Five in Five: Bethany Wittes

Interrupters have a term for a recurring office phenomenon: “boomerangs.” They’re our colleagues who’ve left for new career projects and returned to Interrupt years later, bringing new layers of experience with them.

After stints at Marriot International and Owens Corning, Bethany Wittes recently rejoined our team as a senior project manager. We sat her down for a Five in Five, our interview series, where we get to know an Interrupter with five questions in five minutes.

Project management became my profession almost by evolution. I started in roles where the work was marketing, communications, production, client service, events, sales support—sometimes all at once—and I kept finding myself naturally drawn to the connective tissue between strategy and execution. I liked being the person who could understand the business goal, translate it into a clear plan, get the right people aligned, and keep things moving without losing sight of the client or the audience. Over time, that became the thread in my career.

I am very much a “let’s make a plan” person. I like clarity. Even outside of work, my brain tends to organize things into next steps.

Community involvement has always been important to me, and one of the most meaningful things I’ve done was serving as a CASA volunteer with Lucas County Children Services. Advocating for children who had experienced abuse or neglect was incredibly challenging, but also deeply rewarding and unforgettable. And more volunteers are needed in this program, every day.

On a lighter side, I’m a very proud soccer mom. I love watching my youngest son play, cheering from the sidelines, and seeing the team grow. With the World Cup happening, I’m also excited to watch as many games as I can—it’s become something our family really enjoys together.

Yes, to a point. I enjoy the planning side of home projects—the research, the vision, the materials, the sequence of steps—but I also know when to call in an expert. Being in the building materials industry, I have respect for craft and technical skill, so if something needs to be done right, I am not afraid to bring in someone who knows exactly what they are doing.

I recently went on a hike with my best friend, Libby, and it turned into one of those unexpectedly perfect days. My boys had given me a really nice pair of binoculars for Mother’s Day, so I told her, “Let’s go try these out.” We went to a nature preserve, and that day we ended up seeing multiple eagles, including some in their nests.

I was completely blown away by how beautiful they were up close—and by the size and structure of their nests. It was incredible to slow down enough to really take it in. Between being outside in nature, seeing something so majestic, and laughing with a good friend, it was just good for my soul.