KARISSA POITRAS, EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Q: What do you like most about working at Manson?
A: I’ve always loved the ocean and water, so I find the nature of the work that we do interesting. It’s nice to point out landmarks and say, “We did work there!” I believe Manson’s core values of putting people first, doing the right thing, and finding a better way are very important. It’s also easy to say the people who work here are what make Manson so great.
Q: Where do you draw inspiration from?
A: In November 2021, I started volunteering with a non-profit organization called The Little Lion Foundation in Long Beach, California. The organization is an all-volunteer-based team dedicated to saving the lives of cats and kittens in need, specifically orphaned or medical kittens to help them find the home they deserve. The kittens are either pulled from a local shelter or in some cases taken in from the street. Sadly, in shelters, most kittens under eight weeks of age are euthanized upon intake or on the same day and the shelters do not have the ability to take care of the number of animals that end up there. The Little Lion Foundation is helping to change that. They were able to save close to 1,000 kitten lives in 2021! I volunteer at their Kitten Nursery “LB Little Paws” to help with feeding, cleaning kennels, and socializing kittens before they find a foster home. I’m also a member of the foster team to help answer inquiries and act as a liaison between fosters and kittens. It’s very rewarding to see a kitten go through intake to foster to adoption.
LINDSEY HAGLE, QUALITY CONTROL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Q: What do you like most about working at Manson?
A: What I like best about Manson is the camaraderie. We tend to work closely with a few people and we rely on those relationships to get through the day. In Operations, we sometimes get reassigned but are always welcomed to the team which allows us to develop new, but similar relationships. After working out of the main office, I'm confident that I can walk into any of the Manson offices and catch up with friends on the other side of the country. Manson cares about people, and I love that!
Q: Where do you draw inspiration from?
A: My mother Trese has been one of the biggest inspirations in my life. It took me 10 years to complete my BS in Project Management, and she was there to encourage me every time I felt bad about not having finished sooner. Like many of us, she also works in a male-dominated industry as a paralegal. Through her dedication, perseverance, honesty, and activism she has gained respect within her industry, often surprising her coworkers by being on a “first-name basis” with many State Supreme Court Justices and the Attorney General. It is because of her that I have such a strong work ethic, even during the most difficult times on a project.
A2: My stepmother Janice and her mother Deloris have also been a big source of inspiration. Both of these women are sweet, strong, and are able to put their foot down and leave everyone feeling respected. My step-mother retired as an IT Project Manager for Boeing. She often helps me find ways to be better; through the use of software, in processes I have implemented to make myself more efficient, or in ways to react to difficult situations (like my recent divorce). I cherish these relationships; I didn’t choose to add these two women to my family, but when Janice and my dad divorced, I was privileged to keep them as my family.
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