Employee Spotlight: Susanne Aylward
Welcome to our Employee Spotlight blog series, which features Q&A’s from Rook employees as a fun way for you to get to know our team.
Name: Susanne Aylward
Title: Report Writer, SecOps
Time at Rook: 5 months
Current City: Greenfield, IN
Hometown: Houston, TX
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/susanne-aylward/64/9a3/692
Before working at Rook Security, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had? I worked as a contractor for Indiana Foster Care and Adoption Association (IFCAA). I worked with folks called adoption champions. Adoption champions are people who adopt or foster from the Indiana foster care system. With these folks, I went around the state hosting educational events and setting up at fairs and festivals to promote and educate finding kids forever homes with loving families.
Do you recall any embarrassing moments at work? At a previous company, we had small key fobs to go from office to office. I used to keep mine in my pocket because I did not want to wear it on a lanyard around my neck. Well, we had automatic flush potties in the bathroom, and down went my key fob one day. I had to submit a request to security for a new fob and explain what happened to mine. The entire team delivered the new one to my desk — on a lanyard — so they could laugh with or at me. They told me that was the first time they had heard that story.
What is your family like? I have a full house. I am married to a man that loves roller coasters and trying new things. I have a 17-year-old son who is a tech geek, a 13-year-old bonus son (step-son), who looks like a surfer and his main interest is girls. I have a 9-year-old daughter, who may be smarter than anyone in our house, and I have a 2–½ year old daughter with crazy curly hair and like her dad, she love adventure. We also have a 1–½ year old border collie that is obsessed with playing Frisbee.
What do you like to do in your spare time? I love to spend time with my family, and as a family we love to visit new places. We love to hike in state parks, visit amusement parks, fairs and festivals and Frisbee with our dog.
Best vacation you’ve been on? We have enjoyed all of our vacations, but general consensus with the family is our trip to NYC. We visited Philadelphia and NYC. We were on a budget, so I had to be creative. There are so many things to see and do in NYC for free or next to free. My favorite was Central Park. The kids enjoyed Brooklyn and getting pizza at a family pizza place.
Where else have you lived? I grew up in Houston. I went to Sam Houston State in Huntsville, TX. I finished school at IU Southeast in New Albany, IN (which is basically Louisville). I have also lived in Greenwood, Beech Grove, Evansville, Camp Pendleton, CA and Key West, FL.
What TV show/movie are you ashamed to admit you love? Some people may be ashamed, but I’m not! My favorite is the TV show, Roswell, from the late 90s. This was Katherine Hegel’s start. I have the entire series on DVD and will never get rid of it.
If you could meet anyone in the world, dead or alive, who would it be and why? I would like to meet my great grandpa. He passed away when I was a baby. I love to hear stories about him. He was from a small town (Owensville, IN) and he wanted to explore the country before he settled down. So he was the real definition of a hobo. He hopped trains and worked town to town to explore the US. He came back to Owensville and married my great –grandma, had two daughters and never left Owensville again. I am told he was the hardest workingman there could ever be and he loved his family more than anything.
Where is your favorite local restaurant? My favorite “local” restaurant is from when I lived in Key West. There was a place on Big Coppit Key. They had a great local atmosphere and excellent conch fritters.
What did you want to be when growing up? When I was growing up, I wanted to be two things. I wanted to be a famous writer, and I wanted to be the next Carol Burnett and make people laugh.
