Project Manager of the Quarter – July 2016

It’s not every day we dedicate an entire blog post to one of the the amazing project managers we have here at ModSquad (in fact, it’s every quarter). Today, we’re excited to shine the spotlight on the one, the only Michelle Ramage, project manager extraordinaire. Loved by coworkers and clients alike, Michelle is known for keeping projects and teams running smoothly, with her professional attitude, unparalleled dedication, and off-the-charts organizational skills.

Michelle is what we at ModSquad call an “OG” – she started as a Mod in October 2007, just a few months after the company was founded, and was soon promoted to the role of project manager. In a “right place at the right time” scenario, Michelle met our CEO, Amy Pritchard, as part of a shared online community. A stay-at-home-mom at the time, after the death of her father in 2007, Michelle joined ModSquad with a desire to keep herself more occupied, and the rest is, as they say, history.

“Amy Pritchard saved my life. She got me out of this crazy, dark spot I was in, and nine years later here I am with not only an important, rewarding, and truly fun job, but I’m doing it with some of the greatest people I have ever known.”

Having been part of active, diverse online communities herself, Michelle’s instincts and work as a Mod contributed to her success as a project manager, applying her firsthand experience with the same work she was requesting of her team. Michelle’s dedication to her team is one of the things that makes her such a standout manager:

“As a PM, I have two daily goals:

1.  To make sure the client is receiving the very best work out of my team. This is huge.

2.  To make sure that my teams know what they’re doing and how to accomplish it, and that I’m here to back them up when they need. We are all only as good as our team.”

For our client Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, Michelle leads a team that’s taking care of social media engagement and community moderation for the third-busiest airport in the world. To ensure the satisfaction of both the client and their customers, Michelle thoroughly trained our Mods on processes, tools, and appropriate brand voice.

She also reviews her team’s activity on a weekly basis as part of our dedication to quality assurance, highlighting where her team is excelling and providing additional coaching to improve performance. She also provides the client with weekly reports on the team’s activity and meets with them regularly to ensure their happiness.

“I’m a pretty hands-on person in general, but without a doubt, I feel quality assurance is the most meaningful task I do. I spend a lot of time on it, making sure that my teams see the great things they’ve done each week and know where they need to improve if they have to.”

Michelle is also the project manager for Dryer Vent Wizard, a client for whom we develop social media content and strategy to reach new customers about a service they probably don’t know they need. (Read all about our work with Dryer Vent Wizard in our recent Company Spotlight.)

“I love when I get to tell our client week in and week out that we have found nothing but positive reviews and kudos for their company from customers all over the nation.”

In her spare time, Michelle loves to knit and crochet, and she openly admits to her obsession with yarn. She’s also an avid reader and TV watcher (especially when a football game is on).

When we asked others at ModSquad what they think of Michelle, there was no shortage of praise. In fact, she even received a postcard recently from a Mod in Paris that said simply, “Best! PM! Evar!”

Here’s what some of our Account Managers and executive team had to say about Michelle:

“I’m lucky enough to have Michelle Ramage as my PM on two projects and they both run like clockwork. Michelle is dedicated, organized, and efficient. The clients love her and appreciate her great attitude and work ethic. I’d be lost without her!”
– Donna McKee, Account Manager

“Michelle is Ramage is amazing – super dedicated and you can always count on her.”
– Jason Ferguson, Director of Client Services

“I have had the privilege of working as a Mod on one of Michelle’s projects. She is organized, extremely knowledgable, and was very supportive of me, as I was a n00b to moderation and engagement. From the other side of things, as a PM that my team and I support, she is very detailed, follows defined process every time, and is always always a pleasure to work with. And, of course, who can resist the little jabs at her rabid Packer devotion?”
– Gina Miller, Director of People Operations

“When I joined ModSquad, despite Michelle’s busy schedule, she was always available to show me the ins and outs of every tool and process I needed to learn. Ask an inch of Michelle and she’ll give you a mile. She is so approachable for anything from a last-minute request to a friendly chat.”
– Aliza Rosen, Digital Strategist

“Michelle devotes all her effort to her projects to make sure things run smoothly. I think that’s what a PM of the Quarter is all about.”
– Jay Biros, Account Manager

“Michelle Ramage is a godsend. I’ve had her on several projects, and I know – I know – that when I need something done, and someone to be 110% cognizant and proactive, Michelle will get it done. She has a great rapport with her team, she’s a fantastic note taker and administrator, she really thinks about the client and the heart of the project, and is not afraid to communicate needs to improve her team or the project. She’s smart, strong, talented, and a true example of leadership and dedication – to her team, clients, and the company.”
– Izzy Neis, Director of Strategy & Engagement

Aliza Rosen
Digital Strategist