Kasey L. Cunningham

If I can choose two things, it would be the Mentors who made me, and a fearless, not afraid to fail- approach. I attribute my success to resilience, curiosity, and an unwavering belief that how you treat people determines everything that follows. Throughout my career, I’ve leaned into challenges rather than away from them—trusting that discomfort often signals growth. I’ve also had the privilege of learning from incredible teams and mentors who modeled integrity, creativity, and accountability. But above all, I credit consistency: showing up fully, doing the work when no one’s watching, and keeping grace intact even in high-pressure moments.

The best career advice I’ve ever received is to keep going, even when it feels like you’re failing. Instead of letting fear or nerves hold you back, I learned to take bold action, embrace challenges, and move forward with confidence. But how does one do this when they feel so small in a world full of what seems like at 20– all of these sophisticated people? The key is just to throw yourself into one thing: it doesn’t have to be twenty five things— just one. From that one thing: you will gain confidence even if you do fail— from the mere fact that you’re no longer attached to the outcome of failing. And that’s worst case scenario. If you succeed, then you’ll be motivated to do it again and again. Slowly, confidence is born: authentic confidence. This mindset has allowed me to seize opportunities, overcome obstacles, and continue growing both personally and professionally, even in the face of uncertainty.

Do not be afraid of what you do not know or do not think you know. Also be fearless in learning, humble in leading, and intentional about your voice. This industry—especially HR and legal recruiting—thrives on relationships and trust, so never underestimate the power of authenticity. Don’t rush to fit into systems that weren’t built for you; instead, study them, understand them, and then thoughtfully reshape them. While authenticity always wins, be mindful of being *too* open— don’t lay all your cards out immediately— some will sadly punish you for your ideas, your passion, your hardworking nature and the perceived “threat” that in their eyes: you are. Even when you feel small, acknowledge you may not be in other’s eyes, and protect your peace, knowledge and your integrity at all times. Diligence is often punished, rather than rewarded. And, on a similar note: do not wait for others to notice you or appreciate you or your efforts whether you’re putting 5 hours or 15 hours in a day. The longer you expect acknowledgement— the longer you will be disappointed and resentful of something that was never promised.

Showcase your efforts, keep track of your small wins, the projects and tasks that seem tiny & meaningless at the time— the “fun” projects that turn into brilliant ideas that later become tasks, processes: remember you created them. By all means, run your metrics, keep track of all hard data and concrete data that ends in success and costs cut that you own and achieve over the months and into the years because you WILL forget. This is your portfolio, your professional memory, if you will, and your scorecard of accomplishments you will well and rightly so be replaced by new tasks- especially as the years seek to pass by faster every time you have the chance at taking another trip around the sun. You will thank yourself later when you decide it’s time you have earned a promotion— or even simply what the heck to write on your self evaluation at review time— whatever the reason is you’ll be relieved that you have hard evidence of the work you executed when others may accuse you of not having done the work- or worse- that they did it as they downplayed and shamed your ideas, yet stole them and executed before you got a chance to blink. Whatever the reason: please advocate. Advocate for yourself, ask questions others are afraid to ask, and remember that confidence isn’t about knowing everything—it’s about staying curious enough to keep learning.

The biggest challenge—and opportunity—is the implementation of AI, as well redefining what leadership and culture mean in a post-pandemic, hybrid world. Law firms and professional organizations are being called to evolve faster than ever, balancing tradition with the realities of modern work. There’s a pressing need to humanize leadership, prioritize mental health, and design systems that foster inclusion and accountability. The opportunity lies in transforming HR from a compliance function into a true strategic partner that drives both performance and belonging.

The values that guide me most, both in my work and personal life, are loyalty, accountability, integrity, and kindness. I strive to remain true to my commitments, take responsibility for my actions, act with honesty and ethical principles, and treat others with compassion and respect. These core values shape how I lead, collaborate, and build meaningful relationships in every area of my life.