I have always had an energetic and competitive spirit. I loved all sports, but my parents preferred me to focus on one, so I became a cheerleader at the age of 10 and could be involved in all sports! Cheerleaders inspire, lead and motivate people, and they have a front row seat to the action. I grew up in Indiana where basketball and racing are a religion. So the combination of all these things set the universe into motion and charted my path.

Breaking into NASCAR was rather serendipitous. My husband was indirectly involved in the sport working for DuPont (Jeff Gordon’s primary racecar sponsor), so I was very familiar with the sport and already a fan. We moved to North Carolina for my husband’s career and I answered a blind ad since I was so new to the area. Talk about being stunned when I walked into the office and realized it was NASCAR. I was actually hired on the spot and the rest is history, so they say.

I absolutely love it! The sports industry is a big and loving family. While at NASCAR, I realized in a short period of time what a big opportunity I had. I was different and—many times—the only woman in meetings. My willingness to learn, strong work ethic, positive attitude and people skills contributed to more and more doors being opened for me at NASCAR; and most of the time “the men held the door”!

• People and your connections are your most valuable assets.
• Never, ever underestimate the power of your contact lists.
• Anything is possible if you don’t limit yourself and are open to change.
• Some of the most rewarding projects and learning experiences I have had were simply because I asked for them.
• It’s okay to not be the smartest person in the room. Ask questions!
• Corporate politics are everywhere.
• The sooner you learn how to navigate, the better.
• Sometimes, not saying anything is the best answer. Silence can never be misquoted.
• “Your smile is your logo, your personality is your business card, how you leave others feeling after an experience with you becomes your trademark.” -Jay Danzie
• Never underestimate the power of a smile and being positive. It truly is a lasting legacy.

The Chairman of NASCAR personally appointed me to that role. I remember being so honored, yet extremely intimidated. NASCAR had a historical background of racial inequality and we needed to promote change to an entire industries’ thought process. The strategic plan was so important to the success of the initiative. We reworked internal programs and then gently took those programs out into the sport and created a ripple effect of change. This was where my cheerleading skills came into play. I don’t think we realized the history that would be made. We were purely focused on doing the right thing, for the right reasons. It wasn’t until much later that I looked back at what we had accomplished and realized the magnitude of progress that was made for the sport. I was very fortunate to work with some amazing people who were tireless mentors, supporters and friends throughout this undertaking.

This, again, was the magic of the universe in action. I knew that IMG was the global leader in sports, fashion and media. My former boss and mentor from NASCAR recruited me to join the team at IMG. It was a hard decision, but it was time to pass the torch in NASCAR. I also was very excited to expand my experience and gain knowledge in other sports and in entertainment. I’ve gained wisdom from every job experience and that wisdom is priceless in this industry.

My day always starts with my check-in call to my husband. We live in North Carolina but I work in Atlanta during the week, so connecting with him first thing each day is essential to starting my day out right.

My first outgoing email of every day goes to my co-workers. It is called “The Daily Smile.” It’s usually something as simple as a picture or funny meme that will hopefully bring them a smile or even a laugh.

 As for my responsibilities, imagine a coin toss. Heads: It’s routine—meetings, emails and follow up, more meetings, more emails and more follow up. Tails: It’s the unexpected and reactive, depending on the current project and deadline.

This is a very tough question to answer, but this is one of my top three all-time favorites. While at NASCAR, I led the industry security initiative. During that time, we brought in expert advisors. I was able to work with and learn from two former Directors of the Secret Service. Talk about a fun education, and the stories over dinner were unbelievable!

Imagine the undertaking and merging of two global sports and entertainment powerhouses together. This has been an extremely exciting thing for me to witness personally first-hand. Our co-CEOs are phenomenal! Ari Emanuel and Patrick Whitesell are two of the most passionate owners I could wish for. As our businesses merged, a new family has been created, and I am proud, excited and thrilled for every day that I work with this organization.

1. Vision
2. Passion and commitment
3. Intelligent persistence
4. Attitude, especially when managing failure and setback
5. A sense of humor never hurts
6. Development of those around them
7. Ability to delegate and communicate effectively
8. Exhibit confidence and trust their intuition

This was a collaboration with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and the Universal Technical Institute (UTI), in an effort to further increase diversity in the sport of NASCAR by increasing the number and quality of job opportunities for African-American students in key racing and other related automotive business activities. The process took time and navigating carefully through Washington D.C., as we needed to meet and enlist the support of the right people. We knew we were on our way when we had the support of the U.S. Departments of Education and Labor. It was a big day for NASCAR—and me personally—when The Speaker of the House, the Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus and members of the U.S. Senate announced a Congressional Resolution that was ultimately passed unanimously. One of my fondest memories was watching the voting on television and realizing what was happening; needless to say, there were happy tears.

Indeed, I have had the honor to meet and work with some amazing and talented people with many different personalities. Skill set is important, but most often the characteristics I look for are enthusiasm, willingness to learn, a touch of humility and passion. Many things can be learned, but when you have passion, that translates into positive energy, and positive energy fuels everything.

Music can de-stress me in minutes. I love anything that inspires creativity (Pinterest addict here!) and new experiences. It ranges from rock concerts and operas, to botanical gardens and white water rafting. Finding balance took quite a bit of work. No one ever gets it right off the bat.

What I have found that works for me is to stay connected, to be present and to get rid of the guilt. Guilt wastes time, time that you can use to focus on what is important. It has gotten a lot easier as my daughter and son have grown up, but when they were young, I always tried to be completely present when we were together. Sometimes it worked and sometimes not so much, but I tried. My husband is wonderful and we have always been a team and I think that was the key when the kids were young. We are a really close family who loves to spend time together. I am very grateful for technology as it helps us stay connected.

I always look forward to connecting with my family during the day. My family is scattered somewhat as my husband travels and I work in another state during the week; my daughter is finished with college, has moved out and started her new career and my son is in college. They are my source of positive energy.

As for what’s next for my career, I am really looking forward to the exciting opportunities that being a part of the WME-IMG family has to offer. I love the magic in the surprise.