Inside the Apple - Program Management

I’ve been so fortunate to work with Thais Menendez for many years, both when she was a tutor living in Washington, DC and now as she has joined us full-time as a Program Manager. In her role as a Program Manager, Thais works on the Program Advising and Management (“PAM”) Team to assist families, whether it’s a question about a mock test or the tutor match. Once a Program Advisor (like Bronwyn Dowling, whom you met in our last “Inside the Apple” feature) helps a family to decide what test or subject they want to focus on and which tutoring package is the best fit, Program Managers take over to help that family in a proactive manner — they check in periodically to make sure that everything is going smoothly and families know they have someone to support them throughout the process.

As an IEC Account Manager, I was interested to hear that Thais sees a lot of similarities between our roles, as do I. We both act as liaisons between Applerouth and individuals to make their experience at Applerouth as positive as possible:

Program Managers also often work in tandem with IEC Account Managers if there’s a student issue to make sure everyone’s in the loop. Strong communication is key:

Like many Applerouth employees, Thais got her start as a tutor. In fact, most full-time employees, from the person who packs mock tests to the CEO, started out as tutors and still do a bit of tutoring when time allows. Thais finds her tutor background valuable to her work as a Program Manager, especially when talking with families concerned about the role testing plays in the admissions process:

2020 was a year that was practically synonymous with change and uncertainty. While test administrations continue to take place and more students have been able to take their chosen test, the past year was filled with a previously-unthought number of cancelations. The Program Management team played a large role in supporting students through the uncertainty:

Thais and her fellow Program Managers do a fantastic job of investing in student success. Whether it’s IEC Management, Program Advisors, or Program Managers, there’s a network of people behind every student-tutor relationship standing ready to jump into action to help support students in every way they can.