Even though I wavered, no one gave up on me.

I was pregnant with my daughter and working as the Director of Human Resources for our parent company when I was approached for a new opportunity with TEKsystems to be their Director of HR. I didn't know what to do because I was happy in my job and wasn't looking for another opportunity. But ultimately, I wasn't sure if I was capable of taking on a new role and it would throw a tremendous level of responsibility my way. It was a brand new position, so the idea of building my own legacy from scratch without precedence was exciting—but at the time, it was more nerve wracking. I doubted myself.

All at the same time, I was excited and nervous about becoming a mother. This was something I had always wanted but just like every new mom, I was also scared. Could I do it? Could I balance having a successful career while still being there for my new family? Could I take on two major challenges that were completely foreign to me at the same time? The first thoughts that ran through my head were “I can’t do this—I’m pregnant!” and “I’m not ready to make a major career change and life change at the same time.” The stereotypical questions many working moms ask themselves. I hesitated, I let my fears get the best of me, and I made a conscious decision to lean back.

Even though I wavered, no one gave up on me. My leadership and peers encouraged me to leap into my new role because they had confidence that I could do it. But instead of jumping in head first, I thought I’d dip my toes in the water instead. I later found out they thought I was crazy, but I proposed I do a little of both jobs simultaneously to see if I could do it. And I could. I was amazed at how much I loved the new challenges provided to me. It was a completely different perspective on our business and I couldn't believe I was able to embrace it as much as I did. It was hard, but I learned that the faith others had in me wasn't unfounded—I had to trust in others in order to trust in myself. So after two years of doing both jobs (and raising a toddler at the same time), I finally leaned in and began running full speed ahead with TEKsystems.

Once I chose to lean in, I was able to reach goals I didn't think were possible. Most recently, I achieved a major goal I set for myself: Becoming a VP. Looking back, while part of me wishes I had just taken that initial leap of faith, in the end I would not change anything about my journey. It helped shape my career and has gotten me to where I am today—at a company I love, doing a job I’m passionate about. I've learned so much from both my lean in and lean back moments in my career. I look forward to the opportunities I have to inspire my own team of men and women (and my daughter) the ways my leaders inspire me. I am passionate about connecting with people on a personal level and constantly look for the opportunities where I can impact our employees every day, whether it’s through a five minute conversation or over lunch with someone I've worked with for years. I consider myself blessed to see so many employees walk through the door at TEKsystems with so much optimism and drive to achieve their goals.