TheBridge profile: Wendy Martinez
Name: Wendy Martinez
Current city: Washington, DC
Current job: Chief of Staff, FiscalNote
Past job: Partnership Specialist, Inter-American Development Bank
Q. Favorite spot for a coffee meeting? Swings Coffee near Metro Center or Bourbon Coffee on the Hill
Q. Describe one skill you learned in a previous job that helped you in your current job. Being adaptable and identifying solutions to address challenges despite the circumstances. In my previous role, I negotiated high level partnerships and knew from the beginning that creating a "win-win" required being flexible, willingness to compromise, and being able to moving forward with the information at hand. When you work at a start-up, ambiguity is king and being able to adapt to the unknown, while positively contributing to the organization, is key for success. In my role, not one day is the same, and I need to be flexible enough each day to successfully navigate what's ahead, while still achieving my goals.
Q. Job advice in three words? Focus on solutions
Q. How are you (or your company, org, nonprofit) currently bridging the gap between politics and tech? FiscalNote is a technology solution that is helping connect the world to its governments. We are revolutionizing the way organizations manage issues and interactions with all levels of government.
Q. Best advice you've received? Pay close attention to why a person is saying something. Often times, we focus on the tone and message of what is being said, but fail to understand the motivation behind a person's statement. Once you figure this out, the outcome of the discussion will be different.
Q. Most underrated virtue in an employee? Empathy
Q. Startup to watch? Shameless plug: FiscalNote.
Q. How do you unwind afterwork? I'm a runner and also love H.I.I.T workouts. After work, you'll either find me running around the city or at my local (and favorite) studio in DC working up a sweat.
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