Her Story
About Stephanie
Stephanie Isaac serves as a Grants and Projects Analyst at the Nevada Office of the Attorney General. In this role, she provides administration and oversight for federally funded criminal justice programs and initiatives, acting as a liaison between the federal government and service providers across the state. Her responsibilities include monitoring grant-funded activities for compliance with fiscal, programmatic, and reporting requirements, as well as reviewing grant budgets and reimbursement requests. Stephanie holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from California State University, Sacramento, and an earlier degree in liberal arts from 2007. She also completed DOJ grants financial management training. Prior to her current position, she accumulated experience through roles in state government, as a government contractor with International Business Machines (IBM) analyzing public sector healthcare information, and in administrative support positions. Her background in analysis and passion for public service guide her approach to her work in grants administration.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Stephanie
01What do you attribute your success to?
First and foremost in terms of my existing career teamwork makes the dream work! There is no "I" in team. When our unit or our office accomplishes something its because all hands were on deck. Not one person can accomplish it all - it requires team effort.
Also, second to that - in terms of my professional journey overall- I woukd credit it to my passion for public service and -quite simply- my ability to think differently. Sometimes as a society we stigmatize people who think outside the box. Sometimes the very things that the world sees as "wrong with you" could actually be an ingredient in your recipie for success. Truly, that is the ingredient in what drives innovation. So, don't ever be sorry or afraid of being different.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
1) Choose a career where you find the perfect compromise between something that you're passionate about (so it doesn't feel like a job) but also provides financial security, stability and longevity.
2) I am quite reserved and shy. I once had a boss that called me a "lone wolf," because I would do my job really well but kept to myself. I did not realize how critical relationship building was till I moved to a small government town (I am from a city). You're more successful when people know your name, and you have a network. Reputation is all you have sometimes - and if people don't remember you or know anything about you it only works against you.
3) Never burn a bridge because you never know when you need to cross it again.
4) In moments of controversy being neutral, professional, and morally sound will always do you well.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
It's a marathon and it's not a sprint.
When I was young, I thought "success" meant burning the candle stick from both ends, being overworked, having a certain title at a certain company and earning accolades & distinctions (which I do have under my belt)... I learned though that success is about being personally fulfilled, and not giving so much merit to the opinions of others... Why? It's your life. You are the only person who has to live it, and they cannot live it for you.
Truly, we all define success differently and success to me now is doing the work that I love to do, being of service to the greater good, having a stable paycheck but also living a life that is balanced.
I once met a woman on the job who shook me to the core. She was a very successful paralegal and a workaholic. One day she came to me crying. I asked her what was wrong? She had just attended her step mom's funeral. She said not one person from her step mom's place of employment came up to say a word about how dedicated of an employee she was, how hard working she was, how she always took on extra...She said "Stephanie not one person is going to care about your career when you die... none of these people are going to care about how many overtime hours you did at your funeral." Obviously, from working so hard her step mom's personal relationships were non existent, so viritually no one really spoke up during the service. Within a week that lady retired from her career. She said she needed to focus on her marriage, being a grandma, and the other areas of her life she neglected for decades. She gave me her aromatherapy lanyard that I always admired. I keep it around to remind me of work-life balance and to never work that hard. I have even shared her story with government officials to remind them not to work that hard - and if they have to may it only be temporary.
You have the rest of your life to be *that* successful and climb up to *that* position. If you have what it takes it will be inevitable. Don't live to work - work to live. Also, let's stop glorifying promoting to incompetence...Be realistic and live a life that's true to you. One that is fair and balanced.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Public service is one of the most challenging and yet most rewarding types of careers you can have. Know that you can give it your all, do everything right, and there will still be someone who gets hurt.
For instance, we worry about the potiental loss of grant funding from cuts the new administration could make. That would be catastrophic for our state, since we fiance critical criminal justice programs and services for Nevada.
In the end though the government is merely the government to people.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity. It's important to do the right thing even when no one is watching you.
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