This month we’re highlighting GED® State Relationship Manager Iris McKenzie in our Q&A feature. 

What does a typical work day look like for you?

Monday through Friday my days are divided up into administrative work, and “boots on the ground” meetings at a variety of current GED testing sites, or I am prospecting to open up new test centers.

Prior to visiting current GED testing sites I review our company’s analytics for my territory (the state of California). Based on my review of the analytics I map out my week, sometimes 2 weeks in advance of which GED testing centers I will visit. I usually make appointments with each test center that I visit, but there are a number of times that I will have to do a drop-in visit. My visits usually revolve around a “meet and greet” (It’s about developing a relationship), getting intel pertaining to each school, and sharing recent services, and products that GED Testing Service is offering.

All of my visits at each testing center thus far I have been told that I am the first person from GED that has ever come to visit their school. Each point of contact at the school has shared with me that they are glad I came to visit… regardless of their success or challenges. While I am out in the field visiting with GED testing centers, I am also prospecting for new test centers. I am also out in the field attending 1 to 2 different conferences per month.

During my administrative time I participate in conference calls, dozens of emails to colleagues/clients/and prospects, follow-up calls, studying my territory, and creating different innovative methods to increase volume within my current testing sites, and how to open up new sites (through creating video marketing content and creating Excel spreadsheets to better identify what I should be focusing my attention on).

How long have you been working with GED Testing Service?

I have been with GED Testing Service for  a little over 8 months.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

What I enjoy most about my job is that I sleep good at night knowing I’m working at making a positive difference in many people’s lives. In addition to that I have had my colleagues Debi Faucette, and Adora Beard who have been my ROCK during  my time of growth with GED. My manager CT Turner has supported me in my efforts of striving to improve the landscape in my territory through a variety of creative tactics.

What kind of work did you do before coming to GED Testing Service?

I have worked as an Executive Educational Sales Rep and in the fields of public relations within higher education, and on-air TV broadcasting.

Where is your hometown?

My hometown is in Los Angeles and Rancho Cucamonga, California.

Favorite travel spot?

My favorite travel spots are the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Africa, and the “Happiest Place on Earth”…All Things Disney (Disneyland and Disney World…)

What kinds of hobbies and interests do you have outside of work?

I am an adventure/tourist junkie. I  enjoy traveling to different tourist destination vacation spots and participating in every excursion there is… followed by luxury pampering (all of this in my perfect world… hahaha). Some of my adventures have taken me to Spain Pamplona running with the bulls, and sky diving. They were both exhilarating.

As for hobbies I enjoy public speaking (I have trained with Toastmasters), dancing, and I love  working in the field of TV hosting.

If you were stuck on an island what three things would you bring?

* Lots of Rope

* A purified water container

* The Love of my life

What was your favorite toy as a child?

My favorite toys as a child were my bike, my scooter, and my Cabbage Patch dolls.

Who is the best teacher you ever had? Why?

The best teacher that I have ever had was Mr. Hall from my senior year in high school. He believed in me more than any other educator that I have ever had. He supported me to run for president of almost every club on my high school campus, because he thought I had great leadership skills. I was that child/teen who was president or involved in some sort of leadership role in many of my high school clubs.

What are two things still on your bucket list?

The few things on my bucket list are to visit Egypt, go on a safari ride in South Africa, and to have my own family one day (a husband and children).