Introduction 

Throughout my education, career, and personal experiences, I have developed a certainty that every individual brings a unique possibility for positive impact. The challenge that I find most spectacular in life is that we each have an opportunity to discover that possibility over and over again.  Even more incredible, this opportunity does not knock just once.  Rather, it is a continual tapping from all angles. To answer one tap is to discover new abilities within oneself, or to draw out possibility in others through insightful connection.  Though the needs and problems around us may be daunting – both personally and professionally – the choice to open each new door is a decision for hope and creative growth. Key to this growth is continuous learning and mindful engagement with others.  I believe the latter is a rich, lifelong opportunity.  Woven throughout all of this possibility is communication.  With skillful and authentic dialogue, the positive impact is limitless.

During high school I spent a summer living with a family in Mexico City through an intercultural exchange program called Youth For Understanding.  This immersion experience taught me the ability to push past an introverted nature, welcoming the growth that can only be achieved through new and foreign experiences.  So while I am a book-loving homebody at heart, I left that summer with a conviction that I must choose to dive into the deep end of life.  I held fiercely to a conviction that I would discover something new in myself each time I found myself with butterflies and shaky knees.  I signed up for a drama class and performed a monologue in front of my high school; to this day it goes down as one of the scariest experiences of my life.  I spent a month in the West Indies with my sister as she served in the Peace Corps. I packed the car and drove over the mountains at 18 to meet my roommate and begin the adventure of college. I applied for scholarships and internships, each time fighting the voices of doubt and risking failure.  During each of these ventures into the deep end, I learned to swim a little better.

The adventure continues today as I work toward my master’s degree in communication and leadership at Gonzaga University.  It’s amazing how true it is that the more you learn, the more you realize much more there is to learn.  It’s like stepping off of a plane into a new place filled with people and landscapes embellished in ways not even envisioned.  The experience is inspirational, continually prying open windows to the possibility of positive change.  The icing on the cake is the meaningful opportunity to communicate and connect with a diverse group of people.  These interactions are treasures of wisdom and imagination, constantly opening my eyes to new ideas and attitudes.  Balancing work, motherhood, family, and this educational opportunity challenges me to hold to the conviction that the deep end still has so much to offer at this point in my life.

My personal style has always held fast to giving one-hundred percent to every endeavor.  In addition, I believe wholeheartedly in the importance of authenticity.  Skillful communication and the pursuance of creative solutions dovetail with authentic connection to others, and although I am passionate about my own convictions, I strive to advocate for each individual within my sphere of influence.  Through purposeful listening I have the opportunity to draw out the inspiration and creativity of others, while holding fast to the importance of speaking my own truth authentically and compassionately. These challenging aspects of communication are the foundation of seeking positive change and growing as a compassionate advocate.  Martin Luther King Jr. stated that “Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.”  Being resolute in this decision each day is my determination as I seek out opportunities to be a part of positive, creative change.