You pass them in the halls, see their faces on Teams calls, and exchange emails. You know their job title and department and might even know their extension by heart. But do you truly know who you’re working with? Get to know Amina Vaughan, one of our Senior Account Managers and Tandym’s Employee of the Month for June 2024!

Who are you?

I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Yes, I’m a true Brooklynite. I went to Roy H. Mann I.S.78 then Edward R. Murrow H.S., and eventually became a Great Dane at SUNY Albany. I’m the youngest of three children (older sister and brother). I had the most supportive parents and they made sure my siblings and I always did everything together. Because we didn’t have a big family, they went out of their way to make every single birthday, holiday, and other big event in our lives super special. Unfortunately, my mother passed away in 2018, but I know she is forever within me and continues to guide me, my siblings, and our father.

I still live in Brooklyn because I absolutely love it and will probably never leave. I love being in the city too much to ever leave an environment like this. It truly has everything.

If you had to go back in time and debut a dance before it became famous, what dance would it be and when would you do it?

I love doing the electric slide. And the best part about it is that it’s such a versatile dance! You can truly do it to any song! Now where would I go back in time to do it is the tough part of this question. Maybe I’ll just go back to when the U.S. became a country and teach everyone then. It’ll be like a “Welcome to America” moment!

Who were your heroes / inspirations growing up?

Easily, my parents. They will forever be my role models and life inspirations. They have overcome so much and have taught my siblings and me the true definition of being optimistic, kind-hearted, and overall, not just being good but doing good. Everything I have ever had or done is always with them in mind and their continuous support has helped all of my big decisions.

If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why?

I always liked Storm from X-Men because controlling the weather is such a cool power to have. If I’m hot, I’ll make it cold. If it’s Christmas and I want there to be some snow, I’ll make it snow. If my garden needs some water, I’ll make it rain. It’s a practical power. I wouldn’t abuse it either. It would all be for the greater good. I don’t want to fly though. I’m an avid walker, so I’ll just help people while I’m out on my strolls.

Do you have a hidden talent?

It was a hidden talent until you (Eddie Rivera) asked me to be featured in Tandym’s “Guess That Employee”. Anyhow, I used to play the bass clarinet from age 9 to about 22. I was very active in the NYC Music Board of Education programs growing up, even competing on a state level as a soloist. I was also a part of the NY All City Concert Band representing Brooklyn and was selected by the NYC Board of Music to be a participant in an excerpt program performing with the NY Metropolitan Pit Orchestra doing Pucinni’s Tosca. I can confidently say I spent a lot of my childhood at Lincoln Center because of this.

 **Side note: I also spent summers going to swim camps at different colleges and universities. My siblings and I were on a State Championship Swimming Team (Flushing Flyers) where I swam competitively from ages 4 to 18. Bass clarinet and swimming along with horseback riding, Tae-Kwon-do, and countless other programs were a part of my childhood. My parents really made sure we had no life.**

If you were a transformer, what vehicle would you turn into?

Easy: a Lamborghini truck. There’s no real reason other than it’s a great-looking car and it’s fast. Plus, I don’t think I’ll ever have a Lamborghini, so if I can’t have one might as well be one!

Did you find Tandym or did we find you?

I was found by a member of Tandym’s Accounting/Finance team in 2014. I can’t remember what I applied to on Indeed, but it must have been good enough for my resume to get sourced out on Indeed by the AF Team. I was supposed to interview with a company for an entry-level position, but the interview got pushed back by a week and, at the same time, an opening in Tandym’s Internal Accounting team popped up. I interviewed for a Payroll Specialist with Vanessa Ortiz, had a wonderful meeting with the team, and joined soon after.

But my role in this company didn’t stop just there! In 2015, I was asked to be part of the creation of the new Billing Department (back when it was a 3-person team). And, later that year, I interviewed and transferred into the Healthcare division under Kyle Mattice as a Compliance Manager, where I did audits for all of our Healthcare clients, making sure that every single working contractor in all the verticals were compliant at all times.

I left for about a year and luckily came back in 2019 to work under Kyle Mattice to complete any Healthcare-related projects, mostly RFP/IFBs (Request for Proposals), contract paperwork, and ad-hoc work. Later that year, I was asked to help out with maternity leave coverage with Romina Margiotta. It went so well that I officially became an Account Manager.

This all happened right before COVID-19. So right when 2020 hit, I truly had the capability to help manage accounts and projects on a larger scale beyond even what I thought was possible. I am beyond forever grateful that Kyle Mattice believed in me and gave me the chance to become part of the Healthcare division. It has truly been the best years working with such an amazing team where every day we help to continue make a difference in the healthcare industry.

What’s your favorite restaurant in New York City and why?

Oh gosh, there are way too many in NYC that I wouldn’t know where to start. I would eat every meal at a different NYC restaurant if I could because there’s so much to offer out there. But if I had to choose one, it would be this Japanese restaurant called “Nagoya” on Kings Highway in Brooklyn. I would go every Friday during high school and get the same thing every time: chicken tempura, a California roll, edamame, a seaweed salad & the mango mochi. It’s close to my home and it’s just a comfort place for me.

Now if you want to know the best restaurant that I’ve ever been to that’s definitely “El Gaucho” in Aruba. I’m a huge fan of steakhouses and this one is just on another level.

What was it like to win Employee of the Month?

I was beyond shocked and even more so when I learned that I was nominated 5 times! That has to be a record in Tandym history, right? But honestly, I can be hard on myself at times and always feel like I can be doing my job better. I just always want to be great in every way that I can, for not just myself but for this great company. I am truly grateful and forever thankful for the amazing colleagues that nominated me to accept such an accolade. It is beyond anything I could have ever imagined for myself. I show up and just enjoy being around everyone, so thank you for making me feel incredibly appreciated. I will remember this forever!

If you could choose any job to be replaced by robots, what job would you make obsolete?

Oh, that’s not nice. We work in staffing, Eddie. We need more jobs for people. Next question!

What advice would you give to your coworkers on how to reach Employee of the Month status?

Just be yourself, work hard, and always remember whatever you do today will affect your tomorrow. If you put in 110%, you’re going to see that come back to you eventually. Naturally, I am quite the positive person. I feel like I get it from my family, we’re all like that. So, for me, my mentality growing up always was, as long as you know you did your best for the day, then that’s all that matters!

I’ve learned that sometimes, it’s not always what you’re reacting to but how you react to situations. I never stress about anything; I never feel like it’s good to. Learn to be okay with controlling what you can and learn to adapt when you can’t. My approach has always been, “How can we fix today to have a better tomorrow?”  I live by that mantra, day-in and day-out, especially since the COVID times. It goes a long way to just be humble and grateful for what you have and what you can do to help make where you work an enjoyable, productive environment.

What are your goals for 2024 and beyond?

Simply to continue to be an asset to this company in every way possible. Not to mention, continue to strive at this career and become one of the top producers for the company. These are goals that I continuously keep in my mind as I always tell my great manager, Katelin Stuckey, my main saying is: “being more and doing more!” I want to help not just myself but everyone around me that I work with every day. Each year should be better than the last and I’ll always try my best to make that happen!

If you had an animal or plant renamed in your honor, what would you want to carry your name?

This is a weird question, so give me a second. Maybe an orchid? I like them a lot. They never give up! Even when you think they’re on their way out, there’s always a possibility for them to bloom and be beautiful. You know what? I like this, Eddie. From now on, you have to call them Aminas!