At Saviynt, we’re incredibly proud of our award-winning team and the hard work they do creating and deploying our smart, identity-driven enterprise solutions. Not only do we like bragging about their unmatched problem-solving and customer experience skills — we also love discovering the downtime adventures they share with family, friends, and loved ones.
In Saviynt’s Employee Spotlight series, we get up close and personal with members of our brilliant global team to find out more about how they tackle challenges, pursue excellence, and enjoy the journey on and off the clock.
Meet Stephanie Thompson
Stephanie is a Senior Program Manager in the Professional Services Central Region. In this role, she heads up Saviynt lead implementations, partners with Project Managers across Professional Services to establish a PMO for North America, and supports Practice Directors and leadership teams with weekly and monthly status reporting.
How did you get started in your present career?
One of the attributes I appreciate as a project manager is the opportunity it‘s given me to work in various industries — from Telecommunications to Financial Services. I was introduced to Saviynt while working for one of their customers. The Saviynt team and product led me to pursue a new opportunity here.
How did you adapt to the extra work-related stresses that stemmed from the pandemic?
The pandemic of course induced stress in both our work and personal lives. Balancing work responsibilities and family needs was an unprecedented challenge. One of the greatest assets was the support and grace extended by Saviynt leadership. With all commitments and other obligations canceled, I also learned to really appreciate long walks and family activities that we were able to enjoy as we sheltered at home.
How do you define success?
In the workplace, leading project teams that are focused on delighting the customer is my definition of success. A team that understands project deliverables, understands and executes on their roles — and holds each other accountable.
In an increasingly remote workplace, what advice do you have on how to make virtual meetings and calls more effective?
I think “Cameras On” is an ideal scenario, but for several reasons that may not always work. As facilitator of video and virtual meetings, I believe it’s important to take a pulse of the attendees. I have a checklist that I think through before closing a meeting to evaluate participation in the meeting. If there are attendees that haven’t participated, I may directly ask for input or comment on the meeting discussion. At the end of the call, I try to allow enough time for a roundtable to make sure each resource has had an opportunity to ask questions or provide comment.
What do you do in your free time?
Spending time with my family is my favorite thing to do, and that involves watching a lot of sports. College athletics are my favorite, and I’m a big fan of the University of Kansas. I enjoy reading a terrific book (historical fiction is my preferred genre) or hiking in the Ozark Mountains of Northwest Arkansas. Unwinding with an episode of The Crown or Ted Lasso is also on my list of favorite things to do.
What’s a fun fact about you that not many people know?
I was a foreign exchange student in Germany, living with a host family and going to a German school for one month. Being immersed in a different culture and language was a pivotal experience for me. The lessons I learned simply can’t be taught in a classroom. It’s made me a strong advocate for study-abroad opportunities for all students.
What would you say to someone who is considering working at Saviynt?
Saviynt is a great place to start or continue your career. As an individual at Saviynt, you have the capability to make a direct impact. It’s exciting to be part of a team that is developing and supporting the leading cloud-based identity governance and administration (IGA) application.
