If you’ve been keeping up with our updates across the past couple of months, you’ll be aware we had a fair bit of shuffling around in 2023 when it came to GMs. And with our new UK GM, Lina (who goes by Leens), now fully settled into the West London office after moving over from Aus in Summer, we thought it was about time that we give her a proper introduction on the Notes from HQ blog.
As well as making a pact with herself to visit no restaurant twice while in London, Leens is also hoping to catch a glimpse of some proper snow while here – for the first time ever. So join us in keeping your fingers crossed for some over the next couple of months!
Now over to Leens to tell you a little more...
What drew you to Elevate and what has your time here looked like so far?
I presented in Australia as part of the WA team back in 2015 for three years before I moved to the full-time team in Sydney as Operations Manager. From then I moved into the BDM/Program Coordinator role, then Head of B2B Growth and Delivery. In my 7th year in April 2022, I became the Aus GM which eventually brought me here in August 2023!
What drew me to Elevate? I always knew I wanted to do something that would have a positive social impact while working in a dynamic, fast-paced environment with awesome people I could learn a lot from. When I was presenting, being able to see such a clear constant link between the work we do and the difference it can make to kids’, teachers and parents’ lives and futures in the classroom and beyond is what drew me to the education space. And, as everyone at Elevate can attest to, the awesome people, the high-performance culture, and the fact that you always have the opportunity to keep learning and growing, is what’s kept me around for so long.
What degree did you study?
I studied Law and Political Science & International Relations before pulling a hard left away from a career in International Law. Never lookin’ back.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
My favourite bit of professional advice that I’ve come across is that if you find a workplace that aligns with your personal values, then you won’t work a day in your life. For me, three intersect with Elevate: growth, impact, and connection. On one hand, I love that the dynamic environment brings the thrill of a constant challenge – I’m always pushed to learn and develop myself and others. On the other, it’s the joy of managing a team who are intelligent, driven, and diverse – who are connected to a common goal and mission but who also know how to have a heap of fun.
What is your hidden talent that no-one in the office knows about?
I make a mean Spotify playlist… till the AI bots took that away from me. I can also speak pig-Latin.
Go-to karaoke song?
Gold Digger by Kanye West
Favourite TV series/film?
Friends. And yes, my favourite’s Chandler
Favourite food?
Lemon (yes, a food!)
What are you most excited about at Elevate at the moment?
The growth of Elevate UK! The UK market (both schools and parents) is huge and largely untapped. Children, teachers and parents are still feeling the impact of COVID across the board, from high rates of student absenteeism and behavioural issues, to teacher shortages and funding cuts. This means we have a massive opportunity to come in and really make a difference in supporting kids, and the overwhelmingly positive feedback we’re receiving from schools and coaching parents tells us we’ve only just scratched the surface of what we can do to make an impact. Watch this space!
And there we have it! Another great example of a team member who joined Elevate as a presenter and has wound up exploring the other side of the world in a completely different role!
Join us again in February for a sneak peek into the life and interests of our next Meet the Team’er.
You can get to know some of our other global GMs by clicking the button below.
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