Age: 28
Occupation: Director of Development & Community Outreach, Cedar Valley Humane Society
What’s the best advice you ever received: If there’s something you’d like to see and it doesn’t exist, you have to make it happen yourself.
What do you consider your greatest professional accomplishments: Seeing NewBo City Market in Cedar Rapids named the number one tourist attraction in the state of Iowa during my time there.
What would most people be surprised to learn about you: I’ve been collecting E.T. memorabilia since before I knew what E.T. was. My mom says I watched my old VHS copy of the movie four to five times a day before I started school.
How do you ensure a balance between work and your personal life: I’m probably what most people would describe as compulsive overworker. I tend to find side projects that could be classified as “work” and surround myself with them. They provide a nice break from my day-to-day routine, but also help me fulfill under utilized passions. (Also, Netflix.)
What’s something people should know about your generation in the workplace: We’re over-sharers and we’re more than a little bit self-indulged – but we also care a lot about what we do. We love to work hard and we love to win.
If you had $1 million to give, what causes would you support: I’m fortunate in that I’m currently working for an organization that directly supports the cause closest to my heart – animal welfare. But if I could spread the money around a bit, I would also focus on organizations that support passion-drive education. When kids are truly interested in what they’re learning, I think they are more invested in their studies.
Who are your local mentors: Kristie Wetjen, executive director of NewBo City Market.
