Meet Jackie Thompson

Meet Jackie Thompson

“Mistakes are never going to get you fired here,” said Jackie, who adds: “Phenomenex invests time to improve managers to ensure that employees, regardless of their tenure, have a promising path forward where they can step out of their comfort zones, attempt new things, and have room to fail—and improve—without fear.”

As a global trade administrator at Phenomenex, Jackie Thompson is responsible for

ensuring that all prices are accurate in Phenomenex’s system—a role that requires a high level of expertise in business, finance, and accounting, as well as close collaboration with vendors. Jackie transitioned into her current role during the pandemic. Previously, she worked within Phenomenex’s payroll department for four and a half years.

Initially, you might think that Jackie’s knack for maintaining relationships with nearly

everyone across campus comes from a tenure of working across different departments

(e.g., payroll, sales, marketing, finance, and more). However, after a short conversation with her, you realize: Behind the data and dollars, Jackie is a beaming people person—someone who devotes her life to serving others.

Before joining Phenomenex, Jackie held payroll roles with several other companies she described as fairly “corporate.” When searching for her next move, Phenomenex stood out for its commitment to diversity and breaking the traditional corporate-culture mold.

“We truly have a fun, family feel to our culture,” said Jackie. “You spend eight—sometimes up to twelve—hours per day with your coworkers; those better be good people. Before Phenomenex, I never knew that scientists and creators could be so fun to work with.” Jackie recalls her first visit to campus and seeing a mariachi band marching in and out of buildings.

“As an employee, you’re encouraged to bring your full self to work every day. Teach us about your holidays and cultures; we’re eager to learn and celebrate with you. Every holiday, tradition, or birthday—big or small—we have a deep sense of camaraderie on campus and commit ourselves to always continue learning about, and celebrating, each other.”

Throughout her life, Jackie has always felt drawn towards continuous learning and improvement. As a woman of faith, she always looks for ways to better serve her family and community. Professionally, Jackie strives to provide exceptional customer service while maintaining genuine relationships.

She sees alignment between this innate part of herself and Phenomenex’s company-wide practice of Kaizen, a Japanese term meaning "change for the better" or "continuous improvement"—a model that encourages employees to always improve.

Outside of work, Jackie is a practicing vocalist and actively involved with her church. She also makes time to appreciate the simple things in life: tacos, tequila, and beer.

_“My biggest sunbeam is connecting with people; it resonates deeply in my spirit,” said Jackie. “I love to encourage others to be their very best and, if I can do the same, I’m fulfilled._”