What have you accomplished in your professional life/career since your 40 Under 40 selection?
I have become the CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County. I’m also the president of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Wisconsin Association. I became a member of Downtown Rotary and served on the board of directors. I currently serve as a board member of DMI Inc. and will join the Downtown Madison Foundation Board of Trustees in July 2020.
What accomplishments, milestones, or endeavors have you attained in your personal life since your 40 Under 40 selection?
My family and I built our home in Madison, I started working out with a personal trainer twice a week, went to Disney World and Hawaii for the first time, and also will be celebrating my 15 year wedding anniversary in 2020!
If you were to “do it all over again,” what (if anything) would you do differently throughout your career?
I would not change anything. I feel like I have learned lessons along the way of being a new leader and working with volunteers, staff, donors, and other constituents. My advice would be to embrace it all and take the time to learn from your successes and failures.
How did your 40 Under 40 selection help your career?
I took the time to reach out and meet some of my 40 Under 40 peers. It’s a badge of honor that catches people’s attention when they visit your LinkedIn profile. Being a nonprofit leader, it has allowed me to connect with other 40 Under 40 professionals and advocate for BBBS to recruit more mentors and supporters of our mission.
What is something that you have a new passion for since the time of your induction — either professionally or personally?
I really enjoy meeting with other young professionals and youth of color and sharing my story and path to CEO. Our youth need to see more people that look like them in leadership or professional roles so I never say “no” to these types of opportunities.
Based on your experience, do you have any advice for today’s young professionals (under 40)?
As you are building your career, don’t forget to be a part of building your community. There are so many ways to get involved and to leverage your time and talents to become an informed citizen of the challenges our community faces and then figure out how you can make the greatest impact.
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