Her Story
About Saphron
Saphron Weatherly serves as Administrative Operations Manager for the Revenue Division of the Attorney General's Office, where she oversees day-to-day operations including billing, invoices, hiring, firing, counseling, and support staff while assisting the division chief and coordinating with upper management and HR. She began her 29-year government career in 1998 at the Thurston County Prosecutor's Office as a legal assistant and paralegal handling criminal cases, quickly advancing to paralegal supervisor for 20 to 25 years despite having only some college and no paralegal certificate. Weatherly later shifted into a Data Analyst position after 25 years in paralegal work and credits her progression to a strong work ethic, guidance from leaders such as Jennifer Hazlett, Reed Bashaw, and Dan Jensen, and the unique opportunities available early in her career when paralegal roles were emerging in government without requiring formal degrees. She is passionate about service to others, self-learning through resources like YouTube, and mentoring colleagues, and she plans to retire from the state in three years while considering post-retirement work in a more recreational setting.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Saphron
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to having a really strong work ethic and great leaders who pushed and helped me throughout my career. My career also flourished during a unique time when you could move up ranks without a formal educational background, especially as paralegal roles were becoming more popular in government divisions.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I received is that it's never too late to start something new. Someone told me this when I was worried about shifting from paralegal work after 25 years into a Data Analyst role at my age, emphasizing that you'll still be working regardless, so do something you love.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would advise young women to do as much research as possible to understand expectations, focus on going to college and getting a degree, and commit to a lot of self-learning. For example, when I entered a data analyst position, I taught myself Excel through YouTube and online resources to prepare reports for the governor.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The field is very saturated with lots of competition. My specific position is niche, often filled by promoting experienced paralegals from within the division. A challenge is that many have education but lack the experience hiring managers seek. Opportunities exist because there are many types of law and capacities where this role can work, including in big businesses outside government.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are being really passionate about everything I do, giving it my all, showing up even when I don't want to, and being a source of service to others. I try to be of service to others as much as I can, and I believe that's our most important role.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.