Greetings
Best Bullwinkle impression you've ever heard in your life. Passionate about good cheese, technology, and communication (not in any particular order). I am currently a software tester at a Nashville consulting firm. Every day I get to find bugs, solve problems, and have a lot of fun doing so. Outside my technology consulting career, I am a published food writer and poet. Find me at a tiki bar or any Nashville venue for live music.
Frieda
Experience
Three years ago, I was introduced to technology consulting and never looked back. I have had the pleasure to gain experience in various industries (e.g. health care, tax, retail) while holding roles as a business analyst and software tester (QA).
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May 2018 - Current
Business Consultant / QA Tester
As a QA tester at InfoWorks, I work directly with developers to test custom software for a large tax client. On a typical day I develop and excute test cases, write and run SQL queries required for testing, report bugs, and perform business analyst activites within Agile sprints (e.g. requirements, sprint planning, design meetings).
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August 2016 - April 2018
Experienced Business Consultant (Customer Experience)
For my 2 years at West Monroe Partners I worked out of the Chicago office as a consultant in the Customer Experience (CX) Strategy practice area. I worked on a variety of technology projects as a business analyst and gained project management experience from running various workstreams.
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May 2015 - August 2015
Business Consultant Intern (Customer Experience)
During my internship, I worked iteratively with our client and project manager on a user experience project where I produced a report cataloging the entire current-state functionality of two e-commerce websites. I was then offered a full-time position.
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May 2014 - August 2014
Retail Growth Intern
During my time at True Value I utilized Photoshop to produce graphics and informational fact sheets for the Retail Growth department.
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Jan. 2016 - April 2016
Researcher for Syracuse University Capstone Project
Launch CNY (previously "Learning Disabilities Association of Central New York" or "LDACNY")
For this class project, my partner and I assisted the client by conducting semester-long market research for a possible rebrand.
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Sept. 2013 - May 2016
Managing Editor
In this role, I oversaw the magazine from start to print, from story pitches to copy editing. Although I focused more on the written portion of the magazine (editing), I was also involved with overall design and recipe selection. As Managing Editor, I was also responsible for managing the budget for photoshoots and printing.
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Sept. 2013 - May 2016
Radio DJ
I was a DJ for a weekly radio show where my co-hosts and I played and reviewed music, reviewed local concerts, promoted new artists and discussed current events in the music world. Please ask me about this!
Skills
The benefit of earning two B.S. degrees was obtaining a balance of skillsets: my communications degree provides soft skills (e.g. public speaking, business communication) while my IT degree provides hard skills (e.g. SQL, technical documentation).
Education
Excelling in school while balancing my creative outlets has been a rewarding but challenging experience. I graduated high school and college Summa Cum Laude.
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Fall 2012 - Spring 2016
Public Relations @ Newhouse Information Management & Technology @ the iSchool
As a dual major, I graduated SU with a 4.0 GPA from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and the School of Information Studies (iSchool). I was a member of the Kappa Tau Alpha National Honor Society in Journalism and Mass Communication and received The Amy Everett Award for Ethics in Information Management at graduation. I was a Dean's List student for every semester at both schools.
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Fall 2008 - Spring 2012
High School Diploma
Whitney M. Young Magnet High School
Whitney Young is a selective enrollment "test in" school in the city of Chicago. USA News ranked it as the third best public school in the city. My long commute to and from school each day paid off with a great education and a 4.0 GPA!
Frieda is, in a word, tenacious. I have never seen her daunted by a task. Regardless of business pressures. Frieda is always ready to take ownership on a task. She has worked overtime to address issues outside ordinary QA expectations to meet a hotfix release or deadline.
-Tyler Fluegel, Developer at Client
"Positive, engaging and always willing to go the extra mile. Frieda is a key member of any team."
-Johan Erik Lallerstedt, Videographer at Baked Magazine
Coming Soon! Send me a quote if you've worked with me!
-Anon
Published Work
In and outside college I explored my passion for writing and was published in over 5 publications. Please see below for some writing samples.
July 2016
Chicago Food Magazine:"A Day On Devon"
Before starting full time work after school, I wrote a piece for CFM on the Chicago neighborhood I grew up in and highlighted the rich South Asian food and culture of "Little India." Please click the above title to read.
Spring 2015 Issue
Baked Magazine: "Sweet Nothings"
I pitched and wrote this two-page spread for Baked Magazine comparing health benefits of five natural sweeteners. As Managing Editor, I also oversaw the accompanying photo shoot. Please click the above title to read.
Spring 2013 Issue
Equal Time Magazine: "Sushi Safe"
My freshman year at SU, I wanted to write for as many publications as possible. I researched sources for this short article on the safety concerns related to eating sushi. Please click the above title to read.
Fall 2014
Baked Magazine: "Oil and Vinegar Check"
As Managing Editor of Baked, I pitched and wrote this article which breaks down different types of oil and vinegar, encouraging readers to experiment with more flavors in the kitchen. Recipe suggestions included! Please click the above title to read.
March 2013 Issue
JERK Magazine: Music Review of "Ducktails' The Flower Lane"
Other than food and health, I really love writing and blogging about music. In this short review for JERK, one of SU's most recognized magazines, I reviewed a newly released alternative rock album. Please click the above title to read.
Fall 2013
Baked Magazine: "What Lies in Pumpkin Spice"
When I was a Senior Editor at Baked, I wrote this light-hearted (and a bit snarky) piece on what exactly the fall-favorite flavor "pumpkin spice" tastes like. I argue that we associate this festive syrup with the spices (cinnamon/nutmeg/cloves), and not necessarily the meat of a pumpkin which tastes similar to an acorn squash! Read on page 6-7. Please click the above title to read.
March 2016
The Daily Orange: "Letter to the Editor"
The "DO" was one of the first college papers to become fully independent from its parent college and has an online circulation of 20,000. In this Letter to the Editor, I expressed my feelings on the conflicting time schedules for my two schools' convocations. Please click the above title to read.
March 2016
Company Blog: "How to Love your Job - Surprising Inspiration from a Disney Short Film"
For my first blog post working at West Monroe Partners, I wrote about work culture and enjoying the consulting experience. Please click the above title to read.
April 2018
Company Blog: "5 Tips for Wearing (& Rocking) Your New Hat In a 'Stretch Role'"
For my last blog post working at West Monroe Partners, I documented tips owning a "stretch role" on a consulting project. Please click the above title to read.