Tell us about yourself.

I’m currently the director of human resources—this is my first year. After I left Anderson University in 2004 I went to work for Anderson School District 5 as a teacher. I did my student teaching at Nevitt Forest Elementary School, then I was hired there as a teacher and taught fourth and fifth grade there. Then the opportunity presented itself to become an administrator. I was assistant principal there for a couple of years. Then I went to Varennes Elementary School as a principal there and then became principal at Lakeside Middle School for a year. I moved to Robert Anderson Middle School for a couple of years and I went to Glenview Middle School for four years and now I’m here. Anderson 5 has really been good to me. 

What are some ways your AU education has helped you?

My time at Anderson University was great. Not only was it an opportunity for me to learn, but it also grew me spiritually. The opportunities I received through chapel, also the classes, history of the Bible—things of that nature—then the love, being able to learn about others from various backgrounds. Some people from the outside looking in would not see this, but Anderson University offers a lot of diversity, and that’s important for me. Diversity is not just skin color and things like that, it’s more so appreciation of other people’s perspectives… how they feel and the reasons behind their actions. That was big for me. I learned a lot about myself by talking to other people about themselves. That’s not necessarily something you’ll find in the course catalog, but it’s one of those hidden gems you receive. 

You’re from Anderson?

I graduated from Westside High School. I just went across the street to go to Anderson University. I never left Anderson. Some people may say I cut my opportunities off. I don’t believe that at all. Because I stayed here, I really have an opportunity to really connect with the community. I know who to talk to for whatever I need, so that really worked in my favor. 

How did you decide to come to Anderson University?

In my senior year at Westside we had a Black History Month program, and Anderson University brought the gospel choir over there. At the time, Leonard Johnson was over the choir. I was just so fascinated with the choir, so having talked to him about the opportunities Anderson University affords the students,that really was a game changer. I think at the time Leonard Johnson was actually in admissions, too, so that really helped seal the deal for me to go to Anderson University. 

How did it feel to receive the Trailblazer Award?

I graduated from Westside High School, so to have the invitation to come back to be honored by my high school means a lot. When I was at Westside, I was student body president my senior year and I was really able to connect with a lot of people. I’m a relationship type of person. As a teacher I stood on building relationships with my kids because they would do anything for you if they knew you cared for them. At the time, Mr. Adair was principal at Westside High School and I was able to grow in a relationship with him. He believed in me, he really supported me, and he brought me back multiple times to help them with the School Improvement Council. He wanted me to be a voice for Westside from a community standpoint, so I never lost that attachment to Westside. 

When they wanted to recognize me as a Trailblazer, it was awesome that they thought enough of me. And it’s not so much what I did, it’s more so about the opportunities that were afforded to me by my family, the support they’ve given me, the great things that Anderson School District 5 has done to believe in me and so their definition of Trailblazer is someone who’s making an impact in the community. I try to be intentional about everything I do, but it’s not about receiving any type of award; it’s more so about ‘it’s the right thing to do.’ So you treat others like you want to be treated. I try to treat people like I want to be treated myself. I want to be loved on. I want to be supported, I want encouraging words—I try to give that back to those I encounter. 

What gives you the biggest sense of accomplishment?

As a principal, the most gratifying thing was just getting that ‘aha’ moment on my students and seeing that they finally got it. People would say that since I’m not in school anymore that I don’t have that opportunity, but… this is my purpose now, to make sure that we have the right people on the bus. It’s not just from the school standpoint to make sure we’ve got the right transportation workers, we have the right custodians, we have the right principals, we have the right teachers across this district, because that’s ultimately going to impact all of our students, so even if I’m not seeing all 12,000 students at one time, because I wouldn’t be able to see them, I’m able to have an impact on their lives by making sure that we are hiring the right people and we are holding our adults in our district accountable to make sure that they’re giving our kids everything they should give or everything they should receive, because they deserve the best. 

I feel like now in this position that when I offer someone a job they’re excited about it, that gives me a sense of gratitude, but also going to have conversations and being able to grow people and talk to them about things they can do better in, because once they do better, our students will receive better.