Working mom and HR superstar, Jackie Ramage, is our April Member of the Month! The director of people at Brief Media, Jackie is leading the charge toward navigating remote work and making sure employees are connected, supported and happy. Jackie is like sunshine in human form—she lights up the room when she walks in! Plus having another person around with the gift of gab makes our community stronger. 

Each Brief Media (soon-to-be VetMedux) brand—Clinician’s Brief, Veterinary Team Brief, Plumb’s Therapeutics Brief, and Plumb’s Veterinary Drugs—helps small animal veterinarians and their teams expand their skills, educate themselves on clinical topics of interest, and engage with content anytime, anywhere. Brief is home to the most valuable journals and point-of-care tools in Veterinary medicine. Small animal practitioners and their teams can expand their skills, access clinical content on topics of their interest, and engage with our publication brands on virtually any medium.

What do you do? Tell us a little bit about your company.

I am the Director of People at Brief Media (the future VetMedux), a leading veterinary media company that develops practical peer-reviewed educational content and point-of-care tools for veterinary professionals worldwide. At Brief Media, we enable veterinarians to make the most informed medical decisions on diagnosis and treatment for their patients. By guiding their most critical decisions, we help veterinarians help animals live longer, fuller lives—and ease the stress on the remarkable people entrusted with their care.

What’s a work-related accomplishment that you’re really proud of?

I created an employee engagement survey for “Brief’s Pet of the Week,” a popular place for team members to creatively share their furry children with the company. I’m passionate about giving our team members the opportunity to interact with one another, especially since we transitioned from an office-based culture (pre-COVID) to a remote environment, with employees across 15 states and three continents. Since 2020, I have featured over 100 employee pets during our weekly company Coffee Talk Zoom meetings!

What could you give a 30-minute presentation about with no advance preparation?

EOS Traction—Brief Media has ‘run on traction’ (a set of business tools) since early 2018. I’m very familiar with the terminology and philosophy, and love to share my knowledge with anyone willing to listen! Or I could do a deep dive into the Hogan Personality Assessments. I do regular feedback sessions with our team members, and it’s difficult to talk about Hogan assessments without at least an hour plus time frame carved out! 

How did you end up in your current role?

Back in 2014, one of my family members was employed at Brief, which had a workforce of fewer than 30 people at that time. They required some HR and recruitment support, which I was able to provide as a contractor. My responsibilities included creating job descriptions, posting them online, and delivering advanced training for supervisors. It soon became evident that Brief required in-house HR support, which led to my joining the company in 2015. As of May, I am eagerly anticipating the celebration of 8 incredible years of growth and accomplishments with Brief.

What advice would you give to 17-year-old you?

Be nicer to your mom. 😊

What strategies do you use to make big decisions?

I’m a big talker, so I always talk things through with my husband, who loves to play devil’s advocate. And I always put myself in other people’s shoes to better understand how my decisions may impact all involved.

What’s one thing you’re learning now, and why is it important?

How to be a working mom! Being a new mom is fun, scary, exhausting, and the most rewarding experience of my life. I am fortunate to work for an organization that values the balance between work and personal life. I am constantly learning how to become the best HR leader for my team while simultaneously navigating the responsibilities of motherhood.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be an editor of a fashion magazine! Now I work side-by-side with so many amazing and talented editors, and I’m always in awe of their skills. I would have been a horrible editor. 😊

What is your favorite restaurant in Tulsa and what do you get there?

My new favorite place is Gung Ho! I love their Pork Gyoza and Miso Ramen.

What can’t you leave the grocery store without?

Dotz pretzels (only the red bag) and Celsius (Kiwi Guava Lime!)

What’s one song or artist that you’re embarrassed to admit you like?

Does Ms. Rachel count? Songs for Littles has taken over my world!

What is one of your favorite things about being a member of The Root Coworking?

I love having a place to see my colleagues “in real life!” As an extrovert, it can be challenging to thrive in a remote work setting. I appreciate the opportunity to interact with my team in person, and not to mention, the Root’s workplace is beautiful, open, and welcoming.