Chantelle Girdy

I attribute my success first and foremost to God - I can't do anything without Him. Second, I believe in just diving in and doing it, no matter whether I feel like I'm going to do a good job or not. The only thing that can happen is you'll mess it up, and once that happens, you take the positive aspect of it. For example, if your car breaks down, everyone's like 'oh no, my car broke down, I can't afford it' - well, just find the good thing about it. What happened when the car broke down? I ended up meeting some great people that I never thought I would meet. You always have to find and pull something positive out of something that's negative, and I think that has helped me throughout my life. My most meaningful achievement is knowing that I made a difference in someone else's life. We do things day-to-day sometimes that we don't necessarily see or feel that what we do has actually saved the life of someone else, whether it be physically, mentally, spiritually, or financially. Just knowing that I have made someone else's life better - that's where I feel like I've succeeded.

The best career advice I've ever received is: when your shoes are untied, tie them back up - lace up your bootstraps and get going. I've been taught that you're going to hit roadblocks, but it doesn't matter. If there's a roadblock, then you find another path. There's always a way around something, as long as you have your eyes on the goal and it's in a positive realm. There's nothing that you can't achieve. I've been fortunate to have mentors like Charles Benson of the Texas Veterans Commission, who introduced me to this field and has been instrumental in shaping my approach to leadership and public service. The entire Texas Veterans Commission team, all the veteran organizations I'm involved with, and Workforce Solutions Golden Crescent have been such an asset, welcoming me and allowing me to do the work that I do.

Being a woman in a role that has historically been male-dominated teaches me that when you step into those rooms, it doesn't matter who's in the room, as long as you're in the room. Lead with confidence, be professional at all times, and be authentic. Don't focus on trying to prove yourself that women belong in a leadership role or women belong in the room. Just focus on demonstrating your value - that strong leadership brings success, regardless of what your gender is. Show up with confidence and let your work speak for itself.

I would say the biggest challenge is uncertainty and not knowing what's coming next. Sometimes we expect something in front of us that we can prepare for, but life is not always about being prepared. You just have to adjust and act accordingly. In my field specifically, it varies from day to day depending on what someone comes in needing. I work with veterans who are homeless, justice-involved, having a hard time navigating from military to civilian life, or individuals who may need mental health assistance. The challenge is being ready for whatever walks through that door and ensuring that whatever the need is, my goal is to make sure that person leaves feeling better than how they did coming into the office to see me.

The values that are most important to me are the same motto as the Air Force: integrity, service before self, respect, and accountability. I also hold compassion as essential in everything I do. The Air Force model has definitely grounded me with these values. I feel like integrity guides me to do the right thing, even when no one is watching. Having heart for why I do what I do, especially with veterans and in my family, keeps me focused on what matters. Respect helps me build meaningful relationships and lets people know they can come to me without judgment - you can build meaningful relationships with people from all backgrounds. I think the most important for me is having compassion, because it reminds me that everyone, including myself, faces challenges. Some are seen, some are unseen. Just having a little understanding and empathy can make a significant difference. These values have a positive impact on me and the lives of other people, including my family.