Lakesha Carter

At the heart of Lakesha’s journey is her faith. She acknowledges that there are hard days, but she continues to take leaps of faith, trust herself, and believe that she is in each position for a reason. Her faith gives her the strength and confidence to keep moving forward, while the love and support of her family provide an important foundation. She also finds reassurance in the HR community, knowing that her professional network is there to offer guidance, perspective, and support when she has questions or simply needs someone to lean on.

One piece of career advice that has stayed with me throughout my journey is: “Never be afraid to take the leap.” You may not always have all the answers or know exactly what’s next, but you have to trust your experience, your abilities, and your instincts.

My career has taught me that every position, challenge, and transition has something to teach you. I’ve learned to embrace change, continue learning, and never underestimate the value of relationships and your professional network. Most importantly, I’ve learned to have faith in myself and trust that when one door closes, another opportunity is often waiting.

I would tell any young woman entering the HR industry to be open to the knowledge, experiences, and opportunities that come your way. Be willing to learn from every situation, because every experience both positive and challenging is a learning lesson.

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Mistakes are part of growth, as long as you take responsibility, learn from them, and use them to become better. It’s okay not to know everything. Ask questions, seek guidance, stay curious, and give yourself permission to grow along the way.

Most importantly, trust yourself and your journey. You don’t have to have it all figured out on day one. Keep learning, keep growing, and remember that every experience is helping to shape the HR professional and leader you are becoming.

I think one of the biggest challenges in HR is keeping up with how quickly the workplace is changing. At the same time, that creates an incredible opportunity for HR to make a greater impact by helping leaders navigate change, developing employees, and creating a positive workplace culture.

For me, the opportunity is being able to use my experience to help people and organizations grow together.

In my work, my core values are work ethic, morals, integrity, and communication. I believe integrity keeps you grounded and guides you to do the right thing, even when no one is watching.

In my personal life, my faith and family are most important to me. My faith keeps me grounded, gives me strength, and reminds me to trust the journey. My family is my foundation and support system, and together they remind me of what truly matters.