What is your secret to success?
Just powering on and learning all the time. I, like many others, have had difficult times, and I just keep moving forward with the goal of making a difference every day of my life. Maybe it’s a small success, but everything counts.
How did you get started in your field?
I began working at the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism in my late teens. I fell in love with the tourism and hospitality industry while meeting the most amazing people.
What advice would you give to a young woman starting her career?
Never be content with where you are, who you know and what you know. Meet as many people as possible, and learn from them. Take classes, get certifications, attend webinars, go to conferences — anything where you can advance your knowledge. Everything is worth understanding and knowing, even if you’re not an expert in it all.
Which of your accomplishments are you most proud of?
My team at North Little Rock Tourism just won the Tourism Office of the Year from our peers in the Southeast Tourism Society. This year, I was chosen as the chairman of the board for the Southeast Tourism Society and will also be leading Skål International USA as president in 2024. A few years ago, I won the Tourism Person of the Year at the Arkansas Governor’s Conference on Tourism and that really meant so much to me.
What obstacles have you had to overcome?
I took the non-traditional route of getting my bachelor’s and Master of Tourism degrees once I was grown, married and raising children. While working on my master’s, I went through breast cancer treatment (chemo, radiation and several surgeries). I was working full time and rarely took sick leave. This was an example of my “powering through.” Life can’t take a backseat just because something else is happening.
Is there another “power woman” in your life who inspires you?
I really must thank two women — Jo Luck (former director of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism) and Montine McNulty (former president and CEO of the Arkansas Hospitality Association). Both women saw my potential and were instrumental in inspiring my career path to where I am now. They were both women leaders in positions that had always been male-dominated, and they used their smarts to make a difference. Montine especially gave me every opportunity and encouragement to grow into a leader.
What are you reading/watching right now?
My husband and I are just now watching the Mission Impossible movies from [the 2010s], which we didn’t make time for when they originally were released. I read historical novels, particularly the World War II era.
