Staff Spotlight: Five Questions with Katie Lynne Morton. Get to know our Director of Project Management and Client Relations
Today, get to know Katie Lynne Morton: A Director of Project Management and Client Relations with HCM Strategists.
Katie Lynne Morton oversees initiatives to improve client servicing efficiency and project management at HCM. With a background in supporting the postsecondary policy team, she has worked with notable clients like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Lumina Foundation. Passionate about education, Katie Lynne holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the College of St. Rose and has experience in youth program coordination and teaching. Residing in Delmar, New York, she enjoys bowling, photography, and cheering on the Boston Red Sox, while actively volunteering for her church’s mission program.
To learn more about Katie Lynne, please visit her LinkedIn.
We’re lucky to have a team with diverse lived experiences. Tell us about your background and how you found your way to this work
→ I grew up in a suburban town just outside Albany, New York, earning undergraduate and graduate degrees from a college just five miles from my hometown. Before college, I worked with children in various capacities and knew I wanted to dive into the education field. My time at The College of Saint Rose offered opportunities to work in urban and rural schools – settings that were brand new to me and that I thoroughly enjoyed. As I was completing my graduate degree, I began working with HCM as a Consultant in a role where I helped to manage and organize the day-to-day scheduling, travel, and administrative duties for one of the senior-level employees. As additional client work came on board and there was a need, I joined project after project, helping to fill the need: research and data collection, writing, light project management, and general administrative support. As projects ended and new work was acquired, I continued to help across various projects as a Consultant until my role transitioned into officially joining the HCM team.
HCM is dedicated to making educational systems more accessible, affordable, accountable, and equitable. What drives you to do this work?
→ The people we work with every day. We (colleagues, partners, and clients) all bring different backgrounds and experiences to our work, which offers excellent opportunities daily to learn from each other. Individually, we each bring ideas, but collectively, we can move the world forward.
How do you bring innovation and creativity to your client servicing approach?
→ We all come from different backgrounds, which often means everyone will approach the same scenario differently. This is so important to remember when serving clients. While the basics of project management are straightforward, what matters is how the approach is altered to serve the client best. Sometimes, this means being creative and thinking outside the box to ensure the best possible project life cycle for everyone involved.
What is one feature of your own educational journey you bring to your lens at HCM?
→ I enjoy helping people; this is certainly evident in my personal life. When I chose to study elementary education, I found a setting where learning took place in collaborative arenas where student-teachers could learn from each other and help each other. This translated directly into the classroom, where my favorite part was assisting students to learn more about themselves and discover traits and characteristics they didn’t know they possessed. Fast forward to my time at HCM, where I still see myself in a “helping” (problem-solving) role, whether that be jumping in to assist with a quick deadline, managing and organizing a project life cycle, or collaboratively drafting our new process guide to help alleviate stress and confusion in our work.
When not working, what can people find you doing?
→ I am very active in my church community. As the Chair of our Mission Leadership Team, most evenings, you’ll find me at our Shed (storage garage) sorting incoming donations, organizing inventory, answering phone calls, and coordinating pick-ups/deliveries so our team can share furniture and household items with those in need. Typically, we can outfit an average-sized apartment within 24 hours! This includes beds, dressers, tables, chairs, kitchen supplies (dishes, pots & pans, bakeware, utensils, etc. ), and many other items to make a house a home. When I’m not knee-deep in furniture and household items donations, I also hold several different titles at the church: historian, board of trustees secretary, security team member, and softball team coordinator.
