Project Manager of the Quarter – April 2018
Back in October 2012, a young woman saw a post on Reddit about needing help testing a mobile game. An avid gamer herself, she jumped at the opportunity. It was through that opportunity that she discovered ModSquad (at the time, Metaverse Mod Squad) and became a Mod. From there, she joined more projects, honed her skills, and in April 2015 applied and was hired as a Project Manager.
Who was this young woman? None other than our Project Manager of the Quarter, Lauren McClune!
Lauren has managed a number of projects over the years and currently dedicates all her time to one of our longtime clients in the mobile app entertainment space. The project comprises one of our largest teams, which works around the clock to support our client’s customers via phone, email, live chat, and social media. In fact, the project she now manages was the first one she joined as a Mod, so she feels right at home.
Lauren’s dedication to support goes beyond the customers her teams serve and extends to the Mods and clients she works with. As a Project Manager, her mission is to always do all she can to make her clients happy and her teams as strong as they can be.
My most important task is providing a strong support system for my team. This includes being available to help if they ever need it and maintaining a strong set of resources to help them be successful. I can’t stress enough how important support is to ensuring a successful group of Mods and Managers.
Over the years Lauren experienced many moments that made her proud of the work she does. But it’s the work that the Mods on her projects do that make her the happiest. She says she feels proud any time a customer or client calls out one of her Mods for doing amazing work.
In her time as a Project Manager, Lauren has learned a lot about the things that matter most and what makes for an effective PM. Her biggest piece of advice to others: Don’t let stress get to you.
Everyone gets to stressful spots, and you just have to roll with the punches and reach out for help when you need it. I can’t even explain how supportive everyone at ModSquad is! Theresa Galle has been insurmountable in helping me along the way, and I can’t thank her enough for all her advice and pushing me to be the PM I am now.
Those who’ve worked with Lauren can attest to her growth and success as a Project Manager.
“Lauren has proven her abilities across a wide spectrum. She can dive into the details with Mods or be a part of high-level discussions with a client or admin group. She has developed strong rapport with several client contacts in a complex and frequently changing environment. Although things change rapidly on the client’s side, Lauren has proved to be the common denominator and maintains stability for the project.
“Lauren also has a stellar can-do attitude and shows leadership amongst her management peers, even in difficult situations. She has taken strategic initiative on the project and has done a great job helping us make things more efficient. She consistently impresses the client with the work the team is doing under her management.”
—Matt Ramsey, Account Manager
“Lauren has done a great job working with the client contacts and Mods on her project. When called upon, she can easily provide insight into what’s happening on the front lines and is quick to implement change when needed.”
—Josh Smith, Strategic Management Specialist
“Lauren is a valuable member of the team and wonderful to work with. She regularly exhibits a positive, can do attitude and is quick to assist those around her and our clients. Thank you Lauren for all that you do!”
—Steve Henry, VP, Client Services