Article

Celebrating our Brightspot Award winners

by The Smartsheet Team

April 23, 2024

At Smartsheet, we know that achieving greatness is a team effort. We work to create meaningful change together, and our teams are finding new ways to make it happen every single day. 
Each quarter, we recognize and celebrate the employees who go the extra mile and embody The Smartsheet Way by bestowing a Brightspot Award for each of our core competencies: drive results, take accountability, value and leverage differences, continuously learn and adapt, and earn trust. All quarter long, our employees have the opportunity to nominate the colleagues who exemplify these competencies.


Today, we're excited to celebrate the achievements of the five outstanding individuals who have earned this quarter's Brightspot Award. Let's dive into their stories and hear what their colleagues have to say about their contributions.
 

Tina Do Brightspot Winner Q1 2024

Tina works as a solutions engineer, specifically focused on Marketing and Creative Management, providing custom demos, presentations, and technical solutions for customers. She also collaborates interdepartmentally with our Professional Services, Customer Success, and Product Teams to influence the product roadmap and make sure we provide excellent customer experiences.


Not only is Tina creative and hard working, she is also an incredible teammate and partner to her colleagues. She works hard to forge exemplary relationships, and is always willing to help outside of her day-to-day tasks. Just completing an assignment is not enough; Tina always goes the extra mile.

What Tina’s coworkers say

“Tina is a key performer and consistently executes on customer-facing engagements, wowing them with the extra care she puts into creating a delightful custom experience. On top of her consistently driving results under tough circumstances, Tina brings a positive, effervescent energy to the team and is an absolute pleasure and joy to work with!”

“Tina is the demo champion of Brandfolder. She constantly provides tailored, compelling environments for prospects, and always wows whoever she is talking with. Tina drives results with her consistency, knowledge, and passion for the product.”

We asked Tina, what does this award mean to you? 

“This award came out of left field, and what a pleasant surprise! This achievement wouldn't have been possible without the unwavering support and collaboration of my amazing colleagues. As a member of the sales team, it really takes a village to get deals done. Their expertise and teamwork have been invaluable and I am truly thankful for their contributions. I look forward to continuing our journey together to continue to drive results!"

 

Kris Maratonik Brightspot Winner Q1 2024

Kris is a Sr. Program Manager on the Financial Operations Process Optimization team. He is responsible for partnering with Technology and Operations teams to identify process gaps and recommend change, understand and document business requirements, and manage projects from initiation through closeout. Kris goes above and beyond in taking ownership and accountability for his work. His can-do attitude, resilience, and proactiveness has led to successful implementations of many impactful projects over his time at Smartsheet.

Kris has always been someone who exudes a team first mindset. He is a valuable partner to many within the organization, and is always willing to help. Any time a project is assigned to him, he can always be trusted to drive it to completion. Kris consistently works to advise team members and help identify the next steps, even for tasks he doesn't own.

What Kris’s coworkers say

“No matter how busy Kris is, he always takes the time to answer questions, show up to meetings if you need him, and work on projects that do not directly benefit his team but are essential for others. I could not be happier to have him as a teammate.”

“Kris is a great asset on our team. He is always willing to help, and you can be sure that he will consistently deliver what was requested and more. I can count on Kris when I have issues or need assistance; He understands the business and is always striving to improve and to help others.”

We asked Kris, what does this award mean to you? 

"I'm very honored to receive this Brightspot Award. Over the past 5 years, working within FinOps has been a truly rewarding experience. I’m grateful for the connections I've made and the support I've received during my time here at Smartsheet, and look forward to what the future will hold!"

 

Jessica Randall Brightspot Winner Q1 2024

Jessica supports our Business Development Representative teams through lead engagement and qualification, while also acquiring and maintaining an excellent working knowledge of Smartsheet and its capabilities. She is focused on mentoring and developing team members early in their sales careers, and she strives to be an active coach through call reviews and feedback sessions. She is great at motivating her team to succeed with impassioned leadership, coaching, creative incentives, and celebration of results. 


Jessica always makes sure that everyone has the opportunity to share their opinions and perspectives. She truly believes that incorporating different viewpoints is essential to create an innovative and well-rounded team. Even in the most difficult circumstances, she leads with transparency and empathy.

What Jessica’s coworkers say

“Jess is a phenomenal manager who is always encouraging the team to continue to learn and grow. She truly wants us to develop in our sales careers and be prepared for future roles. She encourages us to be ourselves and leverage our differences, whether they be cultural or past job experiences, on calls with clients who would relate which makes us more successful. In all, she absolutely deserves to be a Brightspot award winner for the way she leads our team and helps us find success however we look for it.”

“Jess has an innate ability to create and cultivate a strong team culture through earned trust and open communication. She galvanizes us to collaborate and take interest in one another's successes which elevates the group as a whole. Jess emphasizes the importance of integrity and taking pride in the work we do, and she is always willing to learn and share perspectives from across the company regardless of department or title. She brings a positive and candid demeanor everyday and really encourages her team to work at their best.”

We asked Jessica, what does this award mean to you? 

"I'm extremely humbled and honored to be a Brightspot Award recipient. I'm grateful to partner with such talented individuals across our company that bring such thoughtful, unique perspectives that inspire growth every day. The recognition of the values Smartsheet stands for is a true reflection of what makes this such a special place. I look forward to continuing to learn from the amazing community of individuals within our organization!”

 

Mary Warrington Brightspot Winner Q1 2024

Mary stepped up to the unique challenge of being the first person in her role at Smartsheet. She’s an engineer who sits in the User Experience organization, and she makes beautiful designs easier to create in code and deliver to our customers.


Mary presents clear, direct instructions for those who need help, and does an excellent job of bringing others along with her, whether they are designers or engineers. She doesn’t wait for processes to catch up to work she knows she can address efficiently, and she often turns tactical projects into opportunities, turning small wins into big ones. She’s grown as a leader during her short time at Smartsheet, and now manages a team of design technologists, a role she helped build from the ground up. Mary can always be relied on to make every project she works on a better version than what she was given.

What Mary’s coworkers say

"Mary works alongside designers and engineers from all over Smartsheet, and she does a great job of relating to anyone who needs support using the Design System. She has produced excellent code in her time at Smartsheet, and her work has a positive impact on our users."

““Mary has grown from being the first Design Technologist to the manager of a whole team of Design Technologists. Her willingness to take on new challenges and pave the way for her team members is truly inspiring.”

We asked Mary, what does this award mean to you? 

“I am both delighted and grateful for the support and recognition that culminated in this award! This doesn't just reflect my efforts, but also the collective spirit of embracing new challenges, learning, and improving that I see in my teammates every day. I'm grateful to be on a team with a culture of experimentation, innovation, and growth, and also to see that reflected at the organizational level.”

 

Ben Goldblatt Brightspot Winner Q1 2024

Ben is a Solution Implementation Manager who engages with our customers to deliver tailored Smartsheet solutions. Ben meticulously manages the scope and deliverables for our customers, all while building trust by offering creative solutions and consistently following through with his commitments.


Ben's ability to build trust is also visible with other customer-facing teams, as he routinely goes above and beyond to communicate opportunities for customer growth. Ben takes pride in helping his team members grow, and he promotes a positive and welcoming environment. Ben's willingness to coach and share information with others has inspired his team to follow his lead.

What Ben’s coworkers say

“Ben takes pride in helping his team members and proactively shares tips and best practices to expand their knowledge. He facilitates weekly office hours for the team to collaborate on configuration and delivery techniques, and he has become a role model for coaching less experienced team members as well.”

“Ben is consistently finding ways to support customers and team members alike, and he brings a wealth of Smartsheet knowledge and empathy to provide solutions that are valuable for our users. Ben goes above and beyond what is expected, and his dedication to customer success drives him to identify Smartsheet opportunities outside of his job duties and provide customers the opportunity to grow within the platform.”

We asked Ben, what does this award mean to you? 

“I take pride in my work, but I never expected to win a Brightspot award! Earning the trust of my customers, being able to create and maintain Smartsheet promoters, and getting the opportunity to mentor others to do the same are continual goals for me. There will always be room for improvement and opportunities to improve the customer experience, but getting this level of recognition is absolutely incredible and means a lot to me.”