In this blog series, women at Datto will post stories from their interviews of each other. This week, Datto’s Katie Thornton, Senior Manager of Content Marketing, who gives us an in-depth perspective on her colleague, Hillary Cohen, Office Administrator.
For anyone who’s ever visited Datto’s Boston office, it’s likely you’ve been greeted by the warm smile of Hillary Cohen. If you work at this office, it’s even more likely that Cohen has saved your day in one way or another. Here’s her story.
Cohen is a Penn State graduate who moved to Boston after a few years of soul searching to explore a new city and a new career. She landed an interview at a 60-person startup in Cambridge, MA called Backupify, which had just been acquired by Datto. The acquisition was exciting but came with its share of challenges, and the office needed the right person to assist everyone through the major transition. A few hours after her interview, Cohen had landed the job. She started two days later.
As Office Administrator, Hillary takes care of everyone at the Boston Office. When problems come up, she’s usually one of the first people that are alerted to the issue, whether it involves her or not. From managing the revolving door of visitors and giving office tours, to stocking supplies and coordinating interviews, the woman has her hands in just about everything.
“If you ever wondered what it’s like babysitting 80 full-grown children, ask Hillary Cohen. She is a personal assistant to the entire office and every guest that comes through. She is the quartermaster, the therapist, the event planner, the recruiting agent, and the janitor,” said Colleague Dan Newman. “With a big smile and a little dance, she can juggle 80 different priorities before breakfast.”
Cohen is also on the Forced Fun Committee, a small group of colleagues who coordinate the many fun and unique office activities, including Pajama Day and the Annual Chili Cook-Off. Cohen takes pride in her work with this group, which represents a fundamental part of the Datto Boston office culture. “I have a role in getting every department in the office together once a month so everyone can relax and hang out a bit.”
The worst part of her day-to-day? Cleaning the kitchen. “It’s just part of being ‘the office mom.’ With 80+ people, you’re bound to have some peanut butter smeared on the counter,” said Cohen with a grin.
For some, being a woman in a company that is widely dominated by men can be difficult. For Cohen, this isn’t the case. “I am lucky enough to have grown up with three brothers, so I know how to deal with men.” So what’s her secret? “It helps to keep a sense of humor,” she said. She also noted that Datto has a good number of women in leadership positions. “We have strong females here,” she said. She being one prime example.
So what is the best part of her job at Datto? Her day-to-day interactions with her colleagues. Hillary takes pride in the fact that she is a person who helps others escape from their job for a minute or two. At her desk, she keeps a jar stocked full of great candy, which has become a pretty popular station for Boston office employees to visit regularly.
“Work doesn’t always have to be work; it’s nice to have someone around to make you feel lighter at the office when you need it,” Cohen said. We all wholeheartedly agree!
The Women in Technology blog series is coordinated by Customer Experience Innovations project coordinator, Rachel Powers.