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Mar 26, 2019

The Roster: Vol. 18

Ally White

Ally White

The Roster: Vol. 18

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.

 

Chris Griswold

Principal, Microsoft Solutions

Dallas, TX

Favorite App: Audible. I probably listen to 15-20 books per year, mostly Science Fiction, Biographies and History (Early America, WW2, etc.). I’m fascinated by space travel and science in general, so I love the mental escape of hard science fiction.

Now Playing: I have 3 kids under the age of 10, so we don’t watch much TV. By the time the kids are in bed… for good… I usually pass out from exhaustion. However, we have recently started a few Netflix/Prime shows since it’s so easy to get them on demand. The Crown, The Umbrella Academy, Manifest, and the Netflix remake of Lost in Space are all pretty good.

Favorite Book: Up Country by Nelson Demille, I love historically accurate Fiction and with this book, you can literally pull up a map of current day Vietnam and a timeline of the war and follow the story across the country.

Passions Outside of Work: Besides my family, I love wood-working and always have a project or 3 going on. I love building things for the house, furniture, cabinetry and fixing things. Last summer I built a tree house for my neighbor and his 3 girls and it was awesome. I play year-round in an adult men’s Hockey league, and I am also an aspiring mechanic. I have a very old Ford truck that I am trying to restore and using that to learn about how things work.

Office Music Playlist: Back when NASA was still doing shuttle missions, I would pull up the live feed between mission control and the shuttle and listen to it throughout the day. I know, pretty geeky, but I was fascinated that I could sit at my desk and listen to people as they walked around in space, how cool is that?

Favorite Credera Memory: After 10+ years I have accumulated a lot of great memories, but my favorite would have to be from our company trip to Mexico in 2012. During the trip, we got together as a company and assembled bicycles for a local organization that would donate them to kids who had never owned a bike. Then, once we had all finished, they surprised us by bringing in the actual kids who would get the bikes. When those kids walked out, and you saw the smiles on their faces it was amazing. As someone who was relatively new to fatherhood at the time… it was a very emotional moment.

Role Model: My dad. He is a man of few words and even fewer emotions, but he showed me what it meant to be a good husband and a good father. He taught me everything I know about working with my hands and encouraged me to be curious, to love the outdoors and to live knowing that you can’t take any of it with you.

Allie Rubenstein

Senior Consultant, Management Consulting

Dallas, TX

Favorite Book: While many books top my list, I recently read Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand and was absolutely mesmerized. The book follows the story of Louis Zamperini, an athlete turned airman, whose unwavering resolve and strong will see him through the most extreme trials and tribulations during World War II. It is a story of remarkable perseverance and a reminder that the human mind, body, and spirit are always capable of much more than we realize.

Passions Outside of Work: I thrive on anything that gets me moving. I have a monopoly on the Peloton in my apartment gym, and I am currently training for a 270-mile road bike ride. When I’m not on two wheels, you can find me on two feet playing pickup soccer or taking my rescue dog, Hoagie, on a very long walk.

Personal Goals: In June, I am biking in the ALS TDI Tri-State Trek, a 270-mile ride from Boston to New York to raise funds for ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) research. The cause is near and dear to my family, as the disease took my grandfather’s life in 2003. I am excited to tackle the 270-mile journey, meet bighearted people along the way, and raise funds and awareness for a special cause. In the meantime, I’ll be logging many training hours in the saddle so that the New England hills don’t get the best of me in June!

Personal Values: The value I hold most dear is loyalty. I place a high premium on being a loyal friend, family member, and teammate at all times. I like to think this is because I grew up with golden retrievers.

Favorite Credera Memory: My first project was a rather long engagement where we had mustered a large – and awesome – Credera team. We ate lunch together in the client’s cafeteria every single day. Needless to say, we became a tightknit group. We held a birthday lunch for each team member’s birthday, for which we brought in the person’s favorite dessert for the team to enjoy (throwback to the giant chocolate cake that was too hefty for one person to carry in) and pestered the birthday celebrator with questions both serious and silly.

Role Model: My mom has always been a role model for me, and my admiration for her has only amplified as I have grown older. My mom has a way with people – of all backgrounds and walks of life – that awes me; she expertly develops and nurtures relationships, both personally and professionally. Her big heart, clever wit, and sense of humor always leave a positive impact in the lives she touches. She is the definition of a strong woman, and I feel beyond fortunate to call her my mom and my role model.

Brian Hafferkamp

Consultant, Open Technology Solutions

Denver, CO

Life Hack: If you like cream with your coffee, pour the cream first and the coffee second, so the coffee will mix it all up. Quick, easy, and you don’t have to use one of those silly stir sticks. If you don’t like cream with your coffee, you probably think you’re better than the rest of us, and you should get your attitude checked.

Favorite Book: The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton. It’s got action, it’s got philosophy, it’s got anarchy – what more do you need?

Passions Outside of Work: I like all things outdoors, but especially rock climbing and mountaineering. That’s why I lived in Texas for 5 years…

Personal Goals: At some point in my life, I want to summit one of the 8000-meter peaks in the Himalayas. Hopefully, that peak is K2, but that could also be the last thing I ever try, so we’ll see.

Best Advice You’ve Received: Learn to accept forgiveness from someone you’ve hurt without trying to earn it from them.

Client Experience Highlight: I’ve really enjoyed forming relationships with different employees at each of my clients. This past fall, I had the opportunity to go to Dreamforce in San Francisco and present with one of my previous clients. I got to know them outside of a work context and we became good friends. I’ve seen similar stories play out across Credera – we often serve our clients in ways that lead to lasting relationships, and I think that’s pretty cool.

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