Employee Name: Jordan Laughlin

Title: Data Science Manager

Hometown: Nacogdoches, TX

Last book you read / listened to: Foundation – Isaac Asimov

Most-used emoji: 🙃

How have you grown professionally while at Zynga?
I started at Zynga as an HR analyst to get my foot in the gaming industry, then grew with the marketing analytics team, and now lead a team of data scientists that are much smarter than I am. I have also been lucky to serve as President of zPride for the last year and a half alongside a board of amazing people.
Zynga has been a place where those around me have challenged me, inspired me, and believed in me, pushing me to be better, both on a technical level and as a leader.

What’s the best career advice you’ve been given?
“Find the thing that makes you invaluable.” We tend to focus on our weaknesses, which isn’t a bad idea, but can lead to insecurity. Discovering and exploiting our strengths is a way to stand out and build confidence.

What do you enjoy most about working here?
Two things: The culture at Zynga is a vocal one. It’s very empowering to see others speak up when the vibes are off and work constructively towards change. The other is our ERGs and Zynga’s continued support for these through the years. These enable us to build a strong culture from the ground up.

What is your favorite aspect of being part of zPride?
While the events and networking are memorable and fun, my favorite aspect of zPride is seeing the community step up to help someone who needs advice navigating something like medical benefits or encourage them in a difficult time.

What advice would you give to others on fostering inclusivity and understanding in the workplace, considering your identity?
It can start at any level; Whether you’re a leader or an individual contributor, if you’re not seeing inclusion in practice, start practicing it. Talk about unconscious bias training with your peers that are hiring managers. Display symbols of marginalized communities on your desk or bag. Others will feel infinitely more comfortable following suit, and before long, you’ve helped build the culture that will bring in even more diverse minds.