Team TGG Bios

Meet Silky Singh! A member of the QA Team

We’re back with another installment of our Team Gartrell Bios, and we’re going to stay in the great State of Texas! Today we’re going to talk to Silky Singh.

Hi, Silky! Thanks for participating in this. Can you tell our readers what you do at The Gartrell Group?

Hello! I am a QA Engineer.

Can you tell us what that entails?

I am a software tester, so I test applications to check whether they meet the client's expectations. Sometimes this involves manual testing, and sometimes it involves creating automated testing that can be scheduled to run through many steps to validate that software is working as it should.

That’s pretty cool. What got you into this field of work?

After my graduation, I was not sure what to do. My brother suggested this path, and when I started my training/education, I was a quick learner, so I decided to pursue a career as a Software Tester.

What is your favorite part of your job?

The work environment. It is so calm/relaxed. There’s plenty of work, but no one is poking you, and you can give your best shot in that kind of environment.

That’s great. As we established, you are in Texas. Are you a Texas native?

Oh, no. I was born in New Delhi, India!

How long have you been in the United States?

Twelve years. I’ve lived in several other states: Washington, Wisconsin, and Massachusetts. We live in Texas now to be close to family.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I like spending time with my son and caring for myself and my home. I have one child and lots and lots of plants, both inside and out!

Well, we’re so glad to have you on the Team. Thanks so much for taking the time for this.




Meet Natalie Trimble: Writer and Awkward Podcaster

It’s been a minute, so we’re back with our latest installment of the Team Gartrell Bios. This time we’re talking with Natalie Trimble, our Social Media Manager.

Thanks for being here, Natalie! I think everyone knows what social media is, but what does a Social Media Manager do?

I share how The Gartrell Group can make life easier for potential clients—by highlighting current and past work and our employees' strengths and qualifications in witty and engaging ways.

What’s your favorite thing about your job?

I enjoy the general enthusiasm that Molly and Bryce have for employing a sense of humor in social media. It gives me a lot of creative freedom, and I love using it.

Are there any projects you've worked on at Gartrell that you're particularly proud of?

The 30-Day Map Challenge in November was fun to create and was well-received. So many employees jumped in to help. Although it was a lot of work, it was fun to scroll through and see the final product.

Are you remote? In office? Hybrid?

I’m 100% Remote. I live in Fort Worth, Texas!

But you did live in Portland for a while, right?

I did! My husband and I moved to Portland because our friends had moved the year before and sold us on it. We lived in Westmoreland, across from Papa Haydn, and loved taking friends there for dessert. We lived there for two years, almost to the day. We liked the city but wanted to be closer to family after our son was born. I attended school in Central Virginia, another beautiful part of the country. (Fort Worth doesn’t have tall trees. We have glorified bushes. I’m so glad I can appreciate the majesty of giant trees.)

What should people know about you?

I put a premium on laughter. I can finally say that instead of its previous iteration: "I only like people who are funny or laugh at my jokes or both." I think humor helps us know we're communicating effectively. Also, I'm of Mexican descent but grew up convinced that my ancestors were Italian by way of Mexico.

What do you like to do outside of work?

Most of all, reading! I enjoy trivia nights at a distillery down the street, walking/running/biking around my neighborhood, and recording a podcast about awkward moments. I also like playing games with my son and husband, and we’re slowly working our way through the Marvel movies in timeline order.

Oh, you’re a podcaster? What got you inspired to do that? Would you describe yourself as awkward? Or do you really like podcasts and were looking for an untapped subject? Or something like that. Do you have a studio?

The podcast came about because I have coffee weekly with friends, and almost every time, I would come in with some story about an awkward moment from the week. My friends started to joke that we should start a podcast about all these stories. It was quite a while between the first time we talked about it and when we recorded the trailer last July. My friend Mary is my co-host, and we have a funny story about how we became friends in our first episode. We are thankful to have friends with a recording studio they let us use for free.

That’s so cool! Got kids? Pets? Plants?

I have some of each with varying degrees of vitality. Oliver, the offspring, Whiskers (a kitty we rescued from under the house at around six weeks), and a good variety of plants, some happier than others.

Do you like to travel? Got any great travel stories?

Yes, I would do all my work on trains and planes if I could. A local in Florence advised my friend and me to find the "best" gelato shop—right behind the Duomo and owned by her retired dentist. After a few (incredible!) samples, he asked me to stop trying and make a purchase. It was uncomfortable, but also the gelato was amazing and worth the awkward exchange.

Well, thanks for taking the time to speak with us! I hope it wasn’t too awkward.

Ha! Not a bit!

Scott Olafsen: mapper, skier, mountain guy.

We’re here with another installment in our Team TGG Bios. This time we’re going to meet Geospatial Developer Scott Olafsen. Scott has been with The Gartrell Group since October of 2021, about a year and a half.

Scott, can you tell us what a Geospatial Developer does?

I develop geospatial applications to optimize business processes for clients.

What’s your favorite part about your job?

The variety of geospatial technologies I get to use across projects. Rather than solving problems with one stack of technologies, each client generally has different needs and IT infrastructure, exposing me to other ways to accomplish similar goals.

What got you into being a geospatial developer?

I was really into maps as a kid; I used to spend hours reading the map pages of the Delorme Maine Atlas & Gazetteer. After High School, I didn't know what I wanted to study in college, but I discovered that there was a Major in Geography, so I chose that. After a stint working for Delorme, I moved out West to pursue my Skiing dreams. As my unrealistic professional big mountain skiing dreams faded, I wanted to return to the GIS world but did not want to be an analyst/technician again. I decided to do a web development boot camp because I wanted to make all the mapping app ideas I had dreamt up over the years.

That’s awesome. Tell us more about skiing!

I love the outdoors, and this is what drives me in life. My performance in life and work is tied to being able to pursue outdoor sports in my free time. I enjoy backcountry skiing, whitewater kayaking, and trail running.

How many days have you been able to get out into the backcountry this season?

I don't count my days, but I estimate around 50. We had an incredible winter in Utah, which started early, so I have been skiing every week since late October.

That brings us back to the work thing—you live in Utah? I guess that means you are a remote employee.

Yes, I work from my home in Utah.

You said you “moved out West.” Where did you grow up?

Portland, Maine.

Ah… the original Portland. Do you have any pets?

I have a 4-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer who I share with my partner. He requires a lot of exercise, so it keeps us active.

Do you like to travel?

Yes, I mostly travel regionally for skiing and kayaking, but I recently went to Panama, which is an amazing place.