Women in Master Data: Lisa Michelle Haynes, Comma Group

Stibo Systems honors women in master data management (MDM) and the great work by so many to achieve gender balance and equity. This series brings you interviews with remarkable women in our industry, and we hope their stories will inspire you to chase your passion for MDM and related fields.

Lisa Michelle Haynes is a Business Development Manager at Comma Group, an international data and information management consultancy company and a partner of Stibo Systems. Lisa is originally from the U.S. but studied at the University of Maryland in Munich, Germany, before moving to Denmark. Here she became a Graphic Artist at Stibo Datagrafik, creating customers’ catalogs and working closely with product information. Four months before her 30^th anniversary, Lisa left Stibo to seek new challenges in the PIM/MDM space. Today, she works out of Comma Group’s Aarhus office, selling the services she once delivered herself to clients throughout Europe.

Why did you pick a career in master data?

I actually didn’t pick master data as my career; it sort of dropped into my lap. I wanted to add on to my degree in psychology but ended up getting “stuck” in Denmark during a break in my studies. However, I don’t regret it at all! Before coming to Comma, I considered making a career change but realized that I like working with master data, so why should I look to do anything else.

What do you like most about your job?

MDM is a fast-changing industry, and I like the challenge of keeping up. I appreciate learning something new every week. I also like working in an international environment, and I have the best colleagues ever.

What do you see as the biggest barriers for more women in the master data field?

I actually don’t see any barriers. IT departments working with master data have a tendency to have more men than women. However, those that work with master data from the marketing or business areas tend to be a bit more equally divided. I see lots of women in the master data field, though there is always room for more.

What advice would you give to a woman considering a career in master data?

If you would like to work with improving businesses by ensuring that the foundation – the data – has top quality, then get to it! A career within master data is for everyone, not only “techies.”

Does your organization work to promote gender equity? If so, how?

At Comma, the focus is on getting the right person for the job – no matter whether you are male or female. So, everyone has a fair chance.

Share a fun fact about yourself.

Well, that is a hard one… I am actually an American “military brat” and grew up on American military bases in Germany. During my high school years, I was the captain of the cheerleader squad.