Andree (or Dre!) Valentine has been with Mad Fish for over three years now. You can count on Dre for everything from a cute dog video to strategic advice on accounts. We’re excited for you to get to know her, and her pup Murphy, better.
Where did you go to school?
Hawaii Pacific University in Honolulu, HI.
What did you major in?
Broadcast Journalism and Public Relations.
Where are you from?
Oh man….that’s a complex question when you’ve moved around as much as I have 😉 First of all, I’m Canadian! I was born in Ottawa, Ontario, and lived in Kingston, Ont., Victoria, B.C., Vancouver, B.C. and Brantford, Ont. before moving to Honolulu when I was 19.
Favorite PDX spot?
To eat: Toro Bravo
For hiking with my dog, Murphy: Forest Park
To explore: NW 23rd, Alberta and Mississippi
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Working out on a regular basis keeps me sane (Thanks BurnCycle and ClassPass!). I also love spending time with friends, trying new restaurants with my husband, finding new walking trails with Murph, and cheering on the Portland Pilots Baseball Team in the spring.
Favorite podcast (or other fun media org if you don’t have a show in particular)?
Serial, My Favorite Murder, S-Town, How I Built This, The Moth, Game of Thrones.
Bucket list item(s).
- To never stop traveling – there are too many beautiful places still left for me to visit, including South Africa, Costa Rica, Patagonia, Bora Bora, Portugal, all 105 National Parks in the US and Canada, swimming with pigs in the Bahamas…the list goes on!
- Another goal is to see some of my favorite bands in concert (Mumford & Sons, Pearl Jam are on the list)
- I’ve always wanted to play with and cuddle a grizzly bear!
- Also, become an elephant caregiver for a day in Thailand!
What’s your passion project?
I have a big heart for animal rescue organizations. My goal in the future is to contribute more of my time to help, like fostering dogs who need homes, rather than just financial contributions. Here are some of my favorites:
- Ghetto Rescue Foundation
- Trio Animal Foundation
- A Purposeful Rescue
- Big Dogs Huge Paws, Inc.
- Orphaned Wildlife Center
Why did you pick Mad Fish?
So, I stumbled upon Mad Fish by accident on LinkedIn. I was instantly attracted when I read the company’s core values, as they strongly aligned with mine.
Fun fact about yourself.
I was a gymnast, power tumbler and cheerleader for over 18 years. Even though it’s been a while, I can still flip!
Favorite genre of music to work to/link to your favorite Spotify playlist to listen to at work?
I’m kind of all over the place with music, because it depends on my mood. In addition, it needs to have a good beat, yet chill enough so I can focus on my work.
I’ll listen to anything from Drake to Odesza to Foo Fighters to Kacey Musgraves to A Perfect Circle. However, Spotify’s Discover Weekly is usually my go-to on Mondays to find new songs or artists I can add to my playlist.
If you have a pet, send us a picture of you with it! Or of it!
This is Murphy and I. He’s a 85 pound English lab.
What do you add to the team outside of work?
I think I bring a positive spirit, a helping hand and a good attitude to work every day. In addition, I genuinely care about all of my coworkers, so I always try to use the first 5-10 minutes of our meetings to check in with them on a personal level.
Finally, I love sharing stories and photos of Murph, crazy/funny/vivid work dreams and anything else that brings joy to our “Work Hard/Play Hard” office vibe.