Her Story
About Brenda
Brenda Vance brings more than two decades of experience to her role as a Case Developer in social work. In this position, which she has held since February, she works behind the scenes to help youth in foster care secure Social Security benefits and access savings accounts established by recent state laws. Her educational background includes a bachelor's degree in psychology from California State University of Fullerton, which she pursued after discovering an interest in the subject during general education courses as an art history major. She also completed all prerequisites for nursing at Gateway Community College. Brenda credits her success to perseverance, emphasizing the importance of continuing despite failures and difficulties. She values integrity above all, striving to do the right thing even when it is not the easiest path, especially given the responsibility of having others' lives in her hands. She advises young women entering the field to build strong support networks with coworkers to navigate challenging days.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Brenda
01What do you attribute your success to?
Perseverance. Just keep going even when you encounter failures and difficulties. Get up the next day and try again.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
You need to do what makes you happy in career or life. Don't let other people hijack your life and give yourself away to do what everybody else wants you to do.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Find a good coworker or a good support network within your workplace to help deal with the really tough days, as social work builds strong bonds with coworkers.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity. Doing the right thing, even when it's not the easy thing. Especially when you have other people's lives in your hands.
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