Her Story
About Adrienne
Adrienne Harper serves as a Senior Human Resources Specialist for the Department of Veteran Affairs Benefit Administration in Houston, Texas. She brings 13 years of experience in the human resources industry, with roughly three years in her current role and nearly five years of federal service overall. Her expertise centers on policy and strategic development as well as coaching and development. Harper earned an Associate's degree, a Bachelor's of Science in Business, and an MBA with a concentration in Organizational Leadership, all from Indiana Wesleyan University, completing the MBA in 2021. She holds an SPHRI credential and is currently working toward GPHR and SHRM certifications. Harper is active in the Junior League of Houston and volunteers with the Houston Livestock and Rodeo Show. She attributes her success to the principle of always having to be twice as good, run twice as fast, and be better. Harper values professional decorum, drawing from Carla Harris's book Expect to Win, and emphasizes integrity and authenticity in both her work and personal life.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Adrienne
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the Papa Pope quote about always having to be twice as good, run twice as fast, and always be better.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I have received is about professional decorum, which I attribute to Carla Harris and her book Expect to Win. It is an amazing piece of work that as a mentor I would provide to those I mentee.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Know what you want, write it down, and believe in it. Have a tenacious spirit to always go forth for it no matter what happens in the path that may deter you. If you find yourself in a situation where you might not be able to get what you want out of that particular company, first of all roll in what you want. Make sure that you look at the benefits that are afforded to you as an employee, whether that's pay for your education or extra credentials. Take advantage of those things.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
There has been a push for veteran service representatives hiring initiative. Those are the individuals who do service ratings for our members of service who after they're discharged sometimes may be injured and they have ratings associated with that.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity and authenticity are most important. Bringing your authentic self to the forefront and making sure that spaces are created so that people can feel comfortable to do that.
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