As the Ivy Group continues to grow, we're welcoming a new Copywriter and Marketing Manager to the team. We sat down with The Ivy Group's latest additions to find out what makes them tick.

So what do you bring to the Ivy Group?

Mark Parlette-Cariño, Copywriter: Hopefully creative thinking, energy, attention to detail. I think my love of language, and my sense of all its possibilities, will be a big part of what I bring. Ivy already has talented writers, and I hope that I'll be able to give some fresh perspective, while also freeing up some of my colleagues to focus more on all the other amazing work they do.

Melissa Rossow, Marketing Manager: I was looking for a position that utilized my project management and marketing skills in a new way. Throughout my career, I've focused on serving clients from various backgrounds and industries. My experience marketing to and for a diverse group of people translates well into working with the clients of Ivy Group. I also have a lot of experience writing and working with art directors.

What were you doing beforehand?

Mark: I was teaching writing. And over the years I also worked with a small film production company, wrote freelance content, did some international traveling, and took on personal writing projects.

I had the opportunity to interview people from all walks of life, everyone from a mortician to an astronaut to Jon Stewart.

Melissa

What inspires you at work? Or about work?

Mark: I'm really glad to be working on a small team. Being able to help and be helped, collaborating together—it makes work a lot more inspiring.

Melissa: I thrive working in a team for a common goal. I love bouncing ideas off my colleagues and getting feedback about my projects. The ability to learn and grow from others is really important to me.

It's also exciting to dive into the weeds of language, and to be in a place where I can debate all the nuances and connotations of this word versus that one so that we can arrive at exactly the right phrase. Language can be frustrating, but it's also really fun.

Mark

What about outside of work? How do you like to spend your time?

Mark: My son is five, so I spend a lot of time watching for cars while he rides his bike or hunting down the exact Lego piece he needs. After he goes to bed, you'll usually find me with a book. Most often a novel, but maybe sometimes nonfiction or poetry. And I have to mention soccer. Playing pick-up soccer once or twice a week rescues me.

Melissa: Well, we brought a puppy (Samson) into our home, so for the last few months my life has been consumed with reading about how to care best for this creature, in addition to trying to keep him healthy and alive. My husband and I enjoy traveling to different spots in Virginia whether for a hike, hanging out at the beach, or an adventure in a city. A couple times a year we return to our hometowns in New England. On voting days, I volunteer as an election officer for Charlottesville. Initially, I became interested in doing this because an elderly friend inspired me to take over for her and I continue to volunteer because I really enjoy serving the community this way.

Oh, and I have a monthly book club, so feel free to ask me what we are currently reading. One of my favorites this year was Anne Applebaum's Red Famine: Stalin's War on Ukraine. To balance out the seriousness of that, I'd often finish my evening with Puppies for Dummies because few things bring more joy than a puppy.