“I knew what I wanted to do, but I didn’t know what the job title was,” explains Lisa. “The analyst relations role is perfect. It allows me to do what I love – teaching, meeting new people, project management – without losing the analytical skills I’ve honed in the legal industry.”  

At SAS, where you start doesn’t have to be where you end; and there’s ample opportunity for internal career mobility. Lisa Bulls has embraced the twists and turns of her career story and took the next step in her journey with a move from Legal to Marketing.  

Meet Lisa 

Lisa began her career at SAS as a Legal Specialist in our Legal division. “I knew that SAS was a great company where people tended to stay for a long time,” she explained. “It was important to me to be in a healthy, supportive environment, and I could tell that SAS cared about employees’ well-being.”  

During her time in Legal, Lisa developed a new process for tracking and monitoring contract translations, participated in a Data4Good project, a volunteerism opportunity benefitting a Galapagos study and joined Toastmasters. But when it came to defining her goals, she realized she wanted a change: “I began exploring internal roles, and a recruiter reached out to me about a role in Marketing that aligned with my skills in project management. It sounded like it would be a good fit, so I had some informational interviews with other managers. The more I learned about the role, the more I wanted to pursue it. I interviewed and was thrilled when I got the job!” Today, Lisa is thriving in her new role as an Analyst Relations Manager in Marketing. 

 “I love to learn, and I’m learning a lot,” she explains. “I’m learning something new every single day. I love to teach, meet new people, and coordinate projects, and this role aligns with those strengths. Our team is very diverse; we come from a variety of backgrounds, and we work really well together,” she shares. For Lisa, this role has been like finding the missing piece to her career puzzle: “My career journey has been like a zig zag, crisscrossing divisions and industries, but all the dots have connected,” she explains. “Today I can look back and see how everything came together.”  

Internal Mobility  

What’s Lisa’s advice for others? Enjoy the journey. “And when you stop enjoying the journey, seek guidance and start a new one – it’s your journey to take,” she adds. “Don’t be afraid to say, “this isn’t working for me” and start something else. It’s normal to have trepidation, but once you’ve thought it through, don’t let fear be the reason you don’t make a change.”  

Ahead of her move, Lisa also participated in a variety of SAS career offerings to support her development, including Strengths Finders and Career Circles. “Career Circles allowed me to take a deep, introspective, honest look at myself and my skillsets – what was draining me and what was energizing me,” she says. “It empowered me take ownership of my career and my future and helped me refine what I wanted for my next step.”  

Living the #saslife  

“SAS affords people the opportunity to make your life look like you want it to, and internal career mobility is an important part of that,” Lisa explains. “I think there’s a place for everyone here – you don’t have to make yourself fit to SAS, SAS will fit to you. It’s a very inclusive workplace – we have so many diverse backgrounds and skillsets, and we all come together to fulfill SAS’ mission. The breadth and depth of knowledge and industry areas at SAS is unmatched – it’s like a big onion, always layers to pull back. SAS is constantly evolving to be better.”   

“When I was interviewing, I asked each person I met what they liked the most about SAS – and they all said the same thing: the people. I can truly be my authentic, curious self here – I was looking for a “forever home,” and I’m hopeful that I have found that.”

Outside the office

When she’s not at the office, you’ll find Lisa volunteering, traveling, reading, listening to music and enjoying time with her family. “I’m looking forward to a trip to Amsterdam later this year to visit my daughter while she’s studying abroad in Europe,” she shares. She’s also recently taken up crochet: “So far, I’ve made a bag and started a bucket hat,” she says. “I’ve enjoyed learning how to make new things!”

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Thank you for sharing your story, Lisa! Ready to learn more about the #saslife? Hear more from more of Our Storytellers and check out open roles at SAS.