CEO
Las Vegas Rescue Mission
Type of Business: Non-Profit
Based In: Las Vegas
Hails From: Carson City
Years Org. has been in Nevada: 52
Years with Organization in Nevada: 5
Employees in Nevada: 48
How did you get into your profession?
It gradually found me after I decided to make a professional change. I knew I wanted to help people who experienced some of the same personal journeys that I had, as a person in long-term recovery.
What has been instrumental to your success?
There have been so many people who have mentored, guided and inspired my career. The most instrumental thing for me is the real want and the will to continue to move up, ask for help and have self-honesty. Find people who have what you want on an impersonal basis, and then watch them and understand that growing and achieving can be lonely, but stay humble along the way.
What career advice would you give to someone just starting in your industry?
That it is not a nine-to-five job, and it is not just using one skill set but using many. The other aspect is the human condition, which can take a toll. However, at the same time it is some of the very best magic that exists. There is nothing like watching the light come on within someone’s eyes; these are moments that should not be missed.
What was the most difficult experience you encountered as a leader?
Resistance to change. I am the first woman CEO for the Las Vegas Rescue Mission, and for a few years the only woman in the room in board meetings. Coming into an established organization, I entered with great respect, however, I had to make some immediate changes, which proved to be a rough time.
What is an assumption people make about you that is dead wrong?
That I am an extrovert; my profession and life in long-term recovery are active and busy, however, my true self is quiet and staying in where I prefer to be.
What do you hope future generations can learn from your professional journey?
That you can overcome anything with the help of others; that it is never what happened, but rather how you handled it that defines you and how you will be remembered.
How do you motivate your team?
Letting them know individually and departmentally how valuable they are. Celebrating their individual achievements, acknowledging when they go the extra mile, and bringing all departments together for fun activities. Bringing in a food truck, celebrating their birthdays and employees of the month are some of the ways we do this.
