An internship. I was lucky to have a professor that pushed me to gain as many different experiences as I could through various internships. Jordan was the last internship I had planned as I was heading into my senior year and I sort of never left. They extended my internship and offered me a full-time job, which I accepted and I started the day after I graduated.

 I learned so much at Jordan, and it all shaped who I am today because it sparked my love for the communications field. They taught me what hard work really was, and how to work hard and work smart at the same time. They also taught me how to juggle, how to prioritize and how to influence others to move things ahead. Having a seat at the table is important, but having an opinion that adds value when it’s needed most is powerful.

But with all of that said, probably the number one lesson I still carry with me today is to take care of the people around you. I was blessed to have a strong female boss who taught me how much people matter—about how leading a team and caring for the people around you are both vital to everyone’s success, as well as your own. She pushed me hard, she let me stumble and let me win. She never gave up on me. I admire her immensely and I am grateful to have had her in my life at such an early point in my career.

I made my mind up early on to major in Public Relations and never wavered. Knowing a couple of people in the Journalism field, I knew I wanted to do something similar, but I didn’t want to be on the news. So I went the PR route. After graduating from college, I worked in the agency world and then in non-profit and loved it.

My husband and I both are from Oklahoma and knew at some point we wanted to make a move out of state. I had never really focused on one specific industry—for me it was about being 25, newly married and needing a job.

The time came for us to make a big move and my husband accepted a job in the auto industry. This, of course, took us to Detroit. I finished up my time with the organization I was working with in Oklahoma and we picked up and followed his dream. That’s where I stumbled into a great opportunity to work with McDonald’s in one of their field offices based in Detroit.

At the time, I didn’t know much about corporate McDonald’s, however I was already a loyal customer. I grew up with McDonald’s and thought, “Why wouldn’t I jump at the opportunity to work for one of the biggest and most recognizable brands in the world?”

In early 2004, I took on my first position with McDonald’s and since then, I’ve enjoyed many great opportunities at every level within our organization—living and working in cities like Detroit, Chicago and Raleigh. I entered this industry very naïve about what was to come and I’ve since made a career out of it. McDonald’s has provided me with endless opportunities and unwavering support. I’ve really grown up with this brand—both personally and professionally. It’s what I know.

I think it simply reinforced the values that I hold most important—my faith and my family. For me, those two things come first. They always have, they always will and they are a big part of who I am.

I grew up in a single-parent home in a somewhat small town in northwest Oklahoma. I graduated from an outstanding—yet very small—public high school with only 68 kids in my class. I then attended a small Christian university and earned my degree alongside only a handful of other students. After graduation, I married my high school sweetheart, a farm kid who grew up just down the road from me.

Another part of the equation is the amazing people who have influenced me and guided me along the way. My husband is my soul mate. My mom is my rock. She raised me to always believe in myself and to think big. She encourages me every day.

There have definitely been curve balls thrown my way, but I’ve always stayed true and focused on what’s important to me—and what’s best for my family. As a result, I think my perspective comes from a whole lot of things—good and bad—that have pushed me more than I ever expected. I have been able to develop the rare combination of having a worldly view, while staying true to my roots, to the person I am and have always been, no matter where life has taken me.

I took the very traditional way of getting my foot in the door. After we settled in Detroit, I started my job search and faced the normal ups and downs. I came across a job posting online and just went for it. I didn’t know anyone in the company, or anyone in the state of Michigan for that matter. It was the typical process of phone interviews, then face-to-face interviews. I met with many different people and had great conversations along the way.

It’s hard for me to say what helped me stand out from the crowd. I was definitely young, but I already had great experiences that I was able to leverage. It was really the first time that I had ever interviewed for a job with a major corporation.

I definitely did my homework throughout the process. I studied. I learned as much as I could about the people I interviewed with and about the business and the industry in general. I was really just myself. I told my story, shared my background and my work experiences and just went for it—and I’m so glad I did!

It did. Many of the positions that I’ve held have either been new positions that were not well defined or have been existing positions that were going through an evolution. I’ve loved this because it has allowed me to adapt the role to meet the needs of the business at the time. It also has allowed me to establish very strong relationships with leadership and other cross-functional teams. Making the jump wasn’t a difficult one because having system knowledge and strong relationships throughout the business helped.

By nature of the work I do as a strategic communicator, there is always something brewing. I like to call them opportunities. It’s also what I love most about my job.

One thing that helps me is that I am a people person. I build strong relationships with the people I work with and I cherish them greatly. A great deal of what I do is relationship-based—it’s about being connected and understanding where to go and who to go to. Having those relationships helps me connect the dots for our business, ensuring the right conversations are happening at the right times with the right people.

Another way that those relationships help me is that they keep me in touch with what is going on. We all move fast, this industry moves fast. By keeping my finger on the pulse, I have a sixth sense for what’s around the corner and often see it before anyone else.

I don’t think of what I do as delegation. My approach is very team-focused—I’m surrounded with amazing talent and we lean on each other to get things done. I strive to create an environment for my team that is very inclusive.

Our team is spread out over the entire US. We have a team based in our home office in Chicago. We also have a large number of our team positioned in field offices in most of the major metro markets across the country, which is where I spend most of my time.

I’m also a remote worker myself. I moved my family back to Oklahoma several years ago so that we could be close to family. This move has pushed me to be creative and to think about how I work and lead in different ways.

I may not always be in the office—and, often times, not even in the same state—but I’m always accessible. I communicate often and bring others along with me. At the end of the day, we all have a lot of work to do. Setting clear expectations and then jumping in to help when needed is what works for us.

I think both sides have their complexities in their own ways. The size of the companies or organizations I’ve worked for have never overwhelmed me. If anything, they motivate me. There are great opportunities out there that, if wanted, can be obtainable. For me, it really has just come down to my own career goals and what I’ve decided I want to do and where I want to be.

I’m better at what I do because I’ve had a diverse working background. From my internships, to my first job, to the non-profit world and now to McDonald’s, I’ve been able to hold positions and do work that I really love, that I’m passionate about and that makes me proud.

I just think it’s what you make of it.

Find a great mentor and your own personal truth teller—someone who can understand and relate to the challenges that may be ahead, while having tough conversations when they are needed. And don’t make it a one-sided relationship—both individuals can gain from it.

I have several go-to leaders that are mentors for me. They aren’t just female executives either, but also male leaders. I turn to them when I face roadblocks and need someone to talk through ideas. These leaders also are very inspiring to me. They know me, they’ve seen me grow through my career and they can have very honest conversations with me, which are invaluable. These leaders also often times have a much broader view and perspective based on their own life experiences.

I also have a very tight circle of girlfriends that are not just peers, but also my trusted advisors, cheerleaders and even butt-kickers when needed. We are all in similar life phases. We show up for each other when needed, sometimes having an opinion and other times just offering an ear.

Well, I have three young boys (a 7-year-old, 5-year-old and a 3-year-old) so spare time isn’t really something that’s part of my reality at this stage in my life. And that’s totally okay with me. It’s what my husband and I signed up for.

I travel extensively for work and I’ve really worked hard to make big decisions for my family that would allow me to maintain my career while not sacrificing my family. Our move back to Oklahoma was definitely one of those decisions. McDonald’s has supported me and my family has definitely benefited.

My version of unwinding is catching up with my husband after the kids have gone to bed. Hitting the park or being with my boys outside and enjoying everything that’s around me. Life is crazy, but it’s way too short at the same time. I laugh every day and make sure that I’m sharing my happiness so that my children, my husband and everyone else around me can see the very best of me.

A friend of mine recently shared a lesson that she learned the hard way—if you don’t ask for it, you’re not going to get it. But it’s more than simply asking. You also need to make your case, do your research and demonstrate why you deserve it. But don’t be afraid to start the conversation. You own your career, and you can’t wait for others to make decisions for you.

Personally? Seeing the three little faces that have crawled into my bed at some point during the night.

Professionally? A lot more work! I have a lot more to give and I can’t wait to see what’s to come.