Motional Social Committee

Co-Chair of Motional’s Pittsburgh Social Committee for two years, creating new events like trivia nights, a cornhole tournament, and a “Hot Ones” challenge while continuing long-standing office traditions. Earned an award from the site manager for leadership, event planning, and problem-solving.

In 2021, I stepped into the role of Co-Chair for Motional’s Pittsburgh Social Committee when the previous chair stepped down. I didn’t want the events I enjoyed to disappear, and I had new ideas I wanted to bring to the team. Alongside one other Co-Chair, I helped lead a group of five members who handled finances, logistics, and other tasks. My role involved both creating new activities and continuing long-standing traditions for the Pittsburgh office.

Over my two-year tenure, I launched three original events and oversaw several recurring ones. These included a Cornhole Tournament held during the annual company cookout, a series of trivia nights hosted at the office, and a “Hot Ones”-style challenge where twenty employees, including myself, sampled progressively hotter sauces. These new activities encouraged participation across different departments and created opportunities for employees to connect outside of their daily work.

In addition to planning events, I managed the monthly committee meetings, ensuring they were scheduled in advance and that detailed notes were available for members who couldn’t attend. I coordinated with vendors, tracked budgets in Google Sheets, and used Slack channels for communication and updates. My approach focused on keeping events well-organized and accessible, even for employees with limited availability.

Some events came with unexpected challenges. For example, scheduling matches for the Cornhole Tournament proved more complicated than anticipated due to participants’ conflicting meeting times. The “Hot Ones” challenge required careful planning to ensure all sauces were handled according to food safety guidelines. Another major hurdle occurred when our usual seating section for the annual Pittsburgh Pirates game at PNC Park was unavailable. I worked closely with our contact at the stadium to secure a comparable section that met both budget and availability requirements.

My work on the committee earned me recognition from the site manager, who presented me with an award for my contributions. These experiences strengthened my skills in event planning, problem-solving, and collaboration, while also giving me the opportunity to foster a stronger sense of community in the workplace. By the end of my time on the committee, I had helped establish events that became office favorites and left a framework in place for future teams to build on.