The Monthly Review spotlights a different URACer each month in a Q&A. This month it's Michala Rollé (me-KAH-lah roh-lay), URAC's Digital Marketing Strategist.
TMR: When did you start at URAC and what brought you here?
Michala: I started in April 2018. I was brought here by Allison King, who found me on LinkedIn and sent me the job posting, which I found interesting.
TMR: What were you doing before you came to URAC?
Michala: I’ve been doing a lot of the same work (web development, digital marketing) for the past 10 years, first as freelance and contractor, and then in the governmental space.
TMR: Describe yourself in three words.
Michala: Multicultural, curious, resourceful.
TMR: How do you like to spend your leisure time?
Michala: Reading, traveling, hanging out with friends.
TMR: What’s your favorite restaurant?
Michala: I prefer to cook my own food, but in DC, Sushi Taro has great authentic Japanese food and I also really liked Boccato as a café space.
TMR: What do you like to watch?
Michala: I’m always years behind on TV and movies, but I tend to gravitate to more sci-fi. My favorite movies include Stargate, Lord of the Rings, and La vita è bella (Life is Beautiful). For TV shows, I've enjoyed shows like Hannibal, The Expanse, and Letterkenny.
TMR: What kind of books do you like to read?
Michala: I read a mix of novels, non-fiction, and poetry. I just finished "The Golem and the Jinni" (Helene Wecker), and am currently reading "The Name of the Wind" (Patrick Rothfuss) and "A Conjuring of Light" (V.E. Schwab), all of which I’ve found enjoyable.
TMR: What's your favorite vacation spot?
Michala: I like to travel to mountain ranges – The Rocky Mountains and the Italian Alps are some of my favorites. I like colder climates and the outdoors, and I do a lot of mountain-type sports (rock climbing, skiing, ice skating, etc.).
TMR: Are you a cat person or a dog person?
Michala: I grew up with both, and currently own one of each, but my personality tends to get along more with cats.
TMR: Tell us something about yourself that most people at URAC would not know about you.
Michala: I have three citizenships – Italian, South African, and American – and have lived on 5 continents. I actually write with South African English but correct to American.
