Quick Takes: Heidi’s Secret to Staying Organized & More
It takes a truly organized and efficient person to steer the projects on our never-slowing-down ship. For that, we have Heidi Basso, our Director of Project Management, to thank.
Bringing nearly 20 years of project management experience to the table, Heidi is the master of workflows and keeps the creative, account, media, and digital teams at CCA on track and on budget without breaking a sweat. Anyone who knows her will tell you she’s consistently “cool as a cucumber,” and with deadlines like ours, that’s a gift.
So without further ado, meet Heidi!
Your college & major:
Oswego State University, Major in Communications
How many years doing what you do:
I have been in project management since I returned from maternity leave, 14 years (yikes!)
Your favorite thing about working in higher ed:
I love the potential. College is such an exciting time! Students are learning, growing, and developing who they will be. There is so much opportunity within higher education.
One word to describe the CCA team:
Talented
Most memorable professional advice you’ve received:
Give it your all and don’t be afraid to ask questions. When I started in project management, I didn’t have any formal training, so I learned everything I know from self-training and experience. I put everything into learning the role and I asked a bunch of questions along the way.
Your secret to staying organized:
Write everything down. I go through so many notebooks! I have “to do” lists for everything. Without my lists, I am a very forgetful person (which doesn’t work well in my position!).
Special CCA memory:
Getting together in person the summer of 2021. We met at a local restaurant with a very cute outdoor space, where we finally got to see each other for the first time in almost a year. It was so great to catch up with everyone at a really great location and just be together.
What you missed most when the pandemic led us all to WFH:
Seeing the team. Not only do we work great together, but we are a close group. I missed hearing stories about each other’s families over coffee and laughing about the pranks Dan plays on Jay. Zoom calls are great, but they aren’t as good as face-to-face time together.
How the CCA team would describe you:
Upbeat (?). I try to always have a smile on my face, even when faced with a crisis. I need to keep a level head and make sure things are getting done on time and on budget, so staying positive is the best way to do that, while keeping my teammates happy (and willing to do the work!) in the process.
Last place you traveled to:
I last went to Connecticut for my best friend’s wedding. It was a lovely wedding right on the beach. It’s been great being able to take small trips to reconnect with family and friends.
Favorite restaurant(s) in the Capital Region:
I love Lo Porto, which is right around the corner from the office. Delicious Italian food, just like my great grandmother used to make!
Latest TV show obsession:
Anything true crime! We just finished Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel. It was an interesting yet sad story.
Fun fact about you:
I love funky AirBNBs. My husband and I once stayed in a tiny treehouse in the woods of Vermont, with a built-in cedar hot tub!