Movers & Shakers Vol. 3

The thunder::tech team is an unstoppable force that continues to strengthen and multiply. Since the last time we spoke, the Communications Department has grown once again, plus not just one but two current t::team members have taken on new responsibilities. Impressive, to say the least. 

Well, it’s about time we introduce these marvelous creatives that never fail to inspire. 
   

Emily Lindsay – Senior Strategist of Social Media and Influencer Marketing 

Hello Emily! How have you enjoyed your time here at thunder::tech, and what does your new role entail?    

I started back in February of 2021 as a part-time Social Media Specialist, where I provided support to Abi, who, at the time, was the only member of the social team. By August, my role had evolved into a full-time position, and I was promoted to Social Media Strategist.   

Now I’m excited to announce my new role as Senior Strategist of Social Media and Influencer Marketing! It’s incredible to think about how much the social team has grown in the past few years as we explore more services, especially influencer marketing, which has become part of our day-to-day schedule. 
 

What are you looking forward to in your new position? 

As a team, we’ll be able to expand significantly in the services we’ll be able to offer and the ability to dig deeper and provide even better strategies for our clients. We have the expertise and bandwidth to completely customize to a client’s needs and well-rounded social media offerings. 
 

What was your first job? 

I was an ice cream scooper and birthday party host at Swings ‘n Things! My favorite part was tasting all their homemade ice cream flavors, which are all delicious. However, some days I can still hear the arcade noises playing in my sleep. 
 

What wakes you up in the morning? 

Coffee all day, every day. The first cup is always hot unless there is an extreme heatwave in the summer. By my second cup, there’s about a 50/50 shot I’ll go hot or iced coffee. I love adding a bit of oat milk creamer, especially oatmeal cookie flavored! 
 

What is your learning style? 

I like to try things out myself and develop a mental muscle memory as I figure it out. Being hands-on with guidance here and there is the best learning environment for me. 
 

What’s your best dad joke? 

Which ocean is the most detail-oriented? 
The Pacific! 
 

What is your favorite mid-afternoon snack? 

I love having a Pink Lady apple with peanut butter, or I’ll make myself a little snack plate with some pretzel crisps, cheese cubes, a bit of chocolate and apple slices. 
 

Do you have a go-to work playlist or do you prefer the quiet? 

No, I don’t like quiet at all! I’m a music girly. I typically put an artist on shuffle and go on a journey with them. Some of my favorites are the iconic Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Beyonce, Harry Styles and Ariana Grande. 
 

What are some of your talents? 

In a professional atmosphere, I love brainstorming and coming up with creative ideas to keep things fresh within a social media strategy. I’m always on the hunt and thinking about what’s new or up and coming for the team to utilize! Outside of work, I’m an expert gift-giver and I’m very proud of it. 
 

Do you have any pets? If so, please share everything about them!   

My rescue dog Penny is a mix of a Jack Russel and a Beagle (allegedly), and while she just turned ten, she acts much younger. She loves to howl and eat cheese and is super curious. While she has tons of energy, she also loves to take a nice big nap in a blanket. Her most iconic feature is that she always has one ear up and the other down like she’s getting a signal; it's absolutely adorable. 
   

So far, what has been your favorite t::t moment? 

Covering the NBA All-Star Game in Cleveland last year was incredible because I never thought we’d have such a special opportunity. We covered the entire three-day event, creating content around the clock while we ran around downtown Cleveland. Being at such a high-profile event surrounded by so many celebrities was exhausting but also so much fun.  

The opportunity was a testament to our long-standing trust with clients and how much we value those relationships. 

 

Drew Lauck - SysOps Support Developer 2 

Tell us about yourself! How have you enjoyed your time here at thunder::tech and what does your new role entail?  

The lessons I’ve learned over the years have been invaluable in helping me grow as a developer. I started at thunder::tech in August of 2020 as a Support Ninja taking in support tickets. Soon I leveled up in support tiers to take on bigger ticket items and more pressing work and projects.  

I was recently promoted to SysOps Support Developer 2, where you need to be the jack of all trades to provide support for higher-difficulty tickets, handle SysOps projects and jump in for other development needs.   
 

What are you looking forward to in your new position? 

I’m excited to tackle more challenging projects so I can continue to learn and advance in my career. Additionally, to share work with the team and create different solutions together. I’m happy to be a part of a department that welcomes good ideas from anywhere and encourages us to always optimize and look for ways to improve. 
 

What was your first job? 

I worked as a busser at Texas Roadhouse and, outside of thunder::tech, it was my favorite job ever. I had so much fun meeting and working with so many different people. 
 

What wakes you up in the morning? 

Lately, I’ve been obsessed with making matcha. My go-to is a dirty matcha with a shot of espresso. 
 

What’s your best dad joke?   

How do you find the mass of a Red Hot Chili Pepper?   

Give it a weigh, give it a weigh, give it a weigh now! 
 

What is your learning style? 

Hands-on. When learning something new, I have to do it a couple of times to get it to sink in for me. 
 

What is your favorite mid-afternoon snack? 

An apple! Either a Cosmic Crisp or a Pink Lady. 
 

Do you have a go-to work playlist of do you prefer the quiet? 

It depends on what I’m doing. If I’m doing internal communication tasks, I usually turn on a giant playlist that I cycle through with artists like A$AP Rocky, Kendrick Lamar, Frank Ocean or the new Gorillaz album. For technical items, I need absolute silence to focus. 
 

What are some of your talents? 

I'm a self-taught cook! So far, the best thing I've cooked was Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon. Right now I'm really interested Korean dishes and cooking through Maangchi's cookbook.
 

Do you have any pets? If so, please share everything about them! 

I have a dog named Vito, a puggle and sharpie mix born in September. He definitely has small dog syndrome and thinks he can bully the Great Danes at the dog park. But he is also constantly smiling; he’s just like the Joker. 
   

So far, what has been your favorite t::t moment? 

During my first summer at thunder::tech, we got a team together to play beach volleyball and it was so much fun going out and playing with everyone and grabbing drinks afterward. At the time, I didn’t come into the office super often, so it was great to have the opportunity to bond with people. We didn’t have a team last year, but hopefully, we can form one this year! 
 

Gabriella Caldwell - Digital Marketing Strategist 

Welcome to the team! Please tell us about yourself! What brought you to thunder::tech? 

I’m originally from Columbus, and for a while, I thought I wanted to work at a museum which was my focus during college. After graduating, I started working in marketing through a fellowship program called Venture for America. At the end of the program, I knew I wanted to work for a marketing agency and be alongside other super passionate and knowledgeable marketers. I was fortunate to hear about thunder::tech from another Venture for American alum and am so lucky that everyone has been so welcoming to me. 
 

What are you looking forward to most by joining the thunder::tech team? 

I’m really excited to learn from all the brilliant folks working here. Additionally, I love that we are encouraged to explore and learn from different aspects of the business and are unconstrained by a specific role. 
 

What was your first job? 

Market Blooms is a flower shop in the North Market in Columbus, and I worked there all through college, so it's been almost eight years of working there on and off. I still pick up shifts every once in a while on the weekends because I enjoy it so much, and the owner is one of my favorite mentors. 
 

What wakes you up in the morning? 

My fuel is definitely coffee, but I’ve been trying to integrate tea as well since it’s better for you. But my perfect cup of coffee has a bit of oat milk, cocoa powder and espresso shots. 
 

What’s your best dad joke?   

I accidentally swallowed some invisible ink; now I'm in the emergency room waiting to be seen. 
 

What is your learning style? 

I’m a visual learner! I like being able to see how something is done so that I can later recall and walk back through it.  
 

What is your favorite mid-afternoon snack? 

Goldfish is my go-to! I also like to be able to have a little sweet, so I keep a bowl of jolly ranchers on my desk. 
 

Do you have a go-to work playlist or do you prefer the quiet? 

I need music;  I’ll jump out of my workflow if it stops. I like going to the Miles Davis Spotify playlist, turning on jazz or listening to low-fi café sounds. 
 

What are some of your talents? 

I’m a novice ceramicist as well as a newer roller skater, but now I know two tricks! I’m also a visual and aesthetic person and can design graphics pretty quickly. 
 

Do you have any pets? If so, please share everything about them! 

I do not, but my parents do, and I consider her my adopted dog. Her name is Mistress Cooper, but we call her Triss. She’s a rescue mix, possibly a terrier and Pitbull, but she’s tiny. If anybody walks by, she is incredibly loud and likes to play her way. For example, she loves to undo your shoelaces. Really, her personality is more of that of a cat. 


 

So far, what has been your favorite t::t moment? 

During my first week at thunder::tech I was at headquarters in Cleveland for a few days for training and meeting my new team members. The second night a bunch of us went out to this great Indian restaurant and hung out getting to know each other more. I loved being able to see my team outside of just a work setting. 

 

Interested in joining our fun-tastic crew? 

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, the thunder::tech team is always on the lookout for individuals with that special spark that drives the curiosity to test the limits and the vision to see what’s next. If that sounds like you, now’s the time to apply! We have multiple part-time and full-time positions open and are actively searching for interns to join us this summer. You can apply directly through our website today!

If you have any questions about the application or want to know more about what it’s like working at an integrated marketing agency, don’t hesitate to reach out!