As part of our continuing efforts to increase the impact of our community resources, we are excited to introduce you to the 2021 Scholarship Cohort. Each month in 2021 we’ll interview a cohort scholar and learn why community is important to them.
This month we’ll meet Erin Fristoe, currently the Director of Community and Talent Acquisition for a 200-person Department of Defense Contractor.
Why do you believe in Community/Community Management?
Community isn’t something that you choose to believe in or not like Santa Claus. Community is there whether you see it or not.
But not all communities are created equal- those with strong leadership (or influence) succeed. It turns out I was “community managing” long before I knew that it was a thing. I was always the person that coordinated friends gathering, or finding commonalities between strangers to have them more comfortably engage with one another. In fact, I have a LI blog post about My Accidental Community that I wrote a few years back- community managing before I was a Community Manager.
Some people are born to do it- I can’t not community manage. The innate habit of community building that lies within me is a driving factor in my life, work aside.
What area of Community do you want to learn most about?
I’ve given talks as a SME in the Community space and enjoy learning and growing, but I really desire the leadership skills to learn how to strategize for the future. As the Community SME at my company, I don’t have anyone to learn from, for instance, creating a roadmap for the community.
In my dream world, I would take the skills and thought leadership I’ve gained over the years and consult with other small start-ups in the DC area, educating them on the value of building a strong community from the start.
Are you currently working in Community?
Yes, My current role is that of Community Director. In this role, it is my responsibility to make employees sticky. My focus is driven by two fundamentals: lowering attrition and engaging high performers- the most productive members of our community tend to be the most engaged.
Thanks, Mohamed! Watch this space for updates from Mohamed and our other 2021 Scholarship Cohort.
You can learn more about our 2021 Scholarship Cohort here.
