SitusAMC Power Pro: Rebecca Ward

Name: Rebecca Ward 
Title:  Assistant Vice President, HR Business Partner 
Office: Remote 

Day-to-day: Every day on the job is different. One day I might focus on advocating for an employee, and the next be coaching leaders on company policies or programs, or executing a strategic human resources initiative, like the Voice of the Employee survey. We recently completed that survey, in which employees provide anonymous feedback. It provides the basis for HR and leaders to create programs and make improvements that incorporate employees’ suggestions, such as the engagement committees and wellness initiatives we've launched in the past.

Journey to SitusAMC: After I graduated from college, I worked in HR at an international cosmetics company for a year. I joined SitusAMC in 2017. Right before I started, I embarked on a solo backpacking trip around Vietnam. It was amazing: I explored Hanoi, took bike trips, boated along a river and through caves. So, it was a literal journey to SitusAMC!

Job inspiration: When I started at SitusAMC we were a small HR team, and we’ve grown a lot. I’ve moved from being an HR Coordinator to an HR Business Partner, so I’ve had the opportunity to work in different areas and grow and evolve my career. I’m grateful for how much SitusAMC invests in its employees through training and creating opportunities for career growth and recognition.

First job: One of my first jobs in high school was working at the front desk of a ballet studio and store for kids. I learned a lot from that job! I enrolled kids in classes, processed payments and supervised the store. I was often the only person working, so I had to learn fast about customer service and running a small business. I also worked at the first frozen yogurt store in town, where there was often a line around the block. I loved that I got to see everybody in our town, and of course eat free frozen yogurt! 

Hometown: I grew up in a suburb of New York City called Larchmont, in Westchester County. It’s a small town on the water, so in the summer people are out walking, sailing, and biking. I love how laid-back it is. The town offered a lot for me in terms of sports and extracurricular activities. I was on many different sports teams growing up. And it was nice to be only 30 to 40 minutes from New York City so we could go into the city on weekends.

Home base: New York City is my current home. I love to discover new restaurants, coffee shops or cute dog parks. I know many people in the city because a lot of my childhood and college friends live there now too. Plus, I love to travel and it’s a great hub with easy access to almost everywhere in the world.

Fondest childhood memories: My grandmother lived in the rural farming country of Pennsylvania, and they planted Christmas trees on the acreage. Every Christmas we would head out to the property to cut down our own tree and haul it back to the house to decorate. It was a fun tradition. My father bought the house and the land from my grandmother, and we still go there to get away on long weekends. It’s so beautiful, especially in the fall and spring.

Downtime: I love photography, especially when I travel. My passion for travel began early, when I was teen and spent six weeks in Indonesia with a program that arranged homestays with families. I lived with a family in a fishing village built on stilts on a remote island called Sampela. I also traveled to Borneo to go trekking to see orangutans in the wild with my mom and a friend, and we did a homestay with a family on a river in a very remote area. In 2019, I traveled with my parents to India, where we saw tigers in the wild, and visited Jaipur during the Holi festival. In November 2022, we travelled around Senegal, touring the capital city of Dakar and a small fishing village. I feel so lucky to have had these incredible, life-changing travel experiences.

Dream destination: I had a trip planned to Norway that got cancelled during the pandemic. My dream destination is to visit the Lofoten Islands in Norway, and hike, explore the fishing villages and glimpse the northern lights if I’m lucky!