Newly appointed Director of Customer Success & Program Manager Laura Backhaus’ origin story started in the far away land of the east coast – Connecticut to be exact, also known as the land of really tasty lobster rolls (the kind served warm with a buttery sauce, NOT with mayo).
Laura studied at Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, South Dakota. She started with an interest in elementary education and later shifted her studies to the nursing program. Throughout her professional career she has gained knowledge from sales in the beauty industry, working in an emergency room, operating a CSA farm, and last but not least, working on project management in the software industry. Her path has not only given her diverse spread of technical hard skills, but also huge strengths in interpersonal soft skills.
“To love and know people is my greatest passion,” Laura says “I believe that the soft skills are what give the edge in this career.” You may be wondering, what else does she have up her sleeve? She shares, “there is the real secret sauce of daily prayer over my jobs, team, clients and day.”
How did we manage to attract this powerhouse? Laura heard about us through a good friend she had previously worked with as project manager, specifically during the growth of a small software company. “Once I spoke with the team here at Codelation, I knew I was in my zone and here we are growing again,” Laura exclaims, “These are exciting times here at Codelation.”
Laura is a wife and mother of almost 7 adorable kids and two Airedale Terriers named Zeus and Xena! Being from Connecticut, she grew up in a very different environment from the Midwestern farmlands. She could go swimming in the ocean, attend a Lobster Fest, and all sorts of other neat things not found in North Dakota. When they decided to settle near Bismarck, Laura went into a Barnes and Noble and spotted The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery on display. Laura cites this huge book as something that helped her learn the ropes of living out in the country. She now is a self-sufficient living aficionado! |
What can you find Laura doing outside of work? If the season is right, you’ll most likely spot her barefoot in the garden tending to some of her favorites- Swiss chard, kale, cabbage, tomatoes, sweet corn, and green peppers! She also is a worship leader, loves playing the piano, and enjoys collecting eggs from their chickens.
We’re very excited to welcome Laura and have her join our growing team of awesome nerds. We can’t wait to see how she helps Codelation and our clients succeed this year!