It isn't about who you are caregiving for, but the reason behind your caring. With love and passion for others you are able to provide care, self-care, and continue to work a full time job.

Leadership isn't just about what happens under the office lights; it's about the grit developed in the quiet hours at home. Navigating my role at INDOFF LLC while caregiving required a radical shift in how I define 'strength.' My time at Saint Louis University taught me the foundation of service, but caregiving taught me the heart of leadership: empathy and adaptability. I learned to lead by being present whether that meant managing a high-stakes project from my desk or being the primary support system for my family. You don't 'balance' the two; you integrate them into a singular, resilient purpose.

Being a mom of three boys while serving in a leadership role in special education has shaped every part of who I am as a leader. At home, I am a wife and a mom navigating school schedules, sports, emotions, and the everyday chaos that comes with raising three kids. At work, I am responsible for systems, decisions, and supports that impact students, families, and staff. For a long time, I tried to keep those roles separate. I've learned they are deeply connected. There have been many moments where the pull of motherhood and leadership collided. I have taken work calls in car lines, reviewed documents late at night after my kids were asleep, and carried the emotional weight of both roles at the same time. What I have learned is that balance is not about doing everything equally. It is about being present where you are and giving yourself permission to shift priorities as seasons change. Motherhood has made me a better leader. Raising three boys has sharpened my patience, strengthened my empathy, and reminded me daily that behavior is communication and that relationships come first. Those lessons carry directly into my work in special education, where understanding the whole child and the whole family matters just as much as compliance and outcomes. As a wife, a mother, and a leader, I have learned to ask for help and to model boundaries for others. I am intentional about creating systems at work that recognize people have lives outside of their roles. I want staff to know they can be committed professionals and present parents without having to choose between the two. Balancing motherhood and leadership is not about perfection. It is about showing up with honesty, grace, and consistency. It is about leading in a way that reflects real life. That perspective has grounded my leadership and strengthened my commitment to building systems that support people, both at work and at home.

Leadership and caregiving have never been separate for me — each has strengthened the other. As I built Custom Designed Wellness and hosted The Real and the Woo, I was also leading at home, and I learned quickly that both roles require an open heart. Self-care and deep self-understanding became the most transferable skills I possess; when I regulate myself, I lead more clearly and love more generously. Navigating responsibility at work and at home meant honoring my energy, setting boundaries without guilt, and remembering that sustainable leadership begins within.