Inside Promega

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Promega wants to be your partner. On this page you can get to know us better!

Here, you will find interesting news about Promega, who joined and will support you in the future in your lab, and what Promega is doing as a company.

Is there anything in particular you want to know about us? Please feel free and ask!

Today, we’ll meet Tara Luther, Marketing Specialist in the Genetic Identity team based in Madison, WI.

Tell us a little bit about what your role is at Promega.

While those who have attended ISHI or a Tech Tour workshop in the US might recognize my face, many of you have only met me virtually.

Over the past 8 ½ years, I’ve worked on the ISHI team in many different roles. I assist with attendee and exhibitor registration, maintain the website, and curate content for the ISHI blog, social media channels, and The ISHI Report. I’ve also been lucky enough to be involved with future ISHI site selections and planning.

I’ve worked to ramp up ISHI’s video marketing in the past few years and have greatly enjoyed working with the video team and pushing the envelope of what’s expected. I’m incredibly proud of The Missing Piece video series that we’ve released in collaboration with Othram. If you haven’t yet, you should check it out!

Beyond ISHI, I assist with the GI team’s digital efforts, and even put together the digital newsletter you’re currently reading!

What have you been doing to keep sane during the COVID pandemic?

Dog photography. I’ll leave it up to the reader to decide if that has in fact kept me sane, but it’s been great to be able to work on my photography hobby and continue training the dogs/tire them out all at once. Plus, my husband and teenage stepson definitely have limits on how many pictures I can take of them and require better bribery than kibble.

When our Golden Retriever was a puppy, I started an Instagram account for the dogs as a way to capture and celebrate everyday life and to prove to my stepson that Gen Z only took over social media from the Millennials. At any rate, he seems to find it impressive that someone of my age can generate any kind of following, so it gives us something to bond over. If you’d like to see what we’ve been up to, you can follow us on Instagram @maxs_diary.

Last year, our team created a new tradition of weekly catchups at a local brewery which has allowed us to get outside and safely stay in touch. Of course, the team dogs come too. :)

What motivates you to succeed?

I’ve always felt that if I’m going to do something, I should do it to the best of my ability. Coupled with my desire to keep learning and trying new things, I think that has led to my success.

What does a typical day for you look like?

I’ve adapted quite well to work from home life, so most of my day is spent at my desk in the sunroom that I took over for my office. When the weather is nice, it’s been great to take a walk or a short dip in the backyard pool. Lately, it’s been a lot of driving the teenager around town. I don’t think anyone will be making a made for television movie about my daily life anytime soon!

What’s your favorite thing about your job?

I’ve been really lucky to have a great team to work with. We’re all quite close, work well together, have a great time when we travel, and are friends outside of work as well. That’s something that not everyone can say, and it makes all the difference.

Would You Rather Go 30 Days Without Your Phone Or Your Entire Life Without Dessert?

That is a tough one! It’s hard to remember back to a time when we didn’t all have smartphones, but we did survive at one point with only snake to entertain us on our Nokia phones, so I suspect I could adjust to that for 30 days. In fact, it might even be kind of nice to unplug!

Favorite TV show to binge watch?

I don’t know if I’d recommend binging this, as watching too many in a row will doubtlessly put you in a funk, but I will forever be a Grey’s Anatomy fan. Admittedly, it’s not what it once was, and I was none too pleased when McDreamy died (spoiler alert), but I used to watch it with my friends every week, so it’s got a bit of a nostalgia factor for me. The boys of the house know that Thursday nights are sacred.

Where do you want to travel to, but have never been?

So so many places. Within the states, Savannah, Georgia is on my list. Outside of the states, the list is endless: Europe, Machu Pichu, an African Safari, Australia. I’d love to see it all! I’ve been lucky to travel quite a bit as a kid, and get out a bit for work, so hopefully we can start working on the more exotic locales soon.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

Like many moms, sometimes it would be nice to be able to clone myself to make sure that everything gets done with time left to relax. Thankfully, my husband is always willing to help out.

What was the last thing you heard or saw which made you laugh out loud?

This probably wouldn’t make much sense outside of Wisconsin, but Charlie Berens, the Manitowoc Minute guy can usually get a laugh or two out of me.

If you could be anything else, what career would you have?

When I was younger, I thought it would be fun to be a dolphin trainer, but high school and college taught me that science and math aren’t my forte, and that I’m better suited for marketing.

That being said, my husband and I have made it our goal for our dogs to become therapy dog certified. I’m excited to say that after a year of waiting due to the pandemic, we’ve been able to join the Go Team Therapy Dog organization allowing us to visit those in assisted living facilities, schools, therapy centers, and assist in crisis situations. We’ve just had our first couple of visits and look forward to many more!

Describe something that you do now that your 20 something self would be shocked about.

My stepson came into my life right as I turned 21, but I was a bit more adventurous back then, preferring to scuba dive, attend dueling piano events on the weekends, and I even hopped out of an airplane twice (but if my parents ask, it was only once). I used to be quite the night owl, so I think 20-year-old me would be surprised that 36 year-old me falls asleep on the couch by 9pm.

Thanks Tara for this little insight! If you have questions for Tara or about Promega, please ask!