Hello! My name is Bianca, and I’ve been working at IDLA since September of 2020.
After supporting students, parents, schools, and our amazing staff in my role as Operations Support, I’m excited to bring that experience to HR and lend a helping hand to Lesley Nickel, Senior HR Specialist!
Unmuted: IDLA Q&A
Q: What does a typical day look like in your role?
A: Over the past year, I’ve been balancing two roles. Some days are focused on internal and external customer service, others on running errands for IDLA and handling deposits, and others on HR tasks and training. With hiring season approaching, most of my time will soon be dedicated to all things HR!
Q: What’s one thing about your job that might surprise people?
A: There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes work involved in my role, like driving to the post office to check our PO Box, dropping off various items to team members, or running to the bank to make deposits.
Q: What’s one project or achievement at IDLA that you’re especially proud of?
A: It makes me feel proud when I get to help a parent who is feeling stressed about their student’s current schooling situation by explaining all of the different ways IDLA is utilized. I really enjoy making personal connections, whether it be with parents, students, or all of the wonderful people I work with at IDLA!
Q: What do you love most about working in online education?
A: So many things! I love hearing about all the ways students use IDLA to succeed—whether it’s graduating early, getting ahead after falling behind, or providing flexible options for student-athletes with unique schedules.
Q: What’s one unique aspect of IDLA that people might not realize?
A: The incredible teamwork behind the scenes. IDLA started out so small many years ago, and now we are a large organization! That being said, each department works together seamlessly to deliver high-quality education to our students, and we all truly value what each team member has to offer. There is so much work that goes on behind the scenes, and every person at IDLA truly cares about education and seeing students succeed.
Q: If you could swap roles with someone at IDLA for a day, who would it be and why?
A: It’s hard to pick just one! I’d love to experience a day in the life of our amazing programmers since that’s something I have zero experience with—they truly do so much behind the scenes. It would also be interesting (and probably stressful) to swap roles with our Superintendent, Jeff Simmons, to get a taste of the high-level decisions and challenges he handles each day!
Q: What’s a favorite memory you’ve had while working at IDLA?
A: Helping students! I also love getting together with everyone for team-building and training activities.
Q: What’s one fun fact about you that most people don’t know?
A: I’m ambidextrous, which sounds kind of cool until you realize I still can’t decide which hand or foot to use for basic tasks. 😆
Lightning Round!
Q: What’s your go-to coffee (or tea) order?
A: Caffeine makes me feel yucky, but I really wish that wasn’t the case! I love the smell of coffee.
Q: If you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be?
A: Anthony Bourdain. Dinner with him would be incredible—not just for the food, but for the stories and the raw honesty about life, travel, and human connection.
Q: What’s the best book, TV show, or podcast you’ve enjoyed recently?
A: My husband and I just finished Severance, and I hope it’s not another three years before the next season.
Q: What’s one piece of technology you couldn’t live without?
A: As much as I hate it, my phone.
Q: If you could work remotely from anywhere in the world, where would it be?
A: Somewhere tropical, but not too remote. Probably Hawaii! I love warm weather.
Wrap up with a reflection on your impact at IDLA, a personal quote, or a message to students and colleagues.
Success isn’t just about what you accomplish—it’s about how you lift others up along the way.
