Her Story
About Lori
Lori James has built a career in education, specializing in program management. With 17 years of experience beginning in 2004, she progressed from a short period of teaching into school district leadership roles, where she naturally took on responsibilities for managing projects, events, and programs. She enjoys creating new programs, writing grants, and building relationships through fundraising. Lori holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and earned her Juris Doctorate from Florida State University, though she did not pursue a career in law. She is also certified as a Lean Six Sigma Greenbelt. Lori serves on the board of Friends of the Children, a national organization, and volunteers extensively with her church. She values honesty, integrity, and being open with people. Lori attributes her success to her relationship with God, which keeps her humble and accountable. She advises young professionals to find a good mentor early and to start investing for retirement. Lori notes that the rapidly changing landscape of public education presents both challenges and opportunities to remain cutting edge and innovative.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Lori
01What do you attribute your success to?
My relationship with God keeps me humble and accountable.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Always do my best but never expect perfection. Not to be too hard on myself because I tend to be a perfectionist. Do your best, try to be a good person all the time, and don't be too hard on yourself.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Find a good mentor when they're young, and also start investing early, just to think about retirement.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The state of the world right now and public education changing rapidly. You have to always be aware of what's going on currently because the landscape changes. It's both a challenge and an opportunity to stay cutting edge and innovative.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Honesty, integrity, and being open with people.
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