C Spire System Analyst Jeana Smith is known for being efficient. Her motto? Work smarter, not harder.

When she recently tackled the tedious task of pulling together data for an extensive research report, she did it in typical Jeana fashion.

Faison Gowdy, Mary Claire Parrish and Jon Wright have a few things in common.

All three are on the C Spire team and known to be dedicated, high-achievers in their areas of expertise — Faison in IT, Mary Claire in HR and Jon in PR and marketing. All three are native Mississippians, having earned their degrees in the state, as well.

And, as the Covid-19 pandemic hit in March, all three were given chances to grow or advance their careers within C Spire. “I didn’t expect this opportunity right now,” said Jon. “I’m very thankful.”

If you want to understand the determination and grit that Yudei Rojas Sanchez brings to C Spire, you need to know her backstory.

Yudei grew up in Cuba, in the city of Santiago de Cuba. There were no internet connections in her home. Having transportation largely meant walking.

When C Spire holds its C3 Coding Challenge for Mississippi high school students this spring, expect Marcheta Walker to be there mentoring student teams. It’s a project she passionately supports.

For Henry Watson, the love of technology came later than it did for many in the IT field. He missed the fun of growing up with video games. And he was a senior in high school before he fell in love with computers. 

Immediately after Adam Panetta graduated from Ole Miss, he relied on a Eurail pass, hostels, and campgrounds to get him across Europe.

“I had no itinerary; I just went as the wind blew,” he said. “It was great being free to travel and explore, try new foods, meet new people, and be exposed to different cultures.”