Felicia Hemphill

Thank you to Influential Women for taking the time to recognize my contributions. Throughout my professional journey, it is easy to get caught up in day-to-day activities and forget how much influence and impact I am making. This recognition allowed me to pause, smell the flowers, and remember to consistently acknowledge my achievements.

My inspiration to connect with Influential Women came from their platform’s encouragement of sharing perspectives and empowering others. These are key attributes I believe play an essential role in growth and development, both personally and professionally. Being an influential woman, to me, means the following:

Being Resilient

Since starting my professional career, I have been through two recessions, a plant closure, relocations, and several acquisitions. Each situation came with a rollercoaster of events, roadblocks, and challenges. Through it all, I was able to pivot quickly, become resourceful in finding solutions, and turn each experience into a valuable lesson.

Being Coachable

Did I have formal education in my current field of work before starting this journey? No. My Bachelor of Science degree is in Business Education (teaching). Straight out of college, in the middle of a recession, I took an opportunity as a QA Lab Technician and Office Assistant for a food manufacturing company. Without formal education or experience, someone gave me a chance.

To show my appreciation and gratitude, I was attentive during training, gained on-the-floor experience, and took courses to enhance my knowledge and skills in the food manufacturing industry. Today, I can proudly say that I am an ASQ Certified Food Safety and Quality Auditor.

What began as a job turned into a lifelong passion for a career in Food Safety and Quality. Despite not working in the field I originally went to college for, I was still able to incorporate and utilize my teaching skills in my current industry. Creating lesson plans became preparation for meetings, teaching students turned into training employees, and conducting curriculum-based assessments prepared me to audit ingredient suppliers for compliance with GFSI standards.

As you can see, it does not matter how you start—if you are willing to learn and adapt, you can excel in any environment. A quote I live by is, “Do something today that your future self will thank you for.” Big or small, do something that will pay off down the road.

Being Empathetic

Tap into your emotional intelligence (EQ). From experience, showing people that you care, understanding their feelings, and offering support helps build trust and strong relationships. Taking the time to listen and explain the “why” behind the work helps others see the bigger picture, understand how their roles are critical to outcomes, and makes it easier for them to follow your lead. Creating an environment where people feel valued and motivated to contribute their best is essential to an organization’s success.

These three characteristics—resilience, coachability, and empathy—have fueled my influence and made a positive impact throughout my professional career. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the women who gave me confidence and invested in my growth as a Food Safety and Quality professional: Neva Romero, Carolyn Hall Redrick, Tabitha Taylor, and Tanisha Sutton. Your guidance has stayed with me and played a major role in who I am today.

Influential Women, I am truly honored by this recognition. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to tell my story and for helping me realize the power of my own voice.