We’re back with another installment of the Team TGG Bio Series. Of course, I had to be reminded to write the post by our Project Manager. Little did she know that SHE would be next in line! Ha!
Without further ado, let me introduce Brenna Bechtold.
So, I’ve already given away your job title, but for those who don’t know what a Project Manager does, can you give some more detail? My all time favorite go to analogy is herding cats.
Wait. You can’t herd cats. Oh.
Despite having an almost impossible, job, what is your favorite thing about it? Working with such a talented group of people!
Are there any projects you've worked on at TGG that you're particularly proud of? The Western Fire Chiefs Association Firemap.
Yeah, that one is pretty cool. Tell us about your work location situation. Many of our developers are remote, with a few in-office. What’s your approach? I’m more remote with the occasional office appearance.
Speaking of office, did I hear that you worked as a receptionist once? I did. I went to Alaska after college to “find myself.” I ended up working for the FAA as a receptionist. Not a great fit, but was an interesting slice of life to see all the various people that would come through.
Where did you grow up? Geneva, IL, near Aurora, which is probably best known for (throws devil horns, rocks head) WAYNE’S WORLD!
Sweet.
So what do you do when you’re not herding cats? I like to play pinball on a team, as well as the various occasional console games. I can do limited crafts, like sewing or cross-stitching. Taking my dog to experience new things is up there. My latest vice has been nail polish - I have about 70-80 bottles of various color polish.
That’s a lot to unpack. Your dog must LOVE you, but can we start with the nail polish? How often do you swap out the colors on your nails? Do you ever have a different color on every finger, or do you usually wear the same color on all fingers? A little bit of both! There are times I'll do 5 different colors, 1 for each nail, but I usually just try to find two that compliment well and alternate. I swap out colors fairly frequently - I'd say maybe twice a week, maybe more often.
Tell us more about pinball! You play on a team? Is that in an organized league, or is it an informal thing? I have been playing on a team with breaks (for obvious reasons) since late 2016. It is an organized league. The concept is similar to a softball league - you have a set roster that plays out a home location (in our case, bars). My home bar for years has been Clinton Street Pub in SE Portland. You play against other bars either at your home or theirs. There are two competitive seasons each year, fall and spring, with a shorter, summer mixer season that is meant to introduce new players and help them find teams. I have been on the team for years but this is the first season that I stepped up as a captain. We are doing alright, heading into the A division playoffs as the final seed.
Wow. That’s amazing. Good luck! Now tell us about your dog! Do you have other pets? My big ole doggo’s name is Roz. She is a part Great Dane rescue. She’s my Covid baby. We also have a cat that was trapped/rescued from the streets of North Plains named Plato. He's the best little brother. I also have a dwindling collection of house plants.
Well thanks for giving us a peek into your life, Brenna. Good luck with the pinball playoffs!
