Introducing Karen Reynolds, Senior Business Analyst at Assure!  From the Metropolitan Police to globetrotting adventures, Karen joined us in 2017 and she’s not looked back since.  She’s the linchpin in connecting Verivi (our internal database) users with our software development team, ensuring the seamless integration of new features from conception to deployment.  Beyond her technical finesses, she adeptly manages user-friendly reporting requests and serves as our internal auditor, ensuring data accuracy and process efficiencies.  Outside of work, Karen is known for her passion for ice hockey, Bedford Blues rugby club and her captivating performances in amateur pantomimes…

Can you share more about your background and how it led you to Assure?  I finished my education at 18 and went to work as an Admin Officer for the Metropolitan Police, where I stayed for 6 years.  During this time, I caught the travel bug, and left to travel around Southeast Asia and Oceania over a 2-year period.  On returning to the UK, I carried out several different administrative roles before finding Assure in 2017.  I was looking for something different, more challenging and I certainly found that here.

Describe your role at Assure?  My role has steadily evolved during my time at Assure to my current position of Senior Business Analyst.  In a nutshell, I act as an interpreter between the users of our in-house database, Verivi, and our Senior Software Developer. I get involved in designing new functionality and ease the transition to using these after deployment.  I also carry out some database admin functions behind the scenes including creating reports to extract data in a user-friendly format for my colleagues.  My other hat is that of Internal Auditor.  Under this guise I audit both data and processes, ensuring the data we hold is accurate and that our processes are fit for purpose.

And when you aren’t working, what do you like to do in your spare time?  I’m a long-term follower of Bedford Blues rugby club and am usually found between the posts at home games.  More recently, I have become a fan of ice hockey and go to as many home games for Milton Keynes Lightning as I can, around the rugby fixtures.  From September to December, I like to tread the boards with some amateur pantomime (oh yes I do!!) and usually have my script tucked into a pocket somewhere.

Favourite quotes or sayings:  “All the world’s a stage!”

Your all-time favourite films:  Finian’s Rainbow and Labyrinth, both older movies.

Tell us something about you that most people don’t know?   When I was at school, I played lots of instruments: double bassoon, piano, classical guitar, and the timpani in the orchestra!  Oh yes, and I sang a lot…. I was in two choirs and sang at the Royal Albert Hall as an adult.

And one final question, list three items on your bucket list?  All travel related..

• Visit Hong Kong
• Go to the elephant orphanage in Sri Lanka

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