My father owned his own company from the age of 20 and that entrepreneurial spirit has always been a part of me. I graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a B.S. in Public Relations. I worked in radio for a year in Austin and soon moved in order to pursue the dream I have had since I was eight years old – to live and work in New York City!
New York City offered me some of the best career lessons I could have learned. I experienced three months of a grueling job search. One interview included a position in toilet bowl sales – which I decided against – surprise! Although, when I see ‘Toto’ brand toilets in high-end restaurants and hotels I think, hey, that could have been my account! I finally found a position working in sales at TV Guide. I worked full time while attending NYU, also full time, to obtain my master’s degree in Speech and Interpersonal Communications from The Steinhardt School of Education.
Upon graduating, I worked at Kaplan, Inc., where I trudged around Harlem, Washington Heights and lower Manhattan to manage the implementation of supplemental educational services. I managed people and programs and learned that the best tools of a manager are to listen (to really, really listen) to your employees, provide the needed resources and to encourage opportunities for professional development.
After Kaplan, I moved on to Right Management, a career transition and organizational consulting firm where I learned strength in having the capacity and openness for change. I worked on large, global accounts that included employee engagement initiatives, selection and hiring practices and leadership development programs. I currently contract with Right Management as an adjunct associate at an assessment center in Austin.
I have a strong desire to help people discover their career paths. I also have a passion for making the workplace a forum for developing employees, retaining employees and evolving with the needs of its contributors.
I moved back to Austin in May of 2007 with my husband Atticus Rowe and our 150 pound St. Bernard, Stephen.