Her Story
About Latasha
I started my career at Nestle Waters right out of high school at age 18, beginning as an operator in one section of the facility. Around age 21, I joined the safety team, and it was really, really exciting how much I was able to be involved in. I went from being an operator in one section to being able to understand every department and every machine, really getting a lot of training and understanding about the processes. It was something I instantly fell in love with, and I've been doing safety, health, and environmental work ever since. My typical day involves auditing all the departments in the facility, having one-on-one conversations with the operators, asking them if they feel safe and if there's anything where they would like to see improvement, checking up on our environmentals, and auditing our chemicals. What inspired me to get into this field was knowing that keeping people safe in a manufacturing plant is something that is really important and it really makes a difference - literally saving lives.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Latasha
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my children. I have 3 children who are 13, 11, and 9 years old. They keep me motivated every day to show them when you work hard and work towards your goals, you can achieve them. Seeing them watch me pursue my education, earning my associate's and bachelor's degrees within 3 years while working full-time, and now working on my master's degree, demonstrates to them that with dedication and hard work, anything is possible. They are my driving force and the reason I push myself to reach new heights in my career.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received is don't take things personal. And if it were easy, everybody would have it. These two pieces of wisdom have guided me throughout my 20 years in manufacturing and safety work. Not taking things personally has helped me navigate difficult conversations and challenging situations in the workplace, especially when dealing with safety concerns and auditing departments. The reminder that if it were easy, everybody would have it keeps me motivated to push through obstacles and continue pursuing my goals, whether that's completing my degrees or advancing my certifications.
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