Mary Jungels

I would say never give up. When you are down, you just have to pivot, and I would say that as somebody who has pivoted their career, there's gonna be challenges and setbacks, but being persistent and keeping moving forward is what sets you apart and gets you the opportunity. I believe that in professional life, but I also believe that in your personal life. As I told my son who's about to graduate college, you don't ever look at it as a sacrifice, but you have to understand the responsibility you've taken on. You never give up on love, you never give up on yourself, and you never give up on your dreams and where you want to go. If you add kids on, then you need to pivot in your mind and figure out how am I going to make all of this work. It can be done, but there are going to be certain things that you will have to do to achieve that. It doesn't happen overnight, you just have to keep going.

Two things for me. The best career advice was, do the work, and recently, from our executive director at NAMI, you are enough. Do the work sounds simple, but if you're passionate about it, you believe in what you're doing, and remain committed, good things will follow. Don't take the shortcuts, even though there's plenty of them out there. Doing the work builds trust. But the second piece of advice, you are enough, I don't think we hear enough, because I feel like we're constantly comparing ourselves to others and believing we need to do more in order to achieve our value, and that is not necessarily true. I think if you're giving your best effort and you're continuing to learn and you're doing the work, then you are enough and you have value. That's the mindset that helps build confidence, keeps you grounded, and shows growth.

I would say staying true to yourself and your values would be the number one thing, and making sure that you develop yourself and focus on being the best version of yourself. What you're gonna find is that it was within you all this time, that if you keep developing, at some point it's gonna click and then everything will fall together. Invest in your growth, invest in your authenticity, and when you invest in yourself and everything starts lining up and it clicks, it will create the opportunity. Sometimes when you're young, you don't see it, but if you keep investing and keep going, the picture starts getting real big and the opportunities will open. As Craig Robinson said in his Princeton graduation address, the world will constantly tempt you to compare yourself to others' highlight reels and Instagram posts. Resist that urge. Comparison steals joy, perspective, and confidence. Stay focused on becoming the best version of yourself and not a copy of someone else. This advice applies to every young woman entering any industry. Focus on developing your skills, building your confidence, and staying true to your values. Don't measure your success against someone else's journey, because if you invest in your growth and authenticity, you create opportunities that are uniquely yours and position yourself for long-term success.

On the mental health side, I think that mental health is still taboo. As I read in an article from another influential woman, mental health is still taboo, and the silence is costing people more than productivity. It's costing them their health, relationships, and their lives. This statement resonates deeply with our mission at NAMI. Mental health remains one of the greatest challenges we face today, and it's exactly why we're committed to ending that stigma and changing the perception of mental health. But it's also twofold, because it represents one of our greatest opportunities for positive change. Every conversation about mental health breaks down the barriers. When people share stories and experiences, they are creating understanding, compassion, and connection. Those conversations remind us mental health affects everyone, regardless of age or background. It does not discriminate. The perception of what mental health is keeps people away. People were hesitant about coming to a mental health walk because they imagined folks in straitjackets in extreme situations. But then Walk Day comes, and what people don't realize is there's music, food trucks, activities for children and families, and your neighbors are there supporting one another. That's when the aha moment hits and they realize these people are just like us. Mental health challenges don't discriminate. They touch every family, every workplace, every community. The more visible we make these conversations and get out into the public, people will realize they're not alone and that this is more widespread than they thought. So the challenge is getting out there and continuing to talk and spread the message, and it's also the opportunity to do that too.

I have a lot of values that are important to me. I would say compassion, integrity, persistence, and connection. Compassion is at the heart of everything I do. Whether it's raising awareness about mental health or planning an event that benefits the schools and the community, I believe people like to be listened to, they like to feel understood, and they like to feel valued. Integrity is really important to me. I try to be honest, trustworthy, and accountable in everything, in my actions and decisions. I'm very authentic, and people deserve that. I believe strong relationships are built on trust. I'm a persistent person throughout my life, and I understand that meaningful change doesn't happen overnight. Whether it's planning a successful community event or reducing stigma around mental health, you have to stay committed even when challenges arise, because that's what creates lasting impact. Connection is so important to me. Relationships are one of the most powerful forces of change. I've seen it happen time and time again. Every conversation, every shared experience, every opportunity that helps bring people together builds strong communities. People just want to know they're not alone, that there's somebody in their corner at all times.