Welcome back to Beyond the Data, a curious series that investigates the people behind the talent of phData.
In this article, we’re featuring Allyse Fristo, who joined phData as a Service Delivery Manager.
Allyse loves learning, solving complex problems, being outdoors, exploring new ideas, and cooking & eating delicious food. And I’m not kidding about the food. Allyse is arguably the best cook at phData. I’ve personally had the privilege of sampling some of the pure ambrosia that comes out of her kitchen when she brought some homemade bread to the office.
I’ve also literally caught myself drooling over the food pictures she shares in the #foodie Slack channel.
In addition to being an excellent cook, Allyse is really good at her job. Like really good.
“Allyse’s attention to detail and positive attitude is so valuable to our team” – #shoutout Slack channel.
With that, let’s learn more about Allyse, especially regarding what she does at phData and a peek behind her culinary interest.
Tell us your name, where you’re from, and a little about you.
My name is Allyse Fristo. I am a curious person by nature; interested in cognitive psychology, neuroscience, complexity science, human physiology/health, systems engineering, and philosophy.
My background is in nutritional neuroscience research, I am pursuing my Master’s of Systems Engineering, and ventured into the world of data science about a year and a half ago.
I enjoy sourcing/making/eating good food, reading, and having quality conversations and ideas that stretch my thinking.
What do you actually do in any given day as a Service Delivery Manager?
A Service Delivery Manager wears many hats, and the work varies depending on the client as well as over the course of a given project. One main aspect of the role is understanding and distilling customer requirements to ensure that the efforts we are making are in line with the needs of the project.
Another fundamental aspect of the SDM role is ensuring the delivery team has all the requisite information and resources needed for their work. This consists of identifying/remediating any blockers, assessing any access or other logistical needs, maintaining both a narrow and broad perspective on daily tasks as well as the overall direction of the project, among many other things.
How do you like working for a consulting company?
Working for a consulting company facilitates a wide range of experiences in a variety of ways. From a human perspective, it provides an opportunity to work with many different people, in many different kinds of work environments. For me, this has been incredibly valuable in learning how to work best with unique work cultures as well as a mixture of personalities.
I’ve learned a great deal about how to listen, orient myself to changing circumstances, and adapt accordingly, which has proven to be invaluable thus far.
Additionally, the regular influx of variety in work is something I quite enjoy. As humans, we often do not adapt unless prompted to do so by changing the requirements of our environment. I’m keenly aware of my own predisposition towards this, so working for a company that by its very nature consists of a variety of experiences has been excellent.
What separates phData from other jobs you’ve had?
It’s often not what is being done, but rather how it is done. The process is critical, this is a fundamental principle both in Systems Engineering as well as in many aspects of life.
One of the most notable differentiators of phData is the culture. Questioning, curiosity, new ideas, and active discussion are widespread at every level. This seems subtle but is a critical distinction from organizations and people who succeed when events proceed as expected (which given sufficient time, proves to be a fallacy) vs. those who thrive in a changing landscape (ie, reality).
Outside of work, what's your life like? What do you do for fun?
Outside of work, I spend a good deal of my time pursuing my Master’s of Systems Engineering. Aside from that, I thoroughly enjoy reading, a good cup of coffee/tea, exercising, spending time outdoors, and cooking for myself and/or people I love.
What is your favorite thing to cook?
An impossible question! If I had to choose, I’d say that bread, homemade pasta, a nicely seared steak, or a juicy roast would be my top picks.
Where's the next place you'd like to travel to and what would be the first thing you'd do there?
At the time of writing this, I’m preparing to go to Puerto Rico in a few days. I am very much looking forward to the sun, enjoying great food and coffee, rucking in the mountains, and reading on the beach.
Want to work alongside Allyse?
Our team is growing! Check out our job board to see our current openings.
