OTF's Blue Publication January 2015
Recently there was a changing of the guard in one of the Outpost's long standing Departments. Our Vice Commander, Tanya stepped down as the Senior Manager of Engineering and that made way for a new Chief Engineer. Tanya chose longtime Outpost 10F member Katrina to fill the role. Since it's been a while since someone new has occupied the Chief's office, we thought we'd take some time and get to know one of the latest members of the Executive Council.
BR: Hi Katrina, thanks for taking some time out of your schedule.
Katrina: It's become a crazily busy schedule this past month, but I'm glad to carve some time out for this.
BR: I know you're new, but have you had any time to get settled into your office?
Katrina: I've been heading up a few projects for a while now, so I feel pretty settled already. Technically I've been on vacation almost since this transfer of leadership was announced though, so I haven't done a lot with the outpost.
BR: So tell us some more about you?
Katrina: I've been knocking around the outpost since I was practically a child - 18 is a child, right? I'm almost 35 now. It's bizarre, but I swear I don't feel a day over 28. I feel like everyone knows everything already; I met my husband at the outpost, have one son, work pretty hard at whatever project I set my head to at any given moment regardless of what the project's destination is.
BR: How did you get involved with engineering?
Katrina: I believe I've been on engineering's roster for quite some time now. I was added when the Firefly room first became a thing, but it's only in the past two years or so that I feel I've been contributing to the department actively. I started working like crazy for avatars in August of 2013, and after some time elapsed and that avatar overhaul project felt like it wasn't continuing like I'd like, I sort of took it and ran with it. I assembled a team and went with it from there.
BR: So You've just been made the new Chief Engineer of the Outpost, what does that entail?
Katrina: I'm meant to make sure that Outpost 10F's public presentation of work appears professional overall, overseeing things that have a direct impact on the functions or appearances of the place. I feel like I have a bit of a hand in everything, but that may be the whole InDev connection. A lot of the improvements made by InDev over the past year or so were my ideas, asked for by me and then implemented by Al.
BR: How do people enlist the services of the Engineering Staff?
Katrina: Just pop an email over to me, I reckon.
BR: What are your goal as the new Senior Manager?
Katrina: I'd like to continue overhauling the avatars for Minas Tirith, as well as get some upgrades there. I'm looking for some LotR fans to assist with that. We also have several secret-ish projects on the horizon. I'm also intending to bring the Outpost's large amount of pages into the current year and lose some of the references to long-gone people.
BR: What are some of the item on your to-do list?
Katrina: How did you know I have a to-do list? My list includes updating many many documentation pages, changing things that have been sitting around and need changing (links to people's emails who haven't been around in a long time, stuff like that), updating the help section to include Doctor Who ranks, and..on and on, really.
BR: We've seen a few new rooms pop up for chatters in the last few years. Are you planning on adding any more?
Katrina: Not personally, but I'm definitely up for more.
BR: Engineering had been a mystery team as of late, who is currently on the roster?
Katrina: Myself, Trekkey, Thrawny, Ayanna. There are a few more technically on the roster and I need to drop them lines and find out if they're still interested in participating.
BR: Are you looking to add any more personnel?
Katrina: Probably. Once I find out who's staying and who's going, I'll know more. I'm still on vacation right now. Outpost stuff is taking a back seat to visiting my family.
BR: What do you want OTF to know about what Engineering is doing?
Katrina: We're doing stuff! Lots of stuff. And if you run into something that doesn't work like it should, please let us know, and I'll add it to the list. katrina@outpost10f.com
BR: Thanks for taking a few minutes today.
Katrina: Absolutely!