Spring 2021

Creative Associates International 4445 Willard Avenue, Suite 400 Chevy Chase, MD 20815 NewHQ:

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Above: Noy Villalobos (foreground) and Sherry Ryan (far right) of “Movers and Shakers” snap a selfie with Creative colleagues, Megan McCune (top center) and Kevin Stone in a moment of good spirits during their move efforts. Left: Looking ahead to Creative’s new home on Willard Avenue in Chevy Chase, which is three blocks from the Jenifer Street NW location. The new HQ is centrally located and easily accessible via the Friendship Heights Metro station.

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Above: Over 500 boxes of monitors, equipment and files are were packed for transport to the new office.

“Most didn’t think about their personal plants” when packing up, she says, highlighting the level of detail involved in the move. “We had to save people’s plants.” Compounding the move’s complexity was the pandemic and on-site construction crews trying to remodel the old space as Creative was clearing out. “Everyone followed through at every single point,” Noy says. “Without the Movers & Shak- ers, my boss and I would still be in the old office looking at each other surrounded by boxes. Probably crying.” In the end, professional movers transported more than 500 boxes with files, office equipment, personal desk items and even the Christmas tree. Meanwhile, another firm loaded 13 trucks with old furniture and equipment to be recycled. As Noy and the Movers & Shakers packed up the old office, the new office space was under construction. Situated three blocks from its old address, Cre- ative’s new headquarters is designed to accom- modate the company’s projected growth and to provide staff with contemporary workspaces. Noy and her team of Movers & Shakers are en- thusiastic about the new office and are looking forward to eventually using the space once the pandemic restrictions are lifted. Asked if she would come forward again to lead a move of this size and complexity, she respectfully says: “I’ll be happy to let someone else volunteer.” n

Moving on up toWillard Ave How a small operations team handled the very big task of moving Creative to its new home

“It seemed natural to volunteer,” Noy recalls, acknowledging that she originally assumed it would require no more than some light paper- work and tracking boxes. Then reality set in – she would supervise the move of 200 HQ staff members (who packed their own offices) and everything that supports them, from printers to vending machines. To undertake the herculean effort, she created a team called “Movers & Shakers” – comprised of Melissa Discus, Catherine Fontaine, Mále Peláez, Sherry Ryan and Viktoria Kavtaradze – who formed the backbone of the move, all while still doing their full-time jobs. They coordinated with each division, managed contractors and took responsibility for the end- less to-do lists: Labels on tables, cables in boxes and Chinese New Year decorations in tow.

Noy Villalobos has moved her office several times at Creative, both within headquarters and to different countries, as she progressed in her career. When Creative announced at the end of 2019 that it would move its headquarters from Northwest Washington, D.C., to Chevy Chase, Maryland, in early 2021, Noy knew – yet again – that she would have to pack her office. It turned out to be a bit bigger than that. In October, the original point person for the move changed to another company. A replace- ment was urgently needed and Noy volunteered. As the Senior Director of Field Administration, Noy focuses her attention on the successful op- eration of Creative’s programs around the world, fromprocurement to grants management – as well as opening and closing field offices. Photos courtesy of Noy Villalobos, Kevin Stone and Pablo Maldonado

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