Jennifer Oliva

I truly attribute my success to my mother. We were wonderful friends, and she was definitely my support network. She gave me that positive 'you can do it' encouragement, telling me to pick myself up but also allowing myself to grieve if I lost an audition or if something didn't go my way. She taught me to figure out why things happened and to look at what I did correctly, what I did well. She was definitely a driving force with everything that I have now. I channel her with this career. What I learned is that the strength she gave me didn't leave when she did - it stays. When I needed it the most, it carried me. I definitely attribute a lot to my mom, and I honor her by honoring the foundation she gave me to stand on.

I think renewable energy is a field we all need to take a closer look at. And if someone doesn't go into renewable energy, I think we still need to do our part with the environment because we're in a world of hurt right now. But honestly, my bigger story and advice is that it's never too late to begin again. It was never too late for me to begin again, and I think it's never too late for someone else to start a Chapter 2 or to start a Chapter 3. If we fall down, we can stand right back up. The sun is gonna rise, and it'll be okay. I think a lot of people are afraid to start over, but if you're lucky, someone in your life will give you a foundation to stand on when that happens, and then you just honor that. By honoring that, you're gonna honor them.

Integrity and family are the most important values to me. Family is probably the most important thing for me. I think if you hold your integrity really strong, you can have firm boundaries, and you can separate work and personal life, and you can be there for your family. That's always been my first and foremost. If we stay true to our core values, we can set our boundaries and we can hold our own in this industry. By staying true to those values, you can honor the people who matter most.