Events Manager Rebecca Swan has always worked and thrived in non-traditional work settings. After 10 years in the sports and entertainment industry, Rebecca moved into event planning, where she enjoys being able to travel—and not being glued to a desk all day. A member of Gaggle’s Marketing team, Rebecca helps organize event appearances and materials for our stellar Sales team as well as the internal events that make Gaggle such a fun place to work.
Start date: April 6, 2020
We asked Rebecca five questions to get to know a little more about her and her time with Gaggle. Here’s what she had to say:
What are three words to describe Gaggle?
- Caring: Everyone at Gaggle cares about the mission and their own role in ensuring the safety and well-being of students. It’s easy to come to work, do your job, and love the people you work with when there’s a greater purpose.
- Informative: At Gaggle, we want all schools to be safe and all students to get the mental and emotional help they need—this is our vision. Our job on the Marketing team is to get the word out about who we are and what we do so we can help support more students. Being informative through our webinars, virtual and in-person events, podcasts, and various other projects helps spread our message further. We want the whole world to know about Gaggle!
- Fun: I jokingly tell people that my unofficial title is the Director of Fun! I love planning (and participating in!) virtual happy hours, step challenges, and trivia nights.
What drew you to Gaggle?
I had previously collaborated with some fellow Gagglers while working for another EdTech company, and they told me about the company and the role. I originally majored in early childhood education and ended up graduating with a degree in sports management, but my love for kids and teaching is still alive. When I knew I’d be helping save kids, working for Gaggle was a no-brainer.
What have you gained from working at Gaggle?
Recognizing and prioritizing my mental health. Event planning is fun, but it is consistently included in rankings of top stressful jobs. Sometimes you have to work late, sometimes you have to work on the weekends, and sometimes your day is full of meetings with no time to dive into the many emails and requests that came in. It can get busy and hectic, so knowing when to close my computer is important.
Taking the time after work to go outside and walk the greenway, where I can be free and de-stress, is very important to me. This time out in nature gives me time to unwind and reflect—and sometimes sing and dance on the trail! I also make it a point to smile or wave at every person I pass because you never know how good or bad their day has been. If I can be that one positive aspect in their day, that makes me happy. I was out one day this past summer, and someone stopped me to say they had seen me out on the trail every day—and if I could do it, they could do it. It was very inspirational because I’d had a hard time motivating myself to get out and walk on that particular day.
What is your proudest moment at Gaggle?
When we were finally able to return to in-person events and had our first table at our first event since the lockdowns began! I received a picture of the table with our tablecloth and banner, and I just thought, “Yay! Finally!!” It felt so good after months and months of doing everything virtually to have the team back out and having conversations with people—in the same room—to spread our message.
What is your favorite memory at Gaggle?
Planning and hosting virtual trivia events for the Gaggle staff! Even though we all work remotely, it’s a nice way to come together with coworkers, play a game, and have a fun evening. I love researching and coming up with questions, seeing the fun team names, and watching all the trash-talking (in good spirit!!) in the chat as everyone competes to win bragging rights. I also loved planning our first Marketing team meeting in Boston in June 2021, which was my first time seeing and meeting some of my teammates in person. And as a big “Cheers” fan, I especially loved paying a visit to the bar used in the show—the Bull & Finch Pub in Beacon Hill.
“I originally majored in early childhood education and ended up graduating with a degree in sports management, but my love for kids and teaching is still alive. When I knew I’d be helping save kids, working for Gaggle was a no-brainer.”
It’s a stressful job, but Rebecca always does it with a smile. “The work we do at Gaggle is serious, so it’s important to me for my coworkers to have a fun outlet,” she shared. Her efforts are crucial when it comes to in-person events, companywide gatherings, and our popular webinars—including a recent event that featured Dr. Drew Pinsky and Dr. Lisa Strohman. Be sure to visit our Events page to see what else Rebecca has planned!
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