Leaving an Athletics Director position to become an Associate AD looked like a step backward to some, but I traded certainty for purpose, a new community, and the opportunity to grow. Starting over in Virginia challenged me to lead with greater humility and perspective, reminding me that the greatest promotions aren't always in title, but they're in the leader you become.

The biggest risk I ever took was walking away from a leadership role without another job lined up. From the outside, it looked irresponsible but from the inside, it was the first time I chose my well-being over a paycheck. The environment had become so toxic that staying would've cost me more than leaving ever could, so I trusted that my experience, my work ethic, and my reputation would carry me forward, and they did.

That was the moment I realized that I am not stuck. I have simply OUTGROWN the old map I have been following.

In late 2019, I walked away from 13 years of stability to join a historic, 60-year-old firm in the middle of an acquisition, and a massive technological time capsule. It looked like an unnecessary risk to others, but spearheading that transformation taught me that true leadership means running toward the challenge, not staying where it's comfortable.

I've learned that reinvention isn't a sign you've failed; it's proof you're brave enough to keep growing. Every time I chose the unknown over staying where I had outgrown myself, it opened doors I never could have imagined and reminded me that the best chapters often begin after the hardest ones.

When my children started preschool, I was pursuing a paralegal degree and building a career in the court system when an optical family I had worked for years earlier asked me to take a chance on their startup lab. What felt like the riskiest decision of my career (and even sparked doubts about whether I still belonged in optical) became the greatest opportunity of my life, leading to the development of three departments, three promotions, and a reminder that growth begins where comfort ends.

I've learned that the greatest risk isn't starting over, it's staying where your potential is constantly questioned. Every move that took me farther from my comfort zone brought me closer to becoming the leader I was meant to be.

In this world, there is no force equal to the strength of a woman determined to rise.

In 2004, I traded the executive title of VP for the uncertainty of entrepreneurship. That leap of faith became the most rewarding chapter of my career.

One of the biggest decisions I made was leaving nursing to pursue a career in education and leadership. At the time, it didn't make sense to many people. I had a stable career in healthcare, but I knew I wanted to make an impact differently. I took a chance on working with adult learners, helping them earn their degrees and build better futures for themselves and their families. Around the same time, I made another decision that changed my life: I continued investing in my own education. While working full-time and raising my children as a single mother, I earned my bachelor's degree, master's degree, Education Specialist degree, and Doctor of Education. It wasn't easy, and there were many moments when I questioned whether I could keep going. But each degree opened new doors and gave me the confidence to pursue leadership opportunities I once thought were out of reach. Looking back, choosing uncertainty over staying comfortable transformed my life. It taught me that growth happens when you're willing to bet on yourself. Today, I use my experiences to encourage others to take that first step, even when they can't see the entire path ahead of them. Sometimes the biggest risk becomes the greatest reward.

In 2015, I made one of the biggest, and scariest, decisions of my life. After years in the nightclub industry, I walked away from the late nights, the fast pace, and the career I knew to take what I called a "regular job" as a receptionist at a hazardous waste TSDF. It meant starting over, taking a significant pay cut, and stepping into an industry I knew absolutely nothing about. Looking back, it was the best decision I ever made. That leap of faith opened doors I never could have imagined... from learning an industry I'm passionate about, to building lifelong relationships, advancing my career, speaking at conferences, serving on industry committees, and creating Hazardous & Heels. Sometimes the biggest opportunities come disguised as the biggest risks, and I couldn't be prouder of where that one decision has led me.

The riskiest thing I ever did was walk away from the idea that I needed permission. I did not leave a corporate job with a severance package. I did not have an investor or a safety net or a five year plan that anyone could look at and say, yes, that makes sense. What I had was a calling, a name I was honoring, and a community that needed something I knew I could build. So I built it. When I founded Mildrie's Road Foundation, people around me did not always understand it. Starting a nonprofit from the ground up with limited resources, in communities that the world had largely overlooked, while operating from faith more than from funding... that does not look like a smart career move from the outside. It looked like a risk. It looked like sacrifice. And honestly, some days it was both. But what I knew that other people could not see from where they were standing was this, I was not choosing uncertainty over security. I was choosing purpose over comfort. And those are very different things. The foundation grew. The programs grew. The children we served grew. And every year that I stayed committed to the mission, something else opened up that I could not have planned for. A City of Lancaster contract. International outreach. A four star Charity Navigator rating. And then, out of the work I was already doing in community financial empowerment, came something I never expected: a fintech platform. I designed and built C3 Credit 2 Millz from the ground up because I saw a gap between where people were financially and where they deserved to be, and I knew the technology existed to close it. That did not come from a business school classroom. It came from years of sitting across from people who were struggling and listening closely enough to understand exactly what they needed. None of that was in the original plan. Because the original plan was simply to serve people well and trust that the rest will follow. From the outside it probably still looks like a lot of moving parts. A nonprofit. A fintech platform. Books. A summer program. Community partnerships. And yes, it is a lot. But from where I stand it is one coherent story about a woman who decided that the greatest risk was not in trying. The greatest risk was in staying safe while the people around her went without. My grandfather Warren and my grandmother Mildrie did not raise me to play it safe. They raised me to show up. And every move I have made, no matter how it looked from the outside, has been me showing up for the legacy they left me and the community that needs what I carry. That is how she did it. One uncomfortable yes at a time.

Leaving a stable corporate path to build Healing Thru Rhythm looked risky to everyone else and even myself, but trusting my purpose turned uncertainty into the most meaningful work of my life

The Scripture, "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10), has carried me through some of the most difficult seasons of the past few years. It reminds me to pause, trust God's plan, and find peace in His presence. Together, these words have strengthened my faith, provided comfort during uncertainty, and continue to shape how I face life's challenges.

Leaps of Faith can lead to Career Milestones

One of the biggest risks I took was stepping outside my comfort zone and saying "yes" to opportunities I didn't feel completely ready for. I began my career as a Pre-K paraprofessional because I wanted to be on the same school schedule as my children. At the time, I never imagined that educational technology would become my passion or that I would one day lead districtwide professional learning, mentor educators, and become the first Adobe ACE Innovator in my district. There were many moments when I questioned whether I was qualified enough or experienced enough, but I learned that growth doesn't happen by staying comfortable. Every certification, presentation, leadership opportunity, and ambassador role began with a willingness to take a chance on myself. Looking back, what seemed risky from the outside became the greatest opportunity of my career. My advice to others is simple: don't let fear make your decisions. Believe in yourself, keep learning, and say "yes" to opportunities that challenge you. You may discover a passion and purpose you never expected.