DAWN MATHIS

My thirst for knowledge and a mentor who poured her knowledge and experience into me; she wanted to see me succeed.

Early on in my career, my former boss and mentor told me "Don't be afraid to ask questions/for sanity checks". She would often tell me there is no such thing as a "dumb" question. If you don't ask, how will you know. I held on to that, and I chose to use that approach when I became a manager with a team of direct reports. I wanted them to know my door was always open and it's ok to ask questions.

Never stop learning! The more you know the more you grow within the field. Government Contracting is an ever-evolving field and as such you should always stay up to date on current laws and regulations.

My biggest challenge is regulatory compliance changes and maneuvering in the way Government does business today. Don't get me wrong, change is good and some changes that have been made, were long overdue; however, it does not mean it isn't challenging for many of us who had memorized regulations so much that you hardly ever had to pull out a book/reference guide for a refresher.

Knowing that I have done my best in both my personal and professional life; knowing that I can leave a POSITIVE lasting impression on both my family and my colleagues.