Christina Smith, SHRM-SCP

I attribute my success to crude empathy. I really see people for where they are in life and what they're dealing with on a day-to-day basis, and it's my favorite thing to problem-solve on how I can support people. I focus on how the systems and tools that we use can support people and make their day better, not just reduce my bottom line. I believe in truly understanding where people are at in their lives and creating solutions that genuinely help them.

The best career advice I've ever received is to stop asking permission. If you see something that needs to be done and you're worried about getting permission or stepping over some unspoken line, or worrying about upsetting politics, come up with the solution, present the solution, or just fix the problem instead of waiting for the blessing to do so. Only half of our workforce tends to do that, and it's women. We wait for permission and blessing because we're worried about how we'll be perceived. Ask for the raise, ask for the promotion, because there's only half of us that feel uncomfortable doing so, but we can't be recognized if we don't just fix the problem, do the solution, and then give our justification. The other piece of advice is about showing up authentically as yourself. I feel like we are taught to leave so much of our personality at the door and show up as the most professional version of ourselves every day, which is good in some ways, but I think that our workforce desperately needs more real people instead of just being a really professional shell. The more we show up as ourselves, the more connections that we make, and the more impactful our interactions are.

My advice to young women entering my industry is to quietly observe and diagnose problems, then come with as many creative solutions as you can find. Don't be afraid to troubleshoot along the way. Not every idea is a good one, but it's better than sitting stagnant. Don't be afraid to speak up and apply for the job that doesn't seem like it's in your field, because skills are transferable. Take the time to really understand the issues before jumping in, but once you've identified the problem, be bold in presenting your solutions and don't let fear hold you back from taking opportunities that might seem outside your immediate expertise.

The biggest challenge in my field right now is budgetary constraints. There's never enough funding to expand front office staff, so you have a very small front office that does the work of two to three people at times, split between us. It's very easy to go find grants to help extend our project work, but the back-end administration is often underfunded and remains a constant challenge. This means those of us in operations and HR roles are stretched thin, wearing multiple hats to keep the organization running smoothly despite limited resources.

The values most important to me in my work and personal life are integrity, empathy, and innovation. These three principles guide everything I do, from how I interact with my team and design systems that truly support people, to how I approach problem-solving and create solutions that make a real difference in people's lives. I believe in being honest and authentic, understanding where people are coming from, and constantly finding new and creative ways to improve how we work and serve our community.