How did you discover your passion for what you do?

I first discovered my passion for helping people when I pursued my undergraduate degree at St. Mary’s University. I fell in love with helping those around me become better versions of themselves, which is why I often volunteered to be a mentor in the various organizations I was a part of. In my current role, I am grateful to have the opportunity to lead my employees though large-scale change initiatives. We all know change is tough – not only is it hard to accept at times, it is also hard to implement or put into action. Change is unfortunately inevitable in the world we live in today, so if I can help make change that much more bearable for people so they may accept it, then I have done my job. I like to think of myself as a guide or coach for my employees as I am helping to navigate them through uncharted waters. Through my role, I am able to continue to be a servant leader and help make my employees’ lives better.

What words of wisdom or advice do you live by?

Every day I am reminded that none of us are perfect. With the work that I do, I constantly experience change and, in turn, help my employees navigate through it, so I always have to tell myself that it is OK to fail. I have amazing leaders that remind me that failure yields to learning opportunities – talk about a mindset shift! I try to live by these words every day because we can all get better and learn through our mistakes.

How do you make sure you stay connected with your professional network?

I imagine I am not alone on this, but it can be a challenge to stay connected with others when we are constantly inundated with information on a daily basis. To help me stay connected with my professional network, I make it a priority to schedule regular cadences so we may all remain aligned. This is done through meeting invites, phone calls, video chats, and other online/social media platforms, such as LinkedIn. We all get so busy in our day and are asked to take on multiple tasks and projects, so it is refreshing to connect with those in my network on a regular basis.