Leadership doesn’t always show up wearing a nametag or a title. Sometimes, it’s messy, nonlinear, and deeply personal. Life and Leadership is where I unpack what it means to lead with heart, humor, clarity, and imperfection. I write from experience: as a team builder, a project wrangler, a crisis communicator, and a person who’s had to rebuild confidence after setbacks. But also as a parent, a partner, a neurodivergent human, and someone who’s navigated complicated workplaces and come out the other side with lessons (and stories) worth sharing. This is a space for real talk about personal growth, management missteps, boundary setting, and staying resilient in the face of burnout. Because good leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about learning, adapting, and showing up anyway.
Fit Happens (Except When It Doesn’t)
“Culture fit” comes up in hiring conversations all the time. It sounds like a good thing—who doesn’t want someone who fits in with the team? But when it’s left undefined, “culture fit” becomes a catch-all for bias. It’s not about whether someone can do the job. It’s about whether they make the interviewer feel comfortable. And comfort is deeply subjective. It’s shaped by our own experiences, assum…
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Why I’m writing again
Apparently, the last time I blogged regularly (at least here) was in 2010. Since then, I’ve led big projects, taken a few career detours, raised kids, managed teams, launched campaigns, and kept learning along the way. I didn’t stop thinking about the work. I just stopped writing about it here.
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How community college changed my life
I risk dating myself somewhat by posting this, but this was one of the biggest achievements of my life. Thirty years ago, I graduated from Lord Fairfax, now Laurel Ridge Community College in Middletown, VA, summa cum laude. I was named Outstanding Graduate of my class and was one of two recipients of the Beulah McGovern Science Award.
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