Gaynelle Swann

I attribute my success to my parent's determination, my adaptability and resilience through life's twists and turns. I am an empathetic A-type personality and I just love to win. Being an identical twin, our parents exposed us to a lot of different cultures, activities, and environments. We understood that we were blessed in a typical middle-class suburban upbringing. Growing up going to work with our Dad at Georgia Regional Hospital, and having a Mom who was an Emergency Nurse, we were determined to always make a positive difference in the world. Our parents were very active in the community, and I attribute a lot of my success to just the way they raised my sister and me. I'm very determined and persistent, and I approach challenges with a sense of optimism - God's got me! Whatever's happening in the moment, it's a moment. I live in it, sure - but then I know there's always a way out. Through all life's detours, the twists and the turns, the highs totally outweigh every low, every churn, every challenge, every seemingly difficult situation. You've got to go through some darkness to reach the light... and... it's always brighter on the other side.

The best career advice I ever received was from my Ford mentors early in my engineering career - be true to myself. I have a very high standard for integrity and honesty, authenticity. For doing what's right, and for standing up for what's right. My parents and mentors early on told me to stay true to myself and don't compromise my values in doing the right thing, not just for the organization, but for myself and for the people that I work with. This advice has guided me throughout my career, and I've maintained those core values of integrity, honesty, and resilience through all the personal and professional challenges I've faced.

For young women entering engineering, I would echo the advice given to me: stay true to yourself. Especially now, with more women in the workplace and more women in STEM fields, you do not have to change who you are in order to "fit in", to make a difference and to achieve success in our given career fields. Stay true to your core values - I teach that to my son, who's a college freshman. Do what's right and have fun while doing it. Never stop learning, never stop growing, never put a cap on your own curiosity. Even through the times where I had assignments that I didn't necessarily enjoy, I still learned, and lifelong learning is a big part of what still spurs me. It's why I have my CDL, it's why I'm becoming a franchisee. I love to learn, and I would highlight that as a piece of advice too.

Challenges include repeated corporate layoffs and the scaling back of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, which can impact career trajectories. Opportunities exist in the growing demand for rehabilitative health and in-home fitness services, which I am addressing through my franchise with GYMGUYZ. This allows me to make a tangible difference in the local community while leveraging my leadership experience to build partnerships for sustainable growth and positive impact.

The values most important to me are integrity, honesty, and resilience. I have a very high standard for integrity and honesty, for doing what's right, and for standing up for what's right. I approach challenges with a sense of optimism - God's got me. My faith drives me forward. I've taken a whole bunch of knocks in my life, both personally and professionally, but I maintain that sense of optimism and resilience.