Member Spotlights
Want to get more value from your membership and learn more about other BayState IO-ers?
Nominate yourself or someone you know for a membership spotlight! You’ll get a chance to share more about yourself, your projects, and raise your profile in our growing community.
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Take a look at our past Member Spotlights on this page to learn more about your fellow IOs and make some new connections.
Brandy Dupper-Macy
I/O PhD Student at Capella University
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandy-dupper-macy/
Email: brandy.duppermacy@gmail.com
My professional journey has been diverse - from working in the US Air Force as an Air Traffic Controller and Public Affairs Specialist to spending over a decade leading fundraising, events, and marketing in the nonprofit sector to working at a startup staffing agency. I am currently pursuing my PhD in Industrial Organizational Psychology at Capella University. Professionally I am between companies as I was impacted by a reduction in force. I am looking to take my acquired skills and knowledge and pivot into a change management or consulting role. In my free time, I love spending time with my family, hiking, and enjoying yummy food. Please feel free to reach out - I love meeting other IOs and am always happy to connect.
Aaron Kraus
Senior Director of HR for Technology, Data Science, and Innovation at Vertex Pharmaceuticals
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronjkraus/
Email: Aaron_Kraus@vrtx.com
I built my career as a practitioner of I/O Psychology at Liberty Mutual Insurance where I started in traditional I/O roles (e.g., selection, assessment, job analysis, and employee experience/listening) before shifting to be an HR Business Partner and eventually the VP of HR for US Commercial and Specialty Insurance. I have a passion for leading change and my doctoral dissertation, which I’m preparing to defend, is an applied longitudinal study evaluating an intervention to improve the feedback environment in a technology organization. Consistent with this theme, I recently made the jump from a 110-year-old insurance company to Vertex Pharmaceuticals where I am supporting the Data, Technology, and Innovation functions as they evolve to enable a rapidly growing company. I’m grateful for the support, expertise, and guidance of this exceptional community and look forward to connecting with more folks this year!
Lynn Larson
Assistant Director of Business & Project Management at Harvard Division of Continuing Education
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynnadlarsen/
Email: Lynn_Larsen@fas.harvard.edu
At the Harvard Division of Continuing Education, I help manage the master’s degree programs in Management, Finance, and Industrial-Organizational Psychology, working on course offerings and program design. I just started work on my DBA degree, and I plan to do research in the area of well-being at work. A healthy work/life balance is very important to me, and I enjoy taking walks and playing with my dog, Teddy Bear, and sometimes we even let my husband, Troy, join in. I’m excited to be a new member of this community and can’t wait to contribute and learn from everyone!
Rachel Slayton
Talent Strategy Consultant at Community FoodBank of New Jersey
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-slayton/
Email: rachelslayton1@gmail.com
Rachel is an organizational development consultant and HR practitioner. She specializes in talent strategy consulting, recruiting, and project management and has worked with a diverse range of organizations including early-stage startups, non-profits, and higher education institutions. She holds a B.A. in Psychology and Anthropology from Brandeis University and a M.A. in Organizational Psychology from William James College. She loves making connections and building community, so please don't hesitate to reach out or connect with her on LinkedIn!
Devin Stack - VP of Membership
People Analytics at Takeda
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devintstack/
Devin focuses on supporting HR professionals leverage analytics in their roles. His work helps leaders understand the impact of HR practices on business outcomes. He is interested in collaborating on projects related to coaching, mentoring, and job-seeking for IO Psychology professionals.
Jacquie Gordon - VP of Marketing & Communication
Change Management Lead at Veolia
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacqueline-gordon/
Email Contact: jacquie.gordon8@gmail.com
Throughout my career, I have navigated diverse organizational structures and cultures, leading cross-functional teams through change and uncertainty, and have had significant exposure to organizational ineffectiveness. These experiences, combined with my deep interest in individual and group motivation, have led me to a Change Management Lead position at a large environmental services company called Veolia. My interest in the intersection between business and human behavior has also driven me to pursue my IO master’s degree at Harvard Extension School, where I love learning about IO frameworks and practical theories.
I recently moved to the Boston area, and am excited to be a part of the BayState community. Please feel free to reach out and connect.
Brianna (Bri) Hoffner
Program Lead at Bamboo Rose
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briannahoffner/
Email Contact: briannahoffner@gmail.com
With a background in Human Resources, I obtained my MS in IO Psychology and transitioned into the Management Consulting field within the tech industry. Through my experiences, I've discovered a passion for applying principles of IO Psych within a Project Management capacity.
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I enjoy bringing IO visibility into non-traditionally IO fields and am currently working on obtaining a PM certification to tie that together with the application of Change Management. I also love working with surveys, assessments, and focus groups to draw out a qualitative perspective on employee data. Feel free to reach out and connect!
Ryan McCreedy
Principal, Org Effectiveness at Slalom Consulting
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-tw-mccreedy/
Email Contact: ryan.mccreedy@slalom.com
Ryan loves exploring the intersections of psychology, neuroscience, and organizational systems in his doctoral work at William James College, consulting engagements at Slalom, and teaching support/research at Harvard Extension School - and traveling the world and eating his way through Boston with his fiance Hannah. Currently he is engaged in uncovering neurological predictors of team effectiveness and the developmental psychology of AI impacts on the workforce.
Cara Mazzucco
Research Associate at Harvard Business School
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caramazzucco/
Email Contact: cara.mazzucco@gmail.com
Inspired by the recent SIOP conference, I've been mulling over my next career step lately. If anyone else is interested in the intersection of I-O consulting, research, and coaching, I would welcome hearing from you and sharing our experiences!
After several years as a manager/coach of a business analytics team at Liberty Mutual Insurance, I grew interested in the strategy and research behind management -- like how best to motivate, engage and compensate employees. So, that led me to my current job doing research with an Organizational Behavior professor, Ethan Bernstein. I’ve loved my time at HBS and at Liberty Mutual, and should anyone be interested in chatting more about these employers, let me know. Recently, I have been mulling over how I can apply all of these skills (research, analysis/consulting, and coaching) going forward, especially now that I have my Master’s in I-O. If anyone is interested in the intersection of these fields too, I would welcome hearing from you and sharing our experiences.
I'm a bit of a jack-of-all-trades in the people analytics space. Most of my experience is in internal consulting, but I currently work with external clients to elevate survey data analytics with additional data sources such as employee attrition, performance, and passive data. My favorite part of working in people analytics has been getting deep into the coding space where I've enjoyed learning to functionalize and scale analytics and develop interactive analytics experiences with Rshiny. Currently, I'm focused on expanding my coding and analytics skills by learning Python and more advanced machine-learning techniques. If any of these topics are also interesting to you, please don't hesitate to reach out!
Greg Wilson
Assistant Director of Senior Services / Wellesley Council on Aging
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorywilson0683/
Email Contact: g.wilson0683@gmail.com
What do you currently do as a professional IO?
Although my position at the Council on Aging is not centered around I/O Psychology, I am able to apply I/O practices in my organization. While much of my day-to-day work is with finances, transportation, and managing staff, I have been able to do a significant amount of work in change management as well. Much of this involves conducting trainings for staff and volunteers, creating and documenting departmental processes, and working with surveys and survey data to shape our programing.
Additionally, outside of the Council on Aging I am currently consulting for Dunamis, a nonprofit in Boston that offers arts management services and training for artists of color. I have worked with them on numerous projects around offer letter templates, staff development programs, and performance reviews. It’s been a great experience so far, and I hope to continue working with them on other Human Resources projects.
How long have you been a member of Baystate IO?
I have been a member of Baystate IO for about three years.
What is your favorite part of being a member of Baystate IO?
My favorite part of being a member of Baystate IO is being able to connect with other people in the field. In Massachusetts, it sometimes feels as if there are not many people with an IO background in the workforce, so it’s great to have a way to help make those connections.
When you are not working, what do you enjoy doing in your free time?
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When I am not working, I’m usually out hiking or running when the weather allows for it. Otherwise, I’m relaxing at home while watching a show, playing videogames, or reading a book. I also love to sing in my band, Petrichor. Unfortunately, we have not had much of a chance to get together lately due to the pandemic, but we’re making plans for more performances ASAP!
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What can other BayState IO members reach out to you for?
If anyone is interested in working with surveys or performance evaluation processes in their organizations, I would be more than happy to chat! I’ve learned how to blend I/O practices into my daily work and organizations I have worked for, which is one of the many reasons why I love this field so much!