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Dec 23, 2019

The Roster: Vol. 25

Sarah Barber

Sarah Barber

The Roster: Vol. 25

At Credera, we believe we’re truly better together. The Roster is a monthly series that allows you to get to know leaders at all levels across the firm.

John Franks

PRINCIPAL, ANALYTICS AND BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE

New York City, NY

Favorite App: Words with Friends.

Life Hack: Always try to put yourself in other’s shoes.

Now Playing: Silicon Valley.

Favorite Book: Liar’s Poker by Michael Lewis.

Passions Outside of Work: Paddleboarding and hiking.

Favorite Sports Team: Denver Broncos.

Favorite Credera Memory: My first day working at Credera, I could tell I was in the right place! The way I was greeted by people who clearly had a lot going on and the personal consideration toward this newbie cemented for me that this firm lives by its core values, which is infectious and makes you want to be part of the team!

Mentorship Experience: I find in mentorship I learn as much as I provide advice. For example, through my mentee, I get the chance to see where they are headed and help choose the best path, that then helps me think through my own career development and opportunities.  A fantastic byproduct of mentorship!

How You’ve Seen the Core Values Lived Out at Credera: Every day, our core values permeate everything we do. I even see it affect clients in a positive way. For example, we once had to make a decision that wasn’t necessarily the best financially for Credera but was clearly best for the client and we went the way of the client – in my experience, not a lot of companies would act that way. 

Micah Blalock

SENIOR ARCHITECT, OPEN TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

Dallas, TX

Favorite App: I really like Stop, Breathe & Think. The daily check-in is a great nudge to slow down, be present, and develop a habit of mindfulness.

Favorite Tech Tool: Unix command line, an amazingly elegant set of small tools that together can do anything you need.

Now Playing: We love funny movies and I have a number of really stupid, funny movies I love to watch. I could watch ZoolanderThe Three Amigos, or The Other Guys at least once a week and never be bored.

Favorite Book: I don’t have a single favorite but I have a shelf in my library which holds the books which have been important to me. Each of these books changed my mind.

Mentorship Experience: Mentorship at Credera has been a surprisingly positive experience for me. Vik Jain, my official mentor, has been a great mentor and friend, talking me off the ledge multiple times after difficult moments. Jason GothMike ChouJohn JacobsCody CaseJon Pierce, and Aaron Murrell have all been significant sources of encouragement and insight and great models of how to do the job well. I especially value their willingness to share their unfiltered thoughts when appropriate (even if I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear it) and offer advice on how to navigate difficult situations.

Best Advice You’ve Ever Been Given: From my wife, Sarah: “Who you are is more important than what you know or say.” From my friend, Bob MacFarlane: “What you practice you become.” From my grad school professor, John Gratian: “Don’t be too sure of your conclusions, you tend to find what you’re looking for.”

Brittany Wadsworth

SENIOR CONSULTANT, MICROSOFT SOLUTIONS

Houston, TX

Now Playing: I love to cook / bake so my favorite TV show has to be the Great British Baking Show. I love seeing what challenge will be next and what the contestants will create, flavors they will mix, and who will make the prettiest / tastiest creation. I’ve also picked up a few tips and tricks by watching that have helped improve my personal baking!

Favorite Book: Hyperbole and a Half  by Allie Brosh was on GatesNotes in 2015 (Bill Gates’ blog) and had raving reviews so I decided to check it out one summer. Allie’s stories were so relatable and hilarious. My husband and I have two dogs (like Allie) and have nicknamed them Simple Dog and Helper Dog after the pups in her comics.

Passions Outside of Work: I’m a foodie so you can typically find my husband and I trying the newest restaurant in our area or trying a new recipe at home! I also enjoy hanging out with my zoo – I’ve got 2 dogs and 2 cats, so they keep us quite on our toes and entertained.

Favorite Sports Team: Gig ‘em Aggies! College football is my favorite time of the year even if my team has been struggling the last few years…

Favorite Credera Memory: A few years ago, we started Houston Cinco-De-Derby Days because the Kentucky Derby falls on the same weekend as Cinco-De-Mayo. We celebrate by donning our derby-style hats and drinking a margarita while selecting which horse will take the Rose crown! Typically, we choose the horse based solely on name and the person (or people) who select the winning horse get a pecan pie as a prize! It’s proven to be a fun way to relax on a Friday afternoon and laugh with co-workers.

Mentorship Experience: My mentorship at Credera has led me to develop relationships that I’ll keep for a lifetime. I still keep in close contact with my first formal mentor and have built a great relationship with my current mentor, Danny Acuna. Throughout my projects and other activities at the firm, I’ve been able to foster mentorship style relationships with a handful of others that help me grow both personally and professionally. Among those mentors are Ben MeadAshley AlstonAdrian Romo, and James Robertson! I’ve recently got the opportunity to work with a handful of our newer Crederians and have been able to mimic what my mentors have given to me to them. It’s been a really fun and rewarding process that I’m looking forward to continuing.

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