Updater

By Ben Weger

Published May 11, 2018

Updated Jan 17, 2024

Introducing People Experience Coordinator and dancing authority, Ricki Halpern. When Ricki isn’t dancing, she’s making the Updater office run like clockwork and doing it with a smile. We caught up with Ricki to learn a bit more about her and how she solved a moving horror story by thinking quickly on her feet.

Where did you grow up?

Marlboro, NJ. (No, the cigarettes are not made there.)

How many times have you moved?

Probably close to 15 times!

Do you have a moving horror story?

Ugh, yes. It was my first week at a new company and they were moving. They saved everything for me to handle and I didn’t know much about COI’s (Certificate of Insurance) or the elevator hours (there was no freight). I had planned for the movers to arrive by 7 am to avoid disrupting anyone else in the building but it turns out we couldn’t use the elevators at that time, and we only had the COI from one building and not both.

Long story short, I had every person in the company take one box down the elevator and pretend it was a “personal package” and I had to schedule another time for the movers to come to move everything else. Learned my lesson there!

What are two personal tidbits about you?

1. I love to dance. Tap, hip-hop, jazz, contemporary, you name it!

2. I genuinely enjoy putting together furniture — the more pieces, the better!

How did you come to work at Updater?

A recruiter from another company I applied to sent my resume to Updater because he thought I was a better fit here — he was right!

What’s the most interesting thing you have on your desk at the moment?

My bean bag phone stand that doubles as a cleaning tool! Never settle.

In your opinion, what NYC borough is the best borough? Why?

Manhattan. It has everything you want and more in such a small area!

What’s your favorite place you‘ve traveled?

I studied abroad in Barcelona but Madrid was my favorite.

What three words describe you best?

Outgoing, innovative, and thoughtful.

You’re throwing a dinner party and can invite anyone you want (dead or alive), but you can only invite five people. Who gets a seat at your table and what do you cook?

I’d cook my dad’s famous salmon with apricot preserves (super easy to make!) plus shrimp and bacon Caesar salad. I would invite my late Papa, Marilyn Monroe, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kelly Clarkson, and I’d let my girl Marilyn pick the last guest.

What’s your favorite quote?

“You’re never fully dressed without a smile.”

-The Broadway musical Annie

If you were a food, what food would you be? Why?

Pizza, so everyone would love me!

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up and why?

I wanted to be a backup dancer for Britney Spears. I loved to dance (still do!) and was never a good student, so I decided it was a solid career path that didn’t involve academics. Spoiler alert, I didn’t make it.

What four things can you not live without?

My phone, sleep, water, and pickles.

You just joined the circus, what’s your talent?

Who says I wasn’t already in a circus? I was a trapeze artist in my awesome teal bodysuit with hot pink fringes.

Have you ever gotten really lost? What happened?

I was visiting my boyfriend at the time who lived in Virginia and I brought my GPS with me (this was before iPhones or Google Maps existed). On the way home, I chose the “home” option assuming it was programmed to my childhood home in NJ. I completely forgot the last time I used the GPS was during a trip to California.

I ended up driving an hour in the wrong direction because “home” was set to my hotel in California! When I finally realized what I had done, it started pouring rain and I drove back to Virginia to stay there an extra night because I was so flustered and angry.

Lunch is on us! What’s your dream sandwich?

A chicken parm sub — easy choice!

You have a million dollars and 24 hours to spend it. What do you buy?

An apartment in the greatest city in the world, NYC.

What’s the largest item you’ve ever had to carry on the subway?

Three 48″ x 96″ pieces of foam core. Luckily, I had a friend to help!

What are two truths and a lie about you?

1. I love honey mustard.

2. I’m left-handed.

3. I helped a bunch of people break a world record.

Ben Weger

Ben is the former Content Intern for Updater’s Marketing team. The only thing he finds more exciting than discovering a new trend for content is starting his own.