Dynepic is growing, and this time we are STOKED to introduce Kaylee Rutz, our new Executive HR/Admin Assistant, and behind-the-scenes powerhouse! 

An Oregon native, Kaylee joined Dynepic’s remote workforce and jumped in right away supporting managers and our recruiting efforts. Since then, she has proven to be an energetic force and wonderful addition to the team.

“My initial attraction to Dynepic was their deep care for their employees and positive work culture,” Kaylee shared. “It's hard to find a company that truly values their employees and the culture in which they work.  I'm blessed every day to have the opportunity to work here.”

Working with a fully remote team was intriguing to Kaylee, but she wasn’t sure how it would all work. 

“Working remote was an adjustment at first, but I absolutely love it now. I'm spending more time with my family yet getting more hours in than I was ever able to do with commuting,” Kaylee said. “The work-life balance that Dynepic encourages and supports is incredible.”

In addition to helping keep Dynepic running smoothly and her slack messages always witty, Kaylee tends to her farm with her childhood-best-friend-turned husband, one-year-old son Henry, and English Lab Ali. 

Welcome, Kaylee! 

There’s no better way to kick off another #dynepic year than to welcome new team members! 

A few months ago, we introduced Dom Lignelli and Chris Dionne, who joined our team as interns through the Department of Defense’s SkillBridge program, which helps match service members with internships to gain hands-on experience and ensure a positive transition into the workforce. In just a short time, it was clear that both Dom and Chris were significant assets to Dynepic and they’ve continued to demonstrate it every single day. 

We’re stoked to share that Chris is now a Dynepic Full Stack Engineer, and Dom is our Government Relations Lead! 

“Dom and Chris have been an incredible addition to the team,” said Dynepic Co-Founder and CEO, Krissa Watry. “They’ve brought so much value with their military experience and individual skills, they’re hungry to learn and motivated to make a difference. This is a win-win.” 

Read on to hear more about what Dom and Chris are up to as official Dynepic team members: 

What are the core responsibilities in your new role?

Dom: In my new role as Government Relations Lead, my responsibilities include ensuring the MOTAR Platform reaches the DoD end-users quickly and effectively. I’ll also be working with the different military branches onboarding new users, providing feedback on the platform, and offering suggestions around making the platform fit their specific needs.  

Chris: Learning as much as possible and stacking certifications!

How does your time in the military translate to the work you're doing now?

Chris: My experience includes a wealth of knowledge around decision making, complex problem solving, and teaching methods, which allows me to help the Dynepic team evolve our training frameworks and methods. I’m also working to finish my bachelor’s degree in business and programming. 

Dom: The US Air Force has provided me with critical skills to successfully navigate processes and procedures, speak the USAF language, and support our team as we build new relationships with government and military entities. 

What do you feel made you successful as a Skillbridge intern at Dynepic?

Dom: The integration into each piece of what makes the Dynepic team tick was the first part of making my SkillBridge successful. It gave me a great understanding of how the platform is being developed and everything that goes into it. Another key piece was that the team never hesitated to answer questions I asked, from Krissa all the way to others in the SkillBridge program; there was always time for teaching or working together.

Chris: The majority of my success has to do with the employees. Everyone was willing to help me. When I was met with blockers for projects, everyone was ready to assist where they could.

Not only is the Dynepic team growing, we just scored with two new A M A Z I N G people as part of the DOD’s SkillBridge Program! 

If you’re not familiar, SkillBridge helps match highly skilled military service members with training and development opportunities in different industries through internships during their last 180 days of service. The hands-on experience and training in a civilian work environment can be critical to ensuring a positive transition, and we’re proud to be a part of their journey!

Read on to learn more about Chris Dionne (Software Developer Intern), and Dom Lignelli (Program Management & New Business Development Intern): 

Q: What were you up to before joining Dynepic?

Dom: I was active duty in the United States Air Force for almost 13 years, and spent just under four years as an Egress Technician working on ejection seats for F15 Strike Eagles in North Carolina. After that I retrained to become a Flight Engineer on the C5M Super Galaxy. Over the nine years as an engineer I flew just under 2500 hours and spent about 2 years as an instructor.  

Chris: I was also in the Air Force as an Air Traffic Controller for 12 years. I have had the privilege to control every type of aircraft you could imagine. The last four years of my career was spent as an Air Traffic Control instructor for Air Education and Training Command (AETC).

Q: Describe your role with Dynepic in one sentence?

Dom: I am currently an intern learning about the inner workings of everything from software development to program management.  

Chris: Over the next few months of the internship, I’ll float between various departments, allowing me to be more versatile for the team. 

Q: What excites you the most about working with Dynepic?

Dom: The diversity of specific skill sets coming together to create a platform that is changing and challenging the “normal.”  Also the dynamic of the team and the cohesiveness where you never feel left behind or insignificant in your role.

Chris: We’re changing the world one level at a time! Also, making meaningful changes to help others do their jobs more efficiently. I now feel that I can truly make a difference for not only the Air Force but the DoD as a whole.

Q: Tell me about the coolest thing you’re working on right now.

Dom: Right now I’m working on our first annual MOTAR Expo (more on this coming soon!). It's a huge responsibility with the amount of visibility that will come from this event,  and only one of a handful of cool things I'm currently working on as I intern across the Dynepic organization. 

Chris: Currently, I am  familiarizing myself with various programming languages and exploring/learning  frameworks for databases.

Q: Why are you interested in VR/AR technology?

Dom: I found out about VR/AR tech a few years ago. It evolved into me becoming the lead program manager for the development of one of our programs we had created for the C5M community prior to joining the Dynepic Team.  It was an eye opening experience, and proved that this is the training capability of the future. The possibilities are endless and this is only the beginning for where this tech will go!

Chris: So we can fully implement the Matrix, of course.

Q: What energizes you?

Dom: Spending time with my wife and kids, going to sporting events, camping, fishing, pretty much anything that has to do with the outdoors. 

Chris: The ability actually to make positive changes for our customers and the world and most of all doing what I love to do. 

Q: What is one thing you’re particularly passionate about or proud of?

Dom: I am really passionate about cooking and I’m just starting to get into restoring vintage arcade machines.  I’ve restored an older Air Hockey table for my kids and now I'm working on a mechanical pinball machine.

Chris: I’m proud that my hard work, determination, and passion led me to Dynepic. 

Q: What was the best advice you’ve ever received?

Dom: Be humble and take a step back once in a while, you’ll see how much the view changes.

Chris: Stand up for what’s right and always face adversity head-on with your head held high.