Where do you currently work, and what is your job description?
I am currently the Chief of Staff for Houston City Council Member Martha Castex-Tatum.
As chief of staff, I manage all aspects of the City Council office. Additionally, I lead a staff that works to ensure the council member’s strategic vision is enacted, and I am the primary legislative advisor to the elected official.
Does your current role align with your career goals?
My career goals are forever evolving. This role was not in my plans for my career, but I recognize it is a phenomenal opportunity to grow my skill set to a capacity that stands to benefit many industries.
What is your ultimate vision, or long term goal?
Currently, my long term goal is to lead a health system as an executive officer. I desire to be a highly sought health care policy and economics expert, who is called upon to offer opinions and strategies that lead to transformation throughout the industry.
Do you have any special projects you are working on to accomplish your goals? If so, can you tell us a little bit about what that is?
My current strategy has been:
- Finding opportunities to work on legislation that impacts healthcare. Though my current role does not circulate around one specific industry, it does allow me to platform build and spotlight certain topics and industries.
- I have a working list of individuals in healthcare that I aim to meet with to discuss their current roles, issues impacting the industry, and how my experience could best align to support the efforts of the organization. I try to do more listening than speaking during these meetings.
How do you define success? How are you currently visualizing your success?
I believe success is best defined as very practical progress, courageous attempts, wins, and lessons learned.
With the assistance of a valued strategy coach, I was able to build a strategy map for my next few career goals (the next one to two years). The map is largely actions that I will complete to keep moving towards that my goals. I treat the map like a board game. Success currently equates my progressing along that map.
What is some advice you would give to a young lady with a similar dream as yours?
Understand that experience is just as valuable and necessary as education.
Also, when dealing in industries with multiple stakeholders, ensure you spend time building relationships with each stakeholder group. The ability to balance interests is an art that improves overtime.
Describe, from your perspective, what Women Exceeding represents.
Women Exceeding represents the necessity for females and their allies to come together, working to ensure opportunities and exposure are available to all interested women. WE go further together!