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Reflection on personal and professional Experiences
Personal
Professional Continued
Professional
Academically, I’m proud of several signature moments in my life.
The first was graduating from high school, a deeply meaningful personal victory. Not only did I stay in school after moving to a new country, but I also successfully completed my education in a completely new environment.
After high school, I pursued an associate’s degree at a two-year college. It took me four years to complete, as I balanced full-time work with my studies, a challenge that taught me resilience and time management.
From there, the rest is history. I went on to earn a graduate degree and two post-graduate degrees, driven more by a love of learning than by necessity. A quick tip for leaders: if you’re leading learners, never tell them they’re trying to learn too much. That’s a fast way to disengage them or lose their respect. Know your people.
Over the years, I’ve learned that discipline, focus, hard work, and a commitment to self-improvement can help you achieve almost anything. Challenges will come, but you always hold the pen to write your own story.
Professional
Professional Continued
Professional
One of my early professional achievements was with Marriott International Hotels.
Shortly after graduating high school and while pursuing my associate’s degree at Austin Community College, I began working at Marriott as a pool attendant. Over the next few years, I earned several promotions, eventually becoming an Assistant General Manager and Night Auditor.
In 1999, I was honored with the Bill Tiefel Award, Marriott’s highest corporate recognition for service excellence — a milestone that affirmed my commitment to leadership, customer service, and operational excellence.
Professional Continued
Professional Continued
Professional Continued
The other half of my career has been in the banking industry.
Within six years of starting as a Teller, I was promoted to Branch Manager. One of my most significant accomplishments in that role was growing my branch from a Level 3 to a Level 5 — a reflection of increased business deposits, loan volume, and customer growth. I was also regionally recognized as a sales star performer for the Central Texas Region in 2011.
Later, I took a leap of faith and accepted a promotion to District Manager in Nebraska. Leaving Texas to lead a district facing challenges in customer experience, turnover, and operational consistency was a bold move. Over the next four years, I worked closely with my team to turn performance around, achieving balanced success in risk management, customer and team member experience, business growth, and loan development.
Leading through the global pandemic was another defining chapter. I approached it with deep care and sensitivity, prioritizing the well-being of both employees and customers during a time of great uncertainty.