This is personal for me—because I’ve lived it more than once. For a long stretch of my career, I chased external validation: what others thought of me, how quickly I could get promoted, how my salary stacked up. But none of that reflected what truly mattered to me. And more importantly, it wasn’t in my control. It wasn’t until my late 30s that I paused and asked myself: What are my values? What’s my North Star? That shift changed everything. Today, my focus is on enabling organizations and teams to prioritize people development above all else. That means bringing the person’s voice into every conversation—centering their growth, their story, and their potential. Even during my 12 years at a beer company, I struggled to align with the core business goal of selling more beer. But it was the side quests—the inclusion work, the relationships, the moments of mentorship—that revealed what I truly cared about: community and people. That’s the thread I’ve followed ever since.

I've been where you are—staring at job boards, feeling overwhelmed by endless applications, and wondering if I'm doing everything wrong. During my own career transitions, I thought job searching was just about submitting resumes and hoping for the best. I'd apply to dozens of positions online, rarely hearing back, and feeling more discouraged with each rejection or silence. The whole process felt like throwing darts in the dark. The turning point came when I realized I needed to approach job searching strategically, not desperately. Through trial and error—and yes, plenty of rejections—I discovered that finding the right opportunities isn't just about what you know, but who you know, how you present yourself, and where you actually look. I learned to leverage networking in ways that felt authentic, figured out how to make job boards work for me, and discovered the hidden job market that most people never tap into. The journey taught me that job searching is a skill set in itself—one that no one really teaches you. I went from dreading the process to feeling confident and strategic about it. Now I help others navigate their searches using the real-world tactics that actually work. If you're feeling stuck, sending applications into the void, or unsure where to start, I've been there. The good news? There's a better way, and you don't have to figure it out through trial and error like I did.

Becoming a parent later in life brought both joys and challenges I hadn’t expected. While some parenting experiences feel universal, I’ve learned that others — like balancing parenthood with a professional life or navigating the world as a parent of color — can be deeply unique. I’ve also found that parenting isn’t just about raising children, but about learning how to show up in different spaces, including among other parents, at schools, and in communities that don’t always reflect my own experiences. Along the way, I’ve thought a lot about how to advocate for my child, connect with the right support services, and step into leadership roles where needed. My journey has taught me that parenthood is about more than just surviving the day-to-day — it’s about building belonging for both yourself and your child.