Cindy Steeves

I would attribute my success to having wonderful role models in my own life. My two parents were excellent teachers, but they were also just very decent people that modeled the kind of behaviors that I aspire to - good character, being kind to other people. I would say my own family were probably my touchstone, and they still are. I mean, they're elderly, but they're like my touchstone. They've always been the role models in my lives, and that's why I'm so close to them. Having those strong family role models who demonstrated kindness, decency, and good teaching has been the foundation of everything I've achieved.

I really think the value of being a continuous learner is the best advice I've embraced. I feel like that's kind of what I've taken to heart in my life - realizing that there's always a new chapter of learning and discovery, exploration, and just having that sense of wonder, I think, is so important to people. You could be 70 and still be learning something new and developing new skills. That advice just came through my own mentors and teachers, and that's what I would impart to other people. It's about maintaining curiosity and being open to continuous growth throughout your entire life.

I would definitely say that you want to be prepared and do as much learning as possible, but not just book learning - also learning through hands-on experience and talking to people that have been in the profession. Try to find mentors in your profession. I think that's really the best pathway for most people, no matter what you're doing. I have a daughter that's an engineer, and her whole thing is finding the right mentors to learn from those more experienced people. I think that would be pretty good advice for people, because that's gonna take you along on your path. Finding experienced mentors who can guide you is invaluable in any field.

I think museums have been struggling ever since COVID, so the funding of museums is one of the biggest challenges. We want to give access to all different people, and so we have to rely on community members and businesses to support the arts. That's probably one of the challenges that stands out. As for opportunities, they're for people to get involved and learn more about their local resources, whether it be a library or museums. If they get involved, they'll see the benefit, and they would probably make contributions in either time or money. It's really about people educating themselves about the resources right in their own community. When people discover what's available locally, they become invested in supporting these important cultural institutions.

My best values would be human relationships - relationships between individuals within your family or with your teammates. I think when you work more collaboratively, it makes all the difference. But it starts with making those connections with people. Building strong, meaningful relationships is the foundation of everything I do, whether it's in my personal life with family or in my professional work with colleagues. Collaboration and genuine human connection are what matter most to me.