Who is your mentor, and how did he/she shape your career?

My current boss is an excellent mentor and role model. She started in the Public Health field at a very young age, when it was mostly male driven, and essentially built our program from the ground up. We work with a vast array of community partners that are mostly male, and she is very well respected and viewed as a subject matter expert. She always carries herself with professionalism and treats everyone with dignity and respect. She’s constantly encouraging our team, giving recognition when earned and leading by example.

What words of wisdom do you live by?

My mom always used to say, “If this is the worst thing that ever happens to you, you’ve got it made.” I often think about that when something doesn’t go my way, or I’m in my 9th hour of responding to an animal hoarding response in the dead of summer, covered in dog hair, sweat and other unmentionables. Things could always be worse, and you must focus on the positives and move forward with that mind set.

How do you continue to grow and be a lifelong learner?

There is always room to learn, grow and better yourself. I am currently getting my Master’s degree in Administrative Leadership. I like to read books about a wide range of topics such as history, architecture and, of course, your occasional fictional thriller or romance. When I became interested in the sport of Triathlon, I dedicated time to learning the ins and outs of each sport and what makes being a triathlete so rewarding. I laugh at myself for the very random things I Google on a daily basis: Ex – How is aluminum foil made?