Chief Executive Officer
Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada (86 years in Nevada)
Type of Business: Non-Profit Organization | Based: Las Vegas | Hails from: Wichita, Kansas | 6 months with company in Nevada
What was your first job?
I worked the summers for my dad’s architecture firm during college, but my first paid job was a student internship at Walt Disney Imagineering. Disney flew me to Florida for an all-day interview which concluded with a job offer. I told them I needed time to consider the offer and I’d get back with them. Mom thought I was crazy and my Dad said, “Good job”.
What do you want your legacy to be?
I’ll be proud that my son and daughter will carry on the warm heart and motivating and inspirational qualities that I have instilled in them. I can already see that they have many of the same philosophies about teaching, leading, and being a great role model to others.
What is an issue currently facing your industry an outside observer might not be aware of?
Nevadans recognize Girl Scouts as the expert in girl leadership development. What they may not be aware of is that we’re always looking for volunteers to be mentors and role models. You don’t have to be a parent or even have a daughter enrolled in Girl Scouts to be a volunteer. From UNLV students to retired police officers to a 96 year-old Golden Eaglet recipient, our volunteers come from every background and age range and serve as little or as much as they’d like. According to the KPMG Women’s Leadership Study, 67% of women said they need more support building confidence to feel like they can be leaders. With more volunteers, we’d serve and support more young women in our community.
What would be the title of your autobiography?
“Work is a Labor of Luv”
My purpose drives my mission and making a difference in people’s lives matters to me.
What is the best moment of your career?
One of my first “best moments” was when I was a young female designer, coordinating the design and construction resolution on a 3,000-room resort hotel for Walt Disney World. My naiveté and youthful, courageous spirit brought workers together to resolve issues with minimal conflict and cost. This was a defining moment as a leader that I did not recognize at the time. The observation by many was shared with me later in my career. [It was] humbling.
What is your motto?
Think creatively!
What is your favorite thing about living in Nevada?
I love that we live in a 24-hour city. I have enjoyed watching our city’s amazing growth over the past 18 years and that much of what our community has done is trendsetting.
