1. What have you found most challenging as a leader?

Coming to grips with the fact that you can't please everybody

2. How did you become a leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?

I had thought I was dissatisfied with my company and began a search to identify a new one. In that process the CEO at the firm looking to hire me Ask me to take some time and come back with a plan around how I would reimagine the department I was intended to lead. After spending a few days on this and putting together a presentation to share my plan, I got so excited about it that I decided to present it to my current employer instead. They restructured the firm around this thesis and I became leader of one of the new teams created within it.

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

When I am home, I drive my kids to school every day and typically either listen to a speech or a podcast on my way home. From 7:00 to 9:00 I generally try to keep meetings off calendar. This time always begins with organizing my day and can be followed by strategic work or BD depending on the day. From 9:00 to 4:00 I am in meetings but try to find 1.5-2 hours of focus time. 4:00-8:00 is for family and personal health. 8:00 and on I am back online tying up emails from the day, getting documents together for the next day, etc.

4. What's a recent leadership lesson you've learned for the first time or been reminded of?

Building teams that incorporate neurodiversity which learn to really take advantage of those traits can be a game changer.

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?

Getting More by Stuart Diamond. The principle of trading things of unequal value (or at least how you measure value) has been a game changer for negotiations but also just navigating people both in business and in life.

6. If you could only give one piece of advice to a young leader, what would you say to them?

Using language from Simon Sinek, make sure your career is in pursuit of a just cause. If you work for the wrong reasons you will not be happy, you will not put passion into your work and it will hold you back from fulling meeting your potential.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a leader, so far?

Im sorry, I need to step away. I will submit with the 6 and please email this question.