When asked who my role models are, it’s without hesitation that I say my parents. I’ve always been inspired by my mother’s passion for learning, intellectual curiosity and her drive to be a leader in education. It was through her sheer tenacity that she received her master’s and doctorate while raising two children. She is currently an elementary school principal. She always told me you can achieve anything if you set your mind to it, which continuously echoes in the background as I move through my career.

My father gave me my spirit, courage, and gift of laughter. His “pick yourself by your bootstraps” philosophy resonated with me and is the catalyst to get me moving when things become more challenging. His motto of “do something you love and success will follow” are the same words of encouragement that I now share with my two children. I was blessed to have worked with my father at Nabisco where I learned valuable leadership lessons from him.

My career path began at Nabisco where I moved from working in human resources in a manufacturing environment to specializing in diversity, staffing, and ultimately a senior generalist position. After a successful early career, I had the drive and passion to apply my skills to another company and industry.

I took a position at Cendant where I lead the human resource team for the hotel group and call center organization. With my mother’s tenacity in my blood, I knew in order to grow my career I needed to gain international experience. I made the move within Cendant to RCI where more than half of their employees were based outside of the United States. It was from there that I spring boarded into my current role as chief human resource officer for Wyndham Worldwide, the world’s largest hospitality company. And I love every minute of it.

There is still so much more I want to accomplish, and I know my drive and fortitude will get me there. Recently, I have been making a larger effort to participate and give back to the community. I’m involved in a mentoring program that helped a veteran navigate from the military to corporate America. I also serve on the board of Starlight Children’s Foundation and Big Brothers Big Sisters. I have had a very fortunate career, and I’m committed to passing on what I have learned to others.