Meet Our Account Coordinator Louise Saafi

We've got a very special and exciting little blog for you all today! Here at Helix House, we’ve been busy growing and that meant adding a new stellar member to the team! This time on the blog we’re sitting down with our new Account Coordinator Louise Saafi to talk all about where she's come from, where she’s going, and why she’s excited to work with Helix!

Louise Saafi -- Account Coordinator

So, let’s start at the beginning, the very beginning. Where are you from, where did you grow up?Born in Salt Lake City, Utah.What did you go to school for?My degree is in communications, originally wanted to be a journalist.How'd you get started in digital marketing/advertising?After college, I started working for the Girl Scouts as a production designer part-time. I moved my way up in the organization to be their marketing specialist and loved it. I loved feeling like I was making a difference. After Girl Scouts, I worked at a grassroots political agency. Most of my work has been in helping Were you ever a Girl Scout growing up?No! I was not a Girl Scout. Though, you do become an ‘honorary’ Girl Scout when you work with them.What other roles have you had on your path to Account Coordinator?Production Designer, Marketing Specialist, Social Media Director, and Account ManagerWhat do you bring from those previous roles to this one?Coming from a production background, I'm able to speak to the data. What is one thing you'd want any and everyone to know and understand about your work?Communication is so important. Numbers are important, the work is important, but they do not mean anything without being able to talk about them and more importantly understand them. Yes being able to communicate that data is important but also building a relationship I think is really important. You’re not just giving data, you’re helping in a way and building that relationship. So you’re big on relationships and community?That’s a big reason I took this job with Helix is because Helix works with local businesses, and I think that’s important for a community – local businesses sustain that.Support local in general!What kind of things do you do in your community?Before the pandemic, I volunteered a lot at the Rape Recovery Center doing outreach for them. I'm hoping that when I move down to Phoenix I’ll be able to do some outreach with recovery centers down there.Community is very, very important for me.

What's something you are most excited about Helix House?The team. It's a tight-knit group that cares about what they do and how they do it. That's rare to find in marketing agencies and I'm happy and giddy to be a part of it. Who or what inspires you?I don’t know… I’m really inspired by my dad. He came here from a Third World country, came from nothing and he’s extremely successful now. We don’t agree on everything, but his drive and ambition really puts into question what I’m doing with my life. Makes me feel like I need to be doing what is going to help out other people.Also just, with my own struggles, it’s nice to help people who have been or may be going through similar things. What's the last book you read?The last book I read was Circe by Madeline MillerI’m trying to read books that have women as the protagonists. Or reshaping history from a woman’s point of view.What are you binging on Netflix?Tidying up with Marie Kondo. It's strangely relaxing and helping me with my own move from Utah to AZ.  I’ve read all of her books, she’s a spark of joy, a treasure to this planet – I really believe that. It is a joy to read – it gives perspective, the way she sees the world and talks about possessions.  What do you do for fun?I like to go on really long walks. I like to be quiet. When I am doing all this stuff I need quiet time to center myself again. I do consider that fun. I like to go hiking with my dog, alone – not always a good thing but I’m getting used to going with people.Summertime I’m outside a lot. When it’s cold (here in Utah) I like to read. This year I’ve read more than ever before. I like to press flowers, you know “COVID,  Learn new things!” I did it when I was a kid but I stopped. Got into letter writing with my sister who has moved recently.I’ve really enjoyed that.You’ve fallen dead (oh no!) and are now a ghost. Where do you haunt?I think honestly if I were to haunt somewhere, I’d want to haunt that place where the girl killed her dad and her stepmom in Massachusetts...Lizzie Borden?Lizzie Borden! I’d want to haunt that place because if I was a ghost I’d find out all the secrets and find out what really happened. Maybe I’d just haunt Massachusetts in general!

What’s on your bucket list?I would really like to go visit Japan and stay there for a good amount of time. I haven’t figured out a time to be able to do that, but I’d really like to go there and live.How have your first few weeks in Arizona treated you?It’s HOT. It’s also beautiful here. The sunsets are amazing, the food is incredible (I’ve gained 6 pounds in less than 3 weeks) and the general atmosphere of you Arizonians is lovely. I love how much sun you get here and am trying not to overdo it as a newb might. The amount of water I am drinking is more than I have ever consumed in a day before moving here. I’m genuinely enjoying it and can’t wait to explore more. What do you think of the work/team now that we’re all back in the office?I enjoy being around my team in general and it makes my job as account coordinator. Things flow better and it’s needed in the line of work we do. I’m enjoying getting to know everybody in person rather than over a Zoom meeting. And we're enjoying getting to know you, Louise! That'll do it for us this time on the Helix House blog!