Linda Drumgoole

I attribute my success to my 40-year career with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, where I became a federal mediator and was part of the team that created, structured, and implemented the Department of Justice Mediation Corp. That work naturally evolved into mentoring, which has been my heartbeat for 25 years as a biblical counselor and about 15 years as a life coach. I also credit my education - I earned my bachelor's in Political Science from Mississippi State University from 1977 to 1981, where I was often the only female and only African American in my classes, and I never changed who I was despite the challenges. Then at age 64, I went back and got my master's in management from University of Phoenix while working full-time with no wiggle room at all. I felt like all of this history I had of management, supervising, and creating programs needed an outside stamp, a certification. I was on the Dean's List and joined the National Honor Society. I wanted to show other women that it's never too late. Most importantly, I call myself a legacy because I create legacies in others - like when I recruited underserved students for an FBI summer program and they told me at my retirement in February that I wasn't leaving a hole in the organization, I was leaving legacies, and they are those legacies. That really shook me because I never thought about it that way when I was doing it.

The best career advice I’ve ever received is that I can have any career I choose, even as a minority woman early in my journey, and I’ve carried that belief through a 40-year career with the Federal Bureau of Investigation before transitioning into biblical counseling and life coaching, where I now mentor women ages 19–45 in career advancement and positive self-image.

My advice to young women entering this field is that you can and you will succeed if you refuse to give up and consistently keep working toward your goals, because perseverance and belief in yourself are essential to building a meaningful career—just as I learned throughout my own journey, which also led me to write my first book, The Crown or the Clown.

One of the biggest challenges and opportunities in her field is maintaining balance while serving others, as she continues to expand her impact in mentoring and counseling while also prioritizing self-care through activities like going to the gym, traveling, and taking personal time to stay grounded and effective.

The most important value to me is being a positive influence and never telling a person 'you can't.' I allow people to figure out their path through life coaching and encourage them down that path. I call myself a legacy because I wish I'd had that person in my life to step me through, listen, and be a positive influence. I do this work because it's a heartbeat for me - it's not so much about the influence, but the motivation that comes with it. I'm very comfortable with who I am and I never changed who I was, even when I was the only female and only African American in my classes at Mississippi State. I humanized myself in that position. I also believe strongly in pacing myself and giving myself grace - I had to learn within the last 5 years to take breaks and time for myself, because prior to that I would be so drained that anxiety would kick in. When I give myself that grace, I'm back into it fully charged. I'm passionate about reaching those who need more light so they can grow in who they are and where they are. I tend to look at smaller venues and churches with magnificent women who don't get those platforms and opportunities, because I don't see them as underdogs, I see them as needing more light. I'm also a lifetime learner who stays current on generational trends because that's my targeted demographic.