I aspire to be a servant leader who creates value for the company and the community. I have developed into the leader I am because of the sacrifices made by women who came before me. I want to respect that debt by helping others.

I worked full-time while I was attending college. For some this may have appeared to be an obstacle, but for me it was an opportunity to immediately apply the lessons I was learning in the classroom about business and leadership.

Joining the organization in its most vital function, customer service, I was able to learn our market and grow informal leadership skills. The time I spent working up within the organization provided opportunities for me to decide which qualities I admire in people. I have the opportunity to learn from role models every day in my workplace. I love that women are natural nurturers and will nurture each other even in business.

Now that I am a senior leader, my challenges are different, but I still have them. For example, I have to balance my work and family commitments to preserve time to engage in my community.

A former coach advised me to always remember that we do not live separate lives. The way I present myself at work, at home, and in my community, is all linked. As a result, my leadership style has evolved from being solely focused on driving key metrics and performance. Now I understand the impact of change, and I work to leverage more of our collective resilience. Our strongest leaders are those with distinct brands, compassion, and confidence. They are fearless about life, how they approach their work, and how they show up in the world. To me, that is worth watching.

What does it take to succeed and stay competitive in your position/field?

To stay competitive, organizations need leaders that are agile, driven, passionate, courageous, and humble, to lead through constant, complex, and substantial change. The ability to lead empowers people to succeed.

Is there a role model who has had a profound impact on your career and/or life? What did he/she motivate you to do?

There have been many role models who have motivated me to find and live my life’s purpose in my professional and personal life. I try to leverage my strengths, passion, and experience in service of others. I define success by finding harmony with purpose and happiness. I know my purpose and take daily action in the direction of my vision.

What advice would you give young women building/preparing for a career?

Be prepared to make the most of every opportunity. Decide what your brand will be and look for opportunities to build it across the organization. Be intentional about building relationships.