IntegrateHer: Celebrating the Women of Integrate, Week 3

From the Internet Hall of Fame: Elizabeth Feinler

Between 1972 to 1989, Elizabeth ran the Network Information Center (NIC) in California, which was a bit like a “pre-historic Google.” The NIC was the first place to publish the resources and directories for the Internet, developing the original “white pages” and “yellow pages” directories. Her group also developed the domain naming scheme of .com, .edu, .gov, .net, and many more that we use so commonly today. (source)

We continue our celebration of National Women’s History Month with this special Marketing edition of our #IntegrateHer blog. Discover stories related to their career journeys, personal and professional challenges, as well as words of wisdom they have shared. This diverse group of female marketers has expansive experience across all their varying careers. They love to travel and volunteer. They find different ways to exercise and explore nature, and love to express their adoration for their families and pets.

Read more of our #IntegrateHer blogs here, or discover our individual stories on LinkedIn.

Emily Kunkel

Director Revenue Marketing

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

I love that no two days ever feel the same and that I’m able to flex different muscles I have. I wake up and work on an email, have a few strategy meetings, review results from last week’s campaigns, hop into Salesforce to analyze account engagement and talk to customers to understand how we can add more value to their lives.

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

I’m most proud of balancing a fulfilling a meaningful career alongside being an active and involved mother to two wonderful daughters.

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

Relaxing spa day visit or a nice hike outdoors with my two dogs.

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

Completing a workout.

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

Don’t sweat the small stuff.

Meryl Krich

Project Manager

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

I love the autonomy I and the members of my team have. This allows for true innovation and continued success!

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

I am most proud of the successful launch of a new bootcamp in my hometown of Phoenix. I was fortunate enough to have been tasked with managing a team to take the startup from ground-breaking to first day of classes to multiple graduating classes. Having a job that allows you to positively impact people’s lives is the most rewarding thing I have ever done.

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

Sleeping in of course! The idea of no alarm clock going off in the morning is the most amazing feeling in the world. And it’s even better when on family vacation in Hawai’i!

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

The coffee made before I wake up?!

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

Be brave enough to try something new and suck at it. Failure is progress, it provides learning. Don’t be afraid of it.

Anne Norris

Sr. Director, Field, Alliances and Events Marketing

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

I love being a part of the sales efforts and providing the teams meaningful events that will move the needle for them.

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

I am very proud of the awesome adults my children have become!

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

In the winter I love volunteering my time at Ragged Mountain Resort in NH as a Ski Patroller. In the summer you will find me on the links chasing a lower handicap!

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

A nuzzle/hug from my 135 lb Great Dane, Freddie.

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

Everything really does happen for a reason. It might not make sense now, but it will in the grand scheme of things!

Nikki Raber

Sr. Demand Generation Manager

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

Marketing to marketers

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

I’m proud to be living a life and working at a job that I get to show up authentically myself each day and genuinely excited about what the day may hold.

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

First in line to ski when the lifts open, mid-day brewery stop with friends, no traffic on the way home to Denver and an evening walk around Sloan Lake with my dog Franny.

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

Spotify shuffle throws out an Elton John sing-along.

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

Will it matter 5 years from now? If not, don’t spend more than 5 minutes being upset about it.

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’d like to see organizations look at the data of turnover, loyalty, performance, spreading happiness, trust etc… all cultural pillars and celebrate women as ultimate culture keepers.

Erica Perng

Sr. Director of Corporate Communications

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

I think we have a really special team here at Integrate and love working with people who are kind, thoughtful, funny, and good at their jobs!

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

As a working mom, I’m proud of the happiness and balance I’ve managed to find in both my personal and professional life. I’m grateful to have two wonderful boys (3 and 6 years old), a supportive husband, and an empowering and fulfilling job. 

Life is busy, but I’ve also made it a priority to carve out some time and space for myself. My husband and I split childcare duties so that we each have some “me-time,” which I think makes us more relaxed, empathetic, and generally happier people – especially when dealing with demanding little ones!

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

A big, decadent breakfast; eating fries by a pool on a warm, sunny day; a massage and a nap; a run to clear my head and stretch my legs; and an omakase sushi dinner. Basically, eating, resting, running.

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

Going for a run.

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

Focus on what you can control and let go of what you can’t.

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?

The moment I became a mom was the moment I realized how unsupportive workplace policies can be to women – especially new moms. And I was one of the lucky ones. With both pregnancies, I worked at companies with generous paid maternity leave benefits – I took about 18 weeks off for each kid. But when I returned to work each time, I didn’t feel at my best. My brain was in a fog from the sleep deprivation of middle-of-the-night wakings and my body was still recovering from the physical demands of pregnancy, childbirth and nursing. 

I was fortunate to have worked at companies with paid leave benefits and managers who let me work from home 1-2x a week as I transitioned back to work (and this was before WFH was normalized as it is today). But I can only imagine what other new moms who don’t have generous paid maternity leave benefits are left to do – take a step back or leave the workplace entirely.

I think there’s still much work to be done, both on a national policy and company-level, to support a better transition back to the workplace for new moms. Women should not have to trade in their careers in exchange for motherhood.

Rebecca Scafidi

Sr. Campaign Manager, soon transitioning to Product Marketing Manager

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

Getting to work with so many different clients and regions. Seeing a campaign come together after so many conversations, emails, and phone calls and watching the campaign be set up and the client happy is what makes me enjoy my job.

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

I’m most proud of how far I have come at Integrate both personally and professionally. Starting in November 2017, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my career. I have now been at Integrate for over 4 years and have been involved in various roles, climbing my way up to a Sr. Level campaign manager, and now Product Marketing Manager. Being able to look back on my journey and see how far I have come at Integrate has been so rewarding and fulfilling.

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

My favorite way to spend a day off is enjoying it with friends and family. There’s always the days of self-care spent at a spa.

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

The beach! Hearing the waves and smelling the sea breeze on a sunny day can instantly make me feel better and relaxed.

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

Everything will work out. Breathe. Will this situation matter in 5 years? No? Then stop worrying. You can only control what you can, the rest will fall into place.

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 think organizations need to focus more of younger females in the workspace. It’s very intimidating for a young female out of college to go into the corporate world that is very male dominated and feel as if they are small and don’t have a voice. We as women need to feel more empowered to be vocal and not afraid to make their presence known. Do not be afraid to speak your mind and make your voice heard. It will benefit you in the long haul and help grow you into a successful woman in business.

Kelly Patterson

Marketing Director, EMEA

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

The variety! There is a lot to do in our EMEA region in order to gain marketshare so I get to work with so many different teams and vendors, that no day is ever the same.

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

I’m most proud of my fitness journey. I’ve never been a very sporty or athletic person and a few years ago I decided to live a fitter and healthier life. I’m proud of the journey I took myself on starting from not even being able to do five burpees, to being able to hip-thrust 120kgs and doing 4 consecutive chin ups!

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

Getting up early and taking my dog for a walk at one of the many parks in London, followed by brunch with friends and then exploring my local vintage shops.

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

Cuddles with my fur babies 🙂

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

It’s ok not to be the loudest in the room. As a textbook introvert i’ve never been the loudest team member and used to worry about this a lot. However, I’ve learned there are lots of other ways to show your worth and expertise and make sure you are heard without pushing yourself too far out of your comfort zone.