Growing up in Vermont, Trevor Crandall wanted to be an animator. He sought to pursue that avenue in college but wound up on a more technical path. In retrospect, it made perfect sense, as he’d built his first computer after high-school football practice when he was a freshman.
Technology and art have always been key elements in his life, both requiring the kind of creativity he employs in his role as Relay’s director of LMS operations. “I really enjoy when I get complex problems, because I like figuring out the ‘why’ and putting all the pieces together,” he says. “The creativity challenge is in figuring out how can I solve an issue. It’s similar to the way you might think about creating a new character in animation or how you might develop a new scene. The artistry is in showing something to somebody in a way they can understand.”
Part of the technology team for 11 years, Trevor looks at every person at Relay as his customer, from curriculum designers to administrators to teachers to students. He draws on a professional background in both IT and customer service, taking the part he plays in their day-to-day lives very seriously.
“You never know what kind of day someone is having, so I make the assumption that it’s the worst day, and anything positive I can say could make their day better,” he says. “I know they’ve got 13 things on their plate. They’re making lunch, they’ve got their kids, they’re teaching — they don’t need their accounts going wackadoodle. I want to make things as easy as possible for them. I want to be that shining little sparkle in their day.”
When Trevor is not at Relay, chances are he’s gaming — for which he blames his parents for getting him a Nintendo in 1998 and says “it’s been downhill ever since.” He also spends as much time as he can with his beloved cat, Kasha, who is usually the shining little sparkle in his own day.
Q&A
What’s your favorite part about working at Relay?
Absolutely the people. Relay is filled with incredibly compassionate people who are also incredibly smart and hard working. There is so much to learn from working with a bunch of teachers. I love, love, love, love getting to work with folks and learning alongside them every day.
What’s the most challenging part of your job?
Not having an answer for someone is the most challenging thing. Everybody could be having the most horrible day. I have no idea what’s going on in their life, so my job is to make it easier for them to find the answer they need so they can move on with their day. Not being able to give them a 5-second answer because it’s going to take a couple of days for us to investigate something is generally the most challenging part. I know they’ve got 13 things on their plate. They’re making lunch, they’ve got their kids, they’re teaching — they don’t need their accounts going wackadoodle. I want to make things as easy as possible for them.
How do you see Relay changing in the near future?
With the merger that recently got announced, there is a lot of potential in terms of program offerings and locations. This is absolutely fuel to expand our impact. This kind of partnership will put us in the right rooms where ideas can really flourish and grow.
What’s the most interesting job you've ever had?
The most interesting job I've ever had is probably working for IBM as a photolithography operator. I got to wear a clean suit every day and go into this clean room where they developed computer chips. Some of the lots were multi-million-dollar lots, and they’re glass, so if you dropped one … It was just super-duper interesting to see how things like iPhones are developed.
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