Employee Q&A: Get to Know Kelsey Raymond, Front-End Engineer at CashStar

What do you do here at CashStar?

I’m a Front-End Engineer at CashStar. I style our consumer gift card experiences and work closely with the Solution Delivery team to onboard new clients and continue projects for our existing clients and partners.

Why do you like working at CashStar?

I’ve always believed that job satisfaction is made up of more than just the nature of the work itself. I think the people at CashStar make up so much of what is great about it. My coworkers are also my friends and we all genuinely care about how each one of us is doing. We offer support and resources freely and celebrate in each other’s successes. A bunch of us have also formed a running group and participate in local races.

What excites you most about working in the gift card ecommerce space?

I get to work with a lot of brands that I’m familiar with and respect. It’s exciting to learn about these brands from a design perspective and to have the opportunity to see their brand guidelines. We get to work closely with these companies to make online and plastic gift cards a reality for them.

What would you like CashStar clients to know about your team and the company?

We want our clients to know that they come first. We’re happy (and excited!) to collaborate to help make their gift card programs come to life. We spend a lot of time discussing, researching and planning to make sure that we can deliver the best possible solutions to any problem. We want our clients to not only be satisfied—we want them to succeed!

What are you up to when you are not at CashStar?

Hiking has been a huge part of my life since I was a child. I’m grateful to my parents for dragging me up Mount Katahdin and Tumbledown a number of times. Over the years it’s become one of those activities that occupies most of my free time, either doing or planning. I’m an AMC (Appalachian Mountain Club) member and have spent countless hours in the White Mountains. This past year, I accomplished my first solo hike(s!) and backpacked the 32-mile Pemi Loop in New Hampshire (aren’t we lucky to live so close to such beautiful places?). I run an adventure/outdoor-themed Instagram as a way to keep track of and share all of my excursions—follow me @kelbooow!

Where is your favorite place to eat in Portland?

I have a serious weakness for nachos (and really, all Mexican food). I think Taco Escabarr and El Rayo are the top contenders for the best nachos in Portland. To me, a good plate of nachos is meat-free (vegetarian here), has a bunch of cilantro, and is not shy with the salsa. I welcome any suggestions for great nacho hotspots in Portland, so please do comment below with your favorites!

If you were not working in your current profession what do you think you’d be doing?

I’ve always loved baking and cooking. I believe that creativity isn’t limited to a canvas—I am a graphic designer, after all—and can be explored through many different mediums like dancing and writing. For me, it’s developing new recipes. I love the holidays because it means that I get to spend hours creating new dishes that I can bring to holiday parties. Over the years, I’ve tried my hand at food blogging and food styling but for now I’m happy to keep feeding my co-workers!