Partner Success

1. What do you love most about your role at Integrate?

Working at Integrate has given me the opportunity to be a part of many different aspects of the business – whether it be bringing in new business, working with and supporting clients to ensure they meet their goals and operationally evolving to support internal/external clients.

2. What are you most proud of (personally, professionally, or both)?

My professional career and growth over the years in this industry has helped grow my confidence. Speaking up to state my opinion or ask a question has had a big impact on both personal and professional relationships.

3. What’s your favorite way to spend a day off?

If the weather allows, my backyard and patio are my sanctuary – whether it’s to step out for a few minutes for a break during the workday or with a few games/drinks with family and friends.

4. What’s one thing that can instantly make your day better?

Working in client services – nothing feels better than knowing your work has impacted/helped a customer to meet their goals.

5. What is one piece of advice you would tell your younger self?

Your opinion, comments and questions always have value. Trust your gut and never be afraid to raise your hand in a meeting or speak your mind.

6. As the focus of International Women’s Day turns to #BreaktheBias, please feel free to share if and how gender biases may have impacted your role over the years. And is there something that you feel organizations need to focus more on or that you’d like to see more of in the coming year?

I’m lucky in my role and department to feel empowered by my direct reports to take my roles and responsibilities and run with it. It would be great at Integrate to see more women in leadership roles – also offer more training to help women who are looking to move into a leadership role get there.

Delia Nilsson

Executive Assistant

1. What do you love most about your role at Integrate?

I love helping people and bringing my most authentic self to work every day.

2. What are you most proud of (personally, professionally, or both)?

Personally, I am proud of the type of people my children are becoming. Parenting is an 18 year-long project that you have no idea with what you’re doing and you won’t know if you did it right until it’s too late. Both of my sons are far from being adults, but at present, they are smart and loving humans.

3. What’s your favorite way to spend a day off?

Sitting in a log cabin in a forest in the middle of nowhere with a roaring fire, a cup of hot tea, and a book in my hands.

4. What’s one thing that can instantly make your day better?

Kind words from a stranger!

5. What is one piece of advice you would tell your younger self?

Don’t give up on something if it’s too hard. Nothing comes easy if it’s worth it.

Amanda Hunter

Data Partner Campaign Manager

1. What do you love most about your role at Integrate?

I love getting to know my clients and helping them launch their campaigns. I get to know each client personally and what works for them. Being on the delivery ops team, I also get to know the publisher side of the business very well. It feels like a great role to have a well-rounded experience at Integrate.

2. What are you most proud of (personally, professionally, or both)?

Personally, I’m proud that I am able to work full time, go to school part time, and still have a family. Not going to lie, there isn’t always a lot of time for much else, but I do manage to hold down a few hobbies. Professionally, I’m proud that I took a leap last year from a fairly comfortable job to return to Integrate (after an 8 year gap) for more career growth. I’m excited to be back and look forward to exploring other roles!

3. What’s your favorite way to spend a day off?

Weather permitting – on my dirt bike! Otherwise, at my sewing machines.

4. What’s one thing that can instantly make your day better?

A really good meme or funny video.

5. What is one piece of advice you would tell your younger self?

Be bold.

Ashley Jones

Senior Onboarding Manager

1. What do you love most about your role at Integrate?

Being a part of the Onboarding Team has been an incredible journey, largely thanks to the other three amazing women on the team. Clare, Sarah, and Kat are three of the most motivated, intelligent, AND hilarious peers that I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. Their relentless desire to enhance the customer experience is truly infectious, and they each have an innate ability to brighten the day of anyone who crosses their paths. It’s special when your team members feel like family.

2. What are you most proud of (personally, professionally, or both)?

Two weeks before I graduated high school, my mother was diagnosed with Glioblastoma (grade IV brain cancer) and was given nine months to live. 

There’s never an opportune time to receive news like that, but one could argue that months shy of making a 400-mile move to college wasn’t the most ideal timing either. Being eighteen with your entire life ahead of you is an exciting, yet daunting time. It’s the beginning of some of the most formative years of your life. The choices that are made through college can either set you up for early success or drag you behind the crowd for decades to come. 

Like most bright-eyed teenagers fresh out of high school, I had a lot of dreams, but I didn’t have a concrete plan or any solid idea on how to build a foundation for my future. But on that sunny, spring afternoon, none of that mattered anymore. I spent the following four-ish years trying to navigate college life and being a primary caretaker. 

As you probably guessed, I didn’t end up going away to college. Shortly after the diagnosis, my dad’s company inconveniently relocated him out to Arizona, so I followed my parents out to the desert to soak in all the precious time that I had left. My days were spent juggling classes, internships, bartending jobs, and driving my mom to various appointments (or ER visits). Though I managed to make time for school and work, they were backseat priorities in my life. 

After a hard-fought battle, my beautiful mother passed away about four and a half years after her diagnosis. You could say she lost the fight, but she beat her prognosis 6X over which is a win in my book. The following days, weeks, and frankly, years were spent crawling through grief. Anyone who has experienced it knows that it’s not a linear path and that it’s a journey that never actually ends. It’ll transform the way it exposes itself through time, but at the end of the day, there isn’t much rhyme or reason as to why you break down in tears at the bagel shop on a Tuesday afternoon three years later.

The reason I tell this story is because this period of my life is one of my proudest accomplishments, both personally and professionally. No self-help book or podcast can ever prepare you on how to lose a loved one and being able to make it to the other side and say “It’ll never be okay, but I’m okay” is a major milestone to be proud of. 

And for all of this to take place right after high school, as I was actively trying to figure out what to do with my life, it makes me proud to see where I am standing today. Through the worst years of my life, I was able to find my way. I had never thought of myself as being strong or resilient, but now I’ll never think otherwise.

3. What’s your favorite way to spend a day off?

For the past few years, my favorite hobby is flag football. I started off playing casually and then I eventually worked up to playing on both a travelling women’s and coed team. We go all over the country to places like Florida and Texas to compete in tournaments for money. Not only is it incredibly fun, it’s also how I sneak cardio into my workout routine because I can promise you’ll never find me on a treadmill.

4. What’s one thing that can instantly make your day better?

Spending a warm, sunny afternoon on a coffee shop patio with an oat milk latte in my hand!

5. What is one piece of advice you would tell your younger self?

You’re going to spend a lot of time stressing about what your future looks like but relax and enjoy the ride. The unexpected turns will lead you to some of the most beautiful friendships and breathtaking experiences that you’ll ever experience. 

Say yes to everything (within reason) and never turn down the opportunity to try a new hobby or learn a new skill. 

Also, you’re going to end up on Wheel of Fortune one day and when you do, please don’t buy the ‘U.’

6. As the focus of International Women’s Day turns to #BreaktheBias, please feel free to share if and how gender biases may have impacted your role over the years. And is there something that you feel organizations need to focus more on or that you’d like to see more of in the coming year?

If organizations would like to help improve the pay gap, they need to focus on salary transparency across the company.

We will be sharing additional stories weekly, so follow us on social (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter) or check back on our blog for more.