Meet Stephanie Forrester, BDI Senior Project Manager
Although her job at BDI is detailed, multifaceted and complex, Senior Project Manager Stephanie Forrester sums it up in a single word: GLUE!
“Project management is the adhesive that holds all the pieces of a job together and keeps everything on track,” she says.
From direct mail campaigns to special events, Stephanie and her team are responsible for the planning, organizing, scheduling and execution of projects from beginning to end, managing as many as 900 jobs at any given time.
Ensuring campaigns are completed on time and on target with strategic goals gives Stephanie a feeling of accomplishment. “But my favorite part of the process,” she says, “is that I get to collaborate and interact with almost all teams at BDI.” She feels a huge sense of responsibility for protecting their time and resources – and ultimately, that of the clients.
As she builds project schedules coordinating many moving parts, Stephanie doesn’t just look at each step as a box to check off. More importantly, she also considers the individuals assigned to those tasks – their workloads, propensities and preferences.
She works hard to build trust with all team members so that each person knows she has their back and will protect their time and work capacity.
“While we might not have direct contact with our clients, we work very closely and collaborate with each of the teams at BDI to ensure all client work is completed on time. We all take that very seriously and to heart. I also feel that we have the responsibility to protect our team members’ and our clients’ time.”
Professional development… personal fulfillment
Stephanie’s effective approach and insight have been honed through years of experience.
She started her career as an account coordinator at a firm much like BDI, providing fundraising and marketing for nonprofit organizations. She was promoted to account specialist and eventually moved into print production.
Then she took a job as a project manager for an agency promoting commercial clients. Her sole responsibility was the Home Depot account, and she even worked onsite at their headquarters.
“It was a cool experience, but I realized I really missed working with nonprofits. I get a lot of joy out of knowing I’m helping people in need,” she says.
She’s found that joy again since coming to BDI.
Choosing Joy
Joy isn’t something Stephanie seeks only in the workplace. She makes an effort to find it daily in all aspects of her world.
“Life gets hard sometimes, but if you choose joy, it makes it a little easier when the tough stuff comes along,” she says.
She finds joy in simple things – like the beauty of her Canton, Georgia, neighborhood “and the woman with the two cute corgis I see every day when I take my son to school.”
Of course, 5-year-old Noah, her husband, Brodie, and their two dogs Bull and Leo provide an infinite supply of delight. “We laugh a lot at our house,” she says. “Our quality time together is what brings me the most joy.”
Back at BDI, she also finds joy in interacting with her coworkers. “Even if we’re really busy I like to ask how their week is going – or let them know I saw their cute post on Facebook,” she says. “I get a lot of pleasure out of just getting to know people.”
Sticking the landing
Today, after nearly three years with BDI, Stephanie’s role has evolved from not only binding the parts of complex projects together, but also working to do so more efficiently and effectively.
She and her team have launched new technology to streamline their workflow and automate the many daily processes for internal teams. The results create a trickle-down effect, saving time and resources for clients as well.
She has also expanded her focus, applying cutting-edge practices to BDI Academy initiatives, agency marketing, new-business proposals and large-event planning. In fact, she was recently chosen “employee of the quarter” for her positive impact on the organization, including her coordination and management of BDI marketing projects for Citygate Network Conference and Empower, our client-only summit.
Even when deadlines are met and objectives are achieved, a good project manager knows there’s no time to rest. Ongoing success means planning and preparing for the future, and that means continuing to learn and grow.
“My goal for myself and our department is to keep learning to ensure we provide the best possible service through meeting deadlines, objectives and strategic outcomes. Whether that is through attending professional conferences and webinars or just the internal sharing of ideas, all of these are so vital to make sure we stay on top of our game and set our BDI teams and clients up for success!”
Thank you, Stephanie, for the expertise you bring to our company and our clients – and for inspiring us each day to choose joy in our lives.
Did You Know?
Stephanie is an only child… her favorite color is purple… and through genealogy research, she discovered her ancestors are related to the Hershey family. You know – like the chocolate!
Stay tuned for more Insider’s Outlook articles, where BDI team members share their insight!
