You may have noticed that WiLS has some new faces among its staff. We are excited to grow our skills and improve our services by bringing new members into our team while also leveraging the experience and strengths that our existing team contributes. In the coming months, we will be sharing a little more about WiLS staff members, both new and experienced, in their own words.
This month, we talk with WiLS Financial Coordinator and WiLS’ prodigal daughter, Lisa Marten.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I was born and raised in little Lake Mills, Wisconsin. I grew up vacationing, enjoying a swim in our pool, and hanging out with our pup, Tippy. I went to college at UW-Madison and received a BS in Theatre & Drama. During my freshman year, I started working for WiLS as an ILL scanner and made my way up to work with the cooperative purchasing team in a more administrative role. I continued my vacationing by visiting friends and family all over the country – North Carolina, Texas, and Washington! I worked for WiLS until 2017, when I needed a change of scenery (mostly change of weather!) and moved to the Seattle area. I worked a short while for a winery, then devoted my time as an Operations & Financial Coordinator for a non-profit in the STEM industry. I also decided to pursue a second Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, which should be completed by June 2020. This past April, I rejoined the WiLS team (I just couldn’t stay away from these awesome people). I now live in Woodinville, Washington with my adorable fluff ball, Nox. She is the craziest yet sweetest kitty who enjoys a good snuggle (but only on her terms!). In my limited free time, you’ll catch me putting together jigsaw puzzles, watching tv, reading a good book, vacationing to Montana or back to Wisconsin, or exploring the many wineries and breweries my new neighborhood has to offer!
What do you do in your role at WiLS?
I am the Financial Coordinator for WiLS. On top of basic financial duties, I work with members and vendors if there are any invoicing issues. I also work with an amazing administrative team to ensure WiLS is running effectively and efficiently! My favorite part of my job is reconciling various budgets and investigating any discrepancies.
Why did you make the decision to do this job?
There were a lot of factors that led me back to WiLS. I felt there was a lack of opportunity with my prior organization and there was some turnover at WiLS. After talking with WiLS’ Director Stef Morrill, we decided it would be a great opportunity for me to work in a more financial-based role at WiLS.
If money or capacity were no concern, what WiLS service would you implement or expand?
Jigsaw puzzle library. It actually wouldn’t cost much, just the space on a bookshelf! A small library in Whitefish, Montana does just this and I think it’s the coolest service ever (partially because I am such a puzzle nerd!).
What are you listening to or watching or reading right now that’s making you think?
Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty. Supposedly it’s a thriller, but I’m not that far yet. It follows nine people as they attend a health spa retreat and focuses on the way they transform during the retreat. The characters are extremely relatable and I find that I put myself into their shoes and wonder how I’d react in their situations.
What do you see as a significant opportunity for our members in the next ten years?
Everything is going digital, so I feel like ebooks and audiobooks will still be big, but I’m curious what will come next – how will ebooks and audiobooks progress and get better?
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
If you’re ever in or near Seattle, let me know! I’d love to give some recommendations of this awesome area.
Lisa is awesome and we are so happy she’s back with the WiLS family. Want to connect with her? You can! Send her an email at lmarten@wils.org.