I grew up in Fresno, CA—the center of San Joaquin Valley and, really, the state. While Fresno is home to a great deal of large-scale agricultural production, it’s not all farm land; it’s the 34th most populous city in the US, ranking between Tucson, AZ and Sacramento. Cher went to high…
Being in charge is FUN
I’m “the boss” in two major areas of my life: at work (I’m the Executive Director of a nonprofit), and my running club (I’m a co-founder and co-organizer). The best part about being in charge? No one tells you what to do. The worst part about being in charge? No…
I ran 500 miles this year and here’s what I learned
I ran over 500 miles in 2018. 75 of them were in December. Why? Because when I saw how close I was to 500 miles, sometime in early December, I had to go for it. And then it snowed, and I just don’t run in slush or ice (though I…
Battling Burnout
Did you know that in Europe, burnout is a legitimate mental health condition categorized in their Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-equivalent, the ICD? I learned that from this conversation between Tasha Eurich, an organizational psychologist and author of Insight: Why We’re Not as Self-Aware as We Think, and How…
Your Personal Board of Directors
Back in March, I attended Durham Women Take No Bull, an event hosted by the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce that celebrated International Women’s Day with two multi-generational panels of successful women. The focus was on women in the workplace (whatever that means for each woman), and one of the…
My interview on the LEADx Podcast!
I am THRILLED to share that my interview for the LEADx Podcast is live! Go listen to it rightthissecond! And if you’re here because of the podcast, welcome! I hope you find some interesting stuff in these here pages. LEADx is a digital media and online learning company that is…
The Wishlist as a Planning Tool
Do you make wishlists of the things you want to own? Whether it’s for my birthday or something to save for, I do. I have an Amazon wishlist, a Pinterest board dedicated to things I want, and an ongoing list in my head. While an argument can be made for…
The Need for "Meantime" Solutions
Last week, a colleague shared that Raleigh-based company, Undercover Colors, recently announced their new product for detecting beverages spiked with certain drugs. From their website, Drug-facilitated sexual assault (commonly known as “date rape”) is a global crime that impacts people of all genders. We spent four years in our lab…
My User Manual
I’ve been working with a fabulous executive coach, Janeen Gingrich, for a few months, and one of the tasks she gave me was to write my leadership philosophy. I did all of the assignments that are supposed to prep you for writing such a manifesto, but I was really struggling…
It does not say "RSVP" on the Statue of Liberty
Yesterday (Independence Day 2018), my husband and I traveled from Durham, NC to the ICE detention center in Farmville, VA to participate in an organized protest…but no one else was there to protest and we couldn’t get into the facility to visit detainees. According to a July 3 article from the…