Kelly N.

Q: Who are you? Where are you from?

A:  I’m Kelly (she/her/hers), and I was born and raised in Greater Boston. While I’ve lived in both Western MA and Los Angeles for several years at a time, I’ve been back in Eastern Massachusetts since 2014.

Q: What’s your background? What did you do before Modulate?

A: I studied Art Education and Art History at UMass Amherst and, after a stint in Americorps, spent three years as a K-8 art educator. I later began a career in nonprofit fundraising where I secured and stewarded major donations from individuals and corporations for organizations such as Zoo New England, City Year, and Planned Parenthood. I also provided fundraising consulting services to a number of small grassroots nonprofit organizations.

Q: Why are you joining Modulate?

A: It’s always been important to me to work with a team that is dedicated to improving our world. As the mother of a kid who is already a young gamer, I have a very personal stake in wanting to reduce toxicity in gaming and help create a safer environment for all players.

Q: What’s your ideal work environment? Any special strategies you use to stay effective?

A: I like a comfortable and casual environment where people can be flexible while still working towards shared goals. In terms of workflow, I like when processes and documentation are thoughtfully developed to help keep the ship moving forward. I was also happy to discover that my teammates at Modulate also share my love of a good task management system!

Q: Tell us about something you must have in any culture you join?

A: Transparency and open communication.

Q: Who are you outside of work?

A: I enjoy spending time with my family going to museums or other kid-friendly activities. I’m also a comedy nerd and have been published on a few humor and satire websites. Civic engagement is important to me - I’ve served on a local board for my city and have helped with the vote curing process in tight races as a virtual volunteer. When it comes to gaming, we got an Oculus Quest this year, so I’ve been exploring the world of VR games and am looking forward to learning about new games through my work at Modulate.

Q: What’s something you’re great at that few people realize?

A: In high school I was the Greater Boston League champion for javelin throwing. 

Q: Leave us with a fun tidbit - a favorite joke, a story from your past, an obscure riddle, whatever you like!

A: For all the 90s Nickelodeon kids out there: “What's weightless, can be seen by the naked eye, and if put in a barrel, will make it lighter?"