LiteracyPlanet’s Customer Care Specialist Lana Macedone lives out her title every day. Part of the team that supports LP customers with any and all queries, Lana’s day is never planned out for her. It takes a range of twists and turns, which she loves.
“In just one morning, I can be helping a parent change their child’s learning levels, adding a whole class for a teacher, providing IT support for a school that can’t get Word Mania working, and explaining how to read some of our teacher reports. My day is never dull!”
Besides the variety of work, what keeps her coming back is being part of a company with a purpose she believes in.
“I get to work for a children’s educational software company, and I find it very rewarding knowing I’m making a difference in children’s lives.”
LP staff come with very varied experiences, and Lana is no different. Prior to working at LiteracyPlanet, Lana was a part-time actress for 20 years, with credits in over 100 movies and TV series, including Mental and Ghostship. This gave her the opportunity to act alongside industry stalwarts such as Anthony La Paglia, Toni Collette, Rebecca Gibney, Isaiah Washington, Gabriel Byrne and Alex Dimitriades.
“These roles were hard work and so much fun, but honestly, my most memorable project is the Crocodile Hunter Series, where I got to act alongside Steve Irwin.”
We secretly think she loves working with her LP cast more though!
Back in the office, jokingly, Lana is excited to tell us that her favourite part of the workday is lunchtime. “No, really, I love lunch,” and after a comfortable pause, “but I do also love being able to help our customers solve issues and get them on their way again!”
She also enjoys the fact she works alongside everyone’s favourite blue guy, Word Monster. “When he makes an appearance in the office, he definitely brings huge levels of fun!”
Fittingly, Word Monster comes up again as we get onto the subject of LiteracyPlanet characters with whom she finds affinity. Lana doesn’t miss a beat when she tells us it’s him. Why? “Simple. He loves to eat and so do I!” laughs Lana.
Known as a comedian in her inner circle “I have a wicked sense of humour, if I do say so myself!”, Lana loves to spend her downtime at the beach, not far from her doorstep, and more importantly being mum to her daughter Tiara “she’s my best friend,” gushes Lana. Travel is high on the list of what these ladies love to do together.
Lana’s still open to the right acting role if it came up again, or perhaps one of these days we’ll see her living out a childhood dream of being a stand-up comedian.
In any case, she may not be treading the boards right now, but we can testify that this is one role Lana was born to play!
