10 Boston-area employees share what they love about their jobs

JOB: Recruiting manager

I’m originally from Puerto Rico. When I came to Hollister as a recruiting manager, I realized this company really aligned with what I was looking for in a career. I enjoy talking to a variety of people and connecting them with job opportunities. When a candidate gets an offer, sometimes they scream with excitement or cry with thankfulness, and that’s very motivating and satisfying.

FUN FACT: I raise a lot of money for different hurricane relief causes, especially for Puerto Rico and Haiti.

EMPLOYER: Progress, Burlington (No. 11 large company)

JOB: Community engagement specialist

What do you want to do when you grow up? I never knew the answer to that question until I came here. I was able to stitch together all my disparate skills: business analytics, public speaking, and illustration. I see myself as a user facilitator but also part ringmaster, juggling different roles in a quest to build community. This is a very open and accepting place, which I appreciate since I’m on the gender spectrum. I’m also not ashamed to say that I have bipolar disorder and these invisible illnesses need more acceptance in the workplace.

FUN FACT: As a freelance comic book writer and illustrator, I did illustrations for Jim Henson and Cartoon Network.

EMPLOYER: Maloney Properties, Wellesley (No. 39 large company)

JOB: Resident services program coordinator

I work at Heritage Housing, a Boston Housing Authority site that Maloney handles as a property management company. My job as a case worker is to help residents age in place. Basically, I have the wonderful opportunity to assist people every day, whether it’s dealing with a lease violation, arranging food delivery, cleaning, or even companionship. I put smiles on faces and I’m so blessed because there was a time when I, too, struggled to get by. I think all of us are heroes, but I did receive a COVID Hero award because of my work helping residents get vaccinated and other services during the pandemic.

FUN FACT: I love salsa dancing and used to be a Latin dance instructor.

EMPLOYER: TScan Therapeutics, Waltham (No. 8 medium company)

JOB: Quality assurance document control specialist

I author and edit documents; I’m also involved with training employees and making sure they’re compliant with procedures — and that both are approved for lab work. These protocols are the backbone of our company and I am a cog in a well-oiled machine. Yet, I also think out of the box and have a different background than most, being born in Africa and growing up in France. My diversity makes me an important part of the company’s culture, making sure all employees are well represented.

FUN FACT: I love animals and have three aquariums, two dogs, and a cat with an Instagram account.

EMPLOYER: Focus Care, Woburn (No. 50 medium company)

JOB: Training and development lead

I have the role of facilitating training for new hires, designing materials, and helping to implement our home health risk-assessment solutions. This is a new role for me, and coming into a brand-new environment as an older gay man, I had concern about bias. I quickly learned I should have no fears whatsoever; this company has been nothing but welcoming. Focus Care has the culture and attitude of a startup and celebrates individual contributions. I have a background in English and theater and that has translated well into commanding audiences and producing training documents.

FUN FACT: I am a massive antiques collector; my pride and joy is my opera glasses collection.

EMPLOYER: Verve Therapeutics, Cambridge (No. 43 medium company)

JOB: Chief executive

My career has had three chapters: the first was learning to be a doctor and caring for patients with heart disease; the second was being a scientist in a research lab.

The third chapter is as a business executive leading a team in drug development. It’s been super enjoyable to execute my vision and make steady progress in creating a first-in-class medicine for cardiovascular disease based on gene-editing therapies. Sometimes it’s good to drop what you are doing and try something new. There’s a lot of energy and excitement that comes with that.

FUN FACT: I am a rabid Pittsburgh Steelers fan, which is challenging since I live in New England.

EMPLOYER: Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp., Newton (No. 2 large company)

JOB: Senior vice president

I think of myself as a financial social worker — we help people navigate the largest financial transaction of their lives: buying a house. I work with clients during an exciting but overwhelming time. When I see them end up with the keys to a house, it’s incredibly rewarding. During COVID, this industry was the busiest it’s ever been. The flexibility to be at home was a tremendous lift and allowed me to be more productive and efficient. Our core values are caring and service, and that includes taking care of employees, too.

FUN FACT: When I was in college, I spent a semester in Washington, D.C., working for a nonprofit educating people about the possibilities of nuclear war, including contributing to the book Nuclear War: What’s In It For You?

EMPLOYER: AAA Northeast, Avon (No. 45 large company)

JOB: Assistant manager, fleet operations

I’ve been in the towing industry since the day I got my license. I started out as a roadside responder, so I’ve been there, done that, and have a lot of empathy — which goes a long way. Now, I’m a front-line provider of service when a member is broken down and looking for assistance. I manage about 100 technicians and all the trucks and equipment that go with them. I spend a lot of time going over staffing and scheduling. We want everyone positioned so they can get to members as efficiently as possible.

FUN FACT: I enjoy any mode of transportation, whether it’s a motorcycle, bicycle, or horses. It’s my meditation.

EMPLOYER: MassMutual, Springfield (No. 9 largest company)

JOB: Head of fraud operations and business services

I was born deaf in one ear and never thought of it as a disability. But when I started losing hearing in the other ear, it had a dramatic impact. MassMutual was, quite frankly, incredibly supportive and understanding during my struggles and also provided accommodations such as headphones, captioning, and transcription services. The company’s benefit program allowed me to have cochlear implant surgery, so I’ve recovered much of my hearing. And all throughout, I’ve remained dedicated to my job, which is to protect customers from fraud.

FUN FACT: My dad was in the horticulture industry and I’ve developed a love of gardening as well, whether it’s landscaping or flower beds.

EMPLOYER: Eventide Asset Management, Boston (No. 7 small company)

JOB: Manager of corporate communications and engagement

Eventide’s tagline is “investing that makes the world rejoice,” and it’s very meaningful working for a company with such a purposeful mission. This meaningful ethos drives operational decisions, and that’s a really cool thing to be a part of. I not only believe in our values-based assets, I’ve personally benefited from this philosophy. As a longtime migraine sufferer, I was finally prescribed a helpful medication, and it turns out that this drug is developed by a company Eventide invests in. Getting to see the impact of Eventide’s work in my own life — and the lives of those I care about — is really amazing.

FUN FACT: I read 52 books a year, one for every week. It’s my way of de-stressing.

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Cindy Atoji Keene is a regular contributor to the Globe. Send comments to magazine@globe.com.