Andy (he/him) is a member of Sparrow’s Customer Experience team. Let’s get to know Andy!
How did you get to where you are?
In my past life, I was an elementary school teacher. One of the things that I loved about being a teacher was the ability to help those in need. When I decided to leave that profession, I knew my next role would be helping others. I looked at many different sectors of the business world to see where I could fit in, and felt drawn to helping people during some of the hardest times in their lives. I started out helping people manage the different federal programs that are offered to people struggling with student loans, and then moved toward people who need to take leaves.
What is a fun fact about you?
My first job out of college was as an adult kickball referee in NYC. It was a ton of fun. I met some great people (my wife) while refereeing these games. While teaching, the middle school teachers always asked me to be the referee for their field day games, and I always found it very enjoyable.
Why did you join Sparrow?
I was drawn to Sparrow after having two kids with no benefits. Personally, I believe that it would be awesome to live in a world where there were paid benefit options for everyone who has to go out on leave. I resonated with Sparrow’s goal of helping people during transition points in their lives. Thinking of the new moms and dads, the family members caring for loved ones, and the people who are just trying to get through a medical leave made me want to be a part of this team.
What is your favorite part of working at Sparrow?
One of my favorite parts of working at Sparrow is the opportunity for innovation. No matter what idea I have, once it is shared, the team seems to grab on and run with it. The idea that processes can change when sticking points arise based on feedback is invigorating. I love this opportunity to problem-solve with colleagues and develop ways of thinking that Sparrow, as a whole, can benefit from.
What are you most excited about for your role in the next 6 months?
I’m not on the engineering team, but the updates that they have shared that they are working on are nothing short of amazing! It’s going to change Leave Specialist workflows for the better. I’m excited to see their goals come to fruition.
What are some of your hobbies?
Most of my hobbies bring me outside. I have a goal that I set when I was 16 to climb all 46 high peaks in the Adirondacks. So, often on the weekends I get out and go hiking with the kids (we aren’t hiking mountains yet, but hopefully soon). I also love playing video games. I’m super stoked for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of Kingdom to come out this week! I’m also excited to see the new Harry Potter game come to the Switch.
What’s the last show you binge-watched?
I love watching TV with my wife. The last show we binged is probably White Lotus. We tend to do this thing where we don’t watch the series until it’s over and then watch it all at one time. I haven’t watched the newest season of Ted Lasso yet, but that’s next on our list.
Want to join our team? Check out our careers page and apply!