We’re excited to introduce this week’s Event 360 Teammate Spotlight. Enjoy a glimpse into the personal and professional life of Erin De Baets!
Position: Social Media Coordinator for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day®
Start Year: 2009
What job did you hold right before you came to work at Event 360? – Mine is a qualified answer, because it’s the same job I still hold while working at Event 360: full time mom to my two awesome daughters. I’ve also worked part-time as a teacher’s assistant and tutor.
Was there anything in particular that brought you to Event 360? – I like to think it was some combination of fate, luck, good karma, and the fact that I’ve been a participant in the Komen 3-Day for years, so Event 360 was on my radar for a while. One of the earliest memories I have on the 3-Day® was seeing the tour staff at work on event—their professionalism, passion, sense of fun—and thinking, “I’m going to work there some day.” Years later, positions opened up for part-time 3-Day coaches, and a friend-of-a-friend who worked for the company suggested I apply. I did without hesitation.
If you weren’t working at Event 360 what would you be doing? – Probably crying a lot. And continuing to stay in contact with the amazing people who still worked there. But, since I’d also have to pay my bills and whatnot, I’d probably pursue social media work elsewhere in the event fundraising space. Either that, or I’d go after a career in writing and/or teaching English, but like I said, I’d need to pay my bills…
Favorite part of your job? – First, I’d again reference the amazing people from my last answer. My Event 360 teammates have become some of the most cherished friends I’ve ever known, and to get to work alongside such incredibly smart, driven, and caring people is truly a gift. Aside from that, I love working in social media, which is so fast-paced and constantly changing. I really embrace the challenge of keeping up with the social conversations and trends. There is never a dull moment. And, the fact that I get to work in this dynamic field on a project like the 3-Day, which has been such a huge part of my life, personally, for well over a decade, is an amazing bonus.
What do you like to do in your free time? – Being a mom means there’s not a lot of free time to speak of, but that’s okay, because hanging with my daughters (16 and 11) is one of my favorite things to do anyway. Beyond that, I’ve really gotten into running in the past year, and hope to complete my first half marathon this spring. I also am a proud, self-proclaimed nerd, and I can often be found at local pub trivia games or immersing myself in books, movies and TV, websites and anything else that feeds my pop culture addiction.
Most memorable event experience? – Too many to choose from. I get to hear and share stories from 3-Day participants as part of our on-event blog/social media presence, and making those connections—which sometimes only last a few minutes, but always leave a powerful and lasting impact on me—has truly been a gift. I had the immense pleasure of working on every 3-Day event in 2014, and every single one gave me experiences I will never forget, which have profoundly affected me as a person. I know there are a lot of people out there who love what they do, but how many can say that their jobs shape them into better human beings?
You’re showing off your hometown to a friend who has never been to visit before. What’s on your must see/do/eat list? – I’ve lived in Los Angeles for almost 20 years, but recently moved to a new part of town, so I’d probably just make my out-of-town visitor tag along while I continue exploring my new neighborhood, discovering fun little parks, shops, restaurants and bars. If time and money are no object, of course we’ll also hit up Disneyland, because: Disneyland. One thing I will NOT do is take my guest to the beach. At the risk of having my Californian card revoked, I’m not a fan of the beach.
On event, what three things are we guaranteed to find in your bag? – My computer, for all that blogging and such; phone charger, for social media-ing on the go; sunscreen that I’m definitely going to forget to put on (sorry, Mom).
One word to describe Event 360? – Scrumtrulescent.
