Are you thinking of starting a new community or revamping your technology stack to make operations run […]
At CareAcademy, we celebrate the team members who drive our mission forward. We’re excited to feature Ginger Barrientez, our Director of Customer & Partner Marketing. With a rich background in health tech and a passion for innovation, Ginger channels her creativity into transforming how we share customer stories and engage with partners. Her forward-thinking approach is shaping our marketing strategy and empowering care professionals every day. Discover Ginger’s journey, insights, and the impact she’s making at CareAcademy.
Q: What inspired you to join the team here?
Ginger: Joining CareAcademy presented an opportunity to create something BIG and be part of an enthusiastic organization with a passionate leader at its helm. Leading up to CareAcademy, I was part of a health tech company, contributing to its growth from infancy to private-equity backing and ultimately acquisition - it was such a rewarding experience! I saw the same opportunity in CareAcademy and jumped in with both feet. Little did I know, my time here wouldn’t focus solely on the impact I’m making towards the organization’s growth; it’s allowed me to embark on a journey of personal growth, challenging me with new roles and expanding my interpersonal and technical skills. It’s also opened my eyes to a whole new world of healthcare that needs educated, capable people to care for our aging population - that’s going to be you and me one day, so let’s do something now!
Q: What's something you're proud to have worked on?
Ginger: What really lights me up is bringing customer stories to life. Whether that’s video testimonials, speaking opportunities or case studies, I absolutely love bringing together the customer’s situation, our solution and the outcome that’s making a positive difference. What we learn from our customers - their pain points and unique business cases - is so powerful! Their stories can transcend a single marketing asset and radiate impact across every team, from product to content to overall company strategy. I’m not sure I can pick a favorite customer story, but with each of them, I appreciate the relationship that’s been built and the ongoing trust that exists because of that connection.
Q: What does a day in the life of Marketing look like?
Ginger: I feel like CareAcademy’s teams are more closely aligned so we’re working more intentionally and cohesively towards the same OKRs. What that means for Marketing is wearing different hats within our defined roles. For me, every day starts with caffeine and either a brief moment of meditating or getting energized with some upbeat music. And yes, nearly every Friday, my day begins with FloRida’s “Hello Friday.” A typical day may consist of strategic go-to-market calls with customers or partners and internal meetings to report on campaign results, facilitate cross-team projects or learn about new launches and determine enablement and communication strategy. As a data-first organization, I’m also either reporting on new customer acquisition and retention metrics driven by marketing campaigns or using this information to drive future strategy. The tactical elements of our customer and partner strategy also include content generation, so on any given day, I’m drafting or editing communications for email, blogs or other assets. There’s also emails and Slack requests to manage, so AI has become an important tool in managing my time efficiently.
Q: What is it like being apart of the Marketing team?
Ginger: The phrase ‘iron sharpens iron’ immediately comes to mind, and I genuinely think it describes our team. We’re fast-paced, resourceful and accountable, while also being genuine and empathetic, making for an empowering experience. It’s like being at a restaurant where you’re the chef, the sous chef, the server, the hostess, the caterer, the procurer and the bussing staff, depending on the day.
Q: What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Ginger: 99% of my time is spent being a cheerleader and taxi for my kids. They’re also a big part of my other interests outside of work. I love to serve my community through volunteering for different philanthropies and church. I also firmly believe life is meant to be experienced, so I enjoy going to all sorts of events and concerts. I’m also constantly adding new restaurants to try in my Yelp app and curating itineraries across different apps for spontaneous road trips and travel abroad.
Q: What’s a fun fact about you?
Ginger: I love a good theme and have been known to be the only one showing up all decked out from head to toe. But, that never stops me from dancing!
Q: What is the CareAcademy value that most resonates with you?
Ginger: I can’t help but pick two: Authentic and Adaptive.
Q: What’s your favorite memory from working at CareAcademy?
Ginger: Participating, ahem, ‘competing’ in CareAcademy’s White Elephant gift exchange will always be a favorite memory. There are certainly other rewarding times like the appreciation board and karaoke at the last company retreat, but this will always be a ‘can’t miss event’ for me. It brings our remote working world together for some good laughs and an element of surprise not only at the funny, creative gifts but also the competitive nature that comes out in some of us.
Stay tuned for more spotlights on our amazing team and check out our careers page - we’re hiring!