For Mel!

Unknown
Unknown
edited March 2022 in General

If you haven't heard yet, one of the pillars of Vanilla @Mel is leaving Higher Logic tomorrow to find some new marketing adventure to undertake.

When I started at Vanilla, Mel was one of the first people outside of the tiny support bubble that I lived in to start reaching out to me and making me feel welcome.

The nature of the work we both did for Vanilla made it so we didn't cross paths very often professionally, but there is a path that we crossed each other a lot:

https://media.giphy.com/media/10LKovKon8DENq/giphy.gif

PokemonGo, baby!

Mel and I started PokemonGo about the same time (shameless plug for the Slack Pokemon channel) and has been something that we've stuck with since it's release. Besides sending one another the daily 'gift' in game, whenever I was up in Montreal, we were constantly dropping lures outside the office to get more Pokemon to appear and we'd go on very important lunch breaks where walk a few blocks away to raid whatever legendary Pokemon dared show up near us.

I'll also add that she is WAY better at this game then I am. I've been stuck at level 40 for over a year now. Is Mel stuck? Nope. Look at her:

image.png

Level 47!! What?!! And look at that style!

I'm getting off topic.

Mel, I'm going to miss seeing your face in meetings and hearing about all the cool things you were always cooking up with the marketing team. Every single person at the company has made Vanilla the product it is today, but you helped make sure that everyone else knew who we were and what we did and how great we are and we can't thank you enough for that.

You don't need it, but still, wishing you a ton of luck on your professional journey! You are amazing! Keep in touch!

Comments

  • Alex Powell
    Alex Powell

    Mel it's been a fun time together, and I look forward to see what you build. One thing I will always recall fondly is your love of Halloween. You really helped the Vanilla office step up the game when you joined. Here are two classics from the archive.

    I wish you all the success in your next place. They are lucky to have you :)

  • Unknown
    Unknown

    I'm like Andrew in that Mel, you and I were never on the same "team" (department) but I always felt like we were on the same team. I always appreciated on the professional level how you would educate the company on what it was the Marketing Team was doing as part of the bigger picture and how it related to us all. On a personal level I loved the way you were open about your non-professional interests (gardening, running, games) and your sense of humour. You really added to the human dimension of Vanilla and Higher Logic. You will be missed.

  • Unknown
    Unknown

    I appreciate all of you. Thank you for everything and these kind words. I miss playing Pokemon with you Andrew. Thank goodness for remote raids!

    Patty, you are the office raconteur. I cannot get enough of your stories.

    Rhys, I also am awkward at this stuff. Let's enjoy the awkwardness.

  • Unknown
    Unknown

    Thanks to everyone that managed to make it to Mel's little going away happy hour. I should've grabbed a screenshot earlier when the room was full, but still got a good group:

    image.png

    We're going to miss you, Mel!

  • Unknown
    Unknown

    Mel, you had a big part in making Vanilla what it is and we are all grateful for it. I am excited to see how you succeed in your next role and will be following along on Linkedin. You will truly be missed!

    https://media.giphy.com/media/l3q2UdX8HREZi35gA/giphy.gif


  • Unknown
    Unknown

    I've said it before, I'll say it again: I would follow you to the (orange) gates of hell.

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