At the beginning of 2020, I tweeted that my words for the year were transformation and grace. I lived out these words to the fullest, as the current environment ignited my need to reflect, evaluate, adapt, and evolve in ways that set me up for success. And I am grateful for finding a new home at IA.

How it all started

By nature, I am a ‘quietly’ competitive person who thrives in service-oriented environments focused on teamwork and continuous improvement – which is how I found myself beginning my early career in sports. I spent 12+ years working in the athletics environment. It began with my role as a football manager in college athletics; and from there, I spent time working for the NCAA and other college programs. Prior to joining IA, I spent 5+ years at a sports technology company, where I primarily focused on building and growing the product implementation strategy and team from scratch. 

Throughout my career in the sports world, I have acquired and refined my skills around adaptability, strategic planning, communication, and collaboration. I approach my work like an athlete approaches their sport – with determination, consistent practice, and embracing challenges with an optimistic attitude. I absolutely love learning. The mentality I have developed as a result of working in this world – as well as pursuing my MBA – lends itself well to IA’s culture of curiosity.

Understanding Who You Are At Your Core

I was recently going through things I had written in 6^th grade. One of the themes in my writing was a clear desire to help people: …I want to be able to have any magical powers and to make the world a better place. You can learn a lot about who you are at your core by reading things you wrote in your childhood, before you are influenced too much by society. 

Joining the IA team has allowed me to get back to my core in many ways, to live more authentically as who I am without second guessing. It is refreshing. Each teammate has their own magical powers which are embraced and valued. In my case, I serve as an architect for our project execution with complex organizations.

I have always been drawn to building plans, goal setting, and driving action. I believe each day provides us with an opportunity to choose to grow and get better.  I am always hungry for continuous improvement. 

A Foundation of Trust and Appreciation

It is through having a strong internal culture, where people are appreciated and there is a solid foundation of trust, that we are able to help our clients through organizational HR transformation. We meet our clients where they are at in their journey and provide unbiased support to facilitate achievement of their goals. We are here to build genuine relationships and we care for our clients in work and in life.

One Day at a Time

One of the phrases I am centered on in 2021 is, Small habits add up. Whether it is a personal goal or organizational goal, you have to focus on what you can control one day at a time. The thought of reaching a big goal or creating change on a large scale can be paralyzing.

My advice is to write down a plan, get started somewhere, and evaluate weekly where you need to adapt. We cannot manage our priorities in our heads. Also, make sure you have the right support system and do not be afraid to ask for help. We are all human and need a trusted community to thrive.