How She Learned to Love Where She Lived

Sometimes you do not fall in love with a place because it changes. You fall in love with it because you do, and somewhere between building community, creating memories, and becoming more of yourself, an address quietly becomes home.

I had moved from Ohio to the Boston area and was working in home care when a Director of Rehab Services position opened up. I applied and was interviewed by the vice president of operations who became my boss. It was such a good fit that I stayed in this position for 23 years.

I reached a point in my career where I knew I needed to pivot, but I wasn't sure what came next. Expanding my consulting business gave me the space to recenter and rediscover what I wanted and ultimately, a freelance opportunity evolved into the full-time role I'm in today.

Today, I am proud to call Memorial Hermann Rockets Orthopedic Hospital (MHROH) a significant part of my professional journey. What began as a major career change has become an opportunity to lead, innovate, develop people, and make a meaningful impact on PeriOperative care in ambulatory and hospital settings.

I never imagined leaving NYC for Orlando, and it took time to see Orlando as home. But somewhere along the way, the relationships, experiences, and memories I created here turned an unexpected move into a meaningful new chapter.

I came to Milwaukee for my studies, but fell in love with it the moment I arrived and experienced my first Midwest autumn. Every season is perfect in its imperfection- just like life; the leaves fall, they grow back, and the cycle continues, teaching me to embrace every change along the way.

Making Northern Virginia my permanent home in 2019 was harder than I expected. I missed being close to the ocean, my family, and my social network. But I've learned that home isn't just where you're from. It's where you invest your time, build meaningful relationships, and create community. Since relocating from the Northeast, that's exactly what I've done, both personally and professionally.

Never let preconceived notions cheat you out of an unexpected journey. If I had listened to the rumors, I would have missed out on a truly great melting pot.

I graduated from LSU with a Journalism degree and moved 686 miles away from home to be a TV News Reporter in Abilene, Texas. This experience changed my career trajectory and propelled me to achieve my goal of moving back home to New Orleans, to start a business career at Xerox. I ultimately realized that although jobs may come and go, my talent stays and grows and gets me through opened doors.

Living in small communities, from Elizabethtown, Kentucky to rural Texas, taught me to appreciate unique perspective and value that I never experienced in a big city. These diverse environments not only enriched my personal connection to each place but also helped me better understand and appreciate the varied backgrounds of my team members.

I was very grateful and blessed to be where I was. It gave me a sense of pride and the ability of determination for a future.

I used to think ambition meant leaving rural Iowa. Now I think it can mean seeing potential where you are and helping build something worth staying for.