There wasn't just one moment, it was a calling that kept showing up in different spaces until I couldn't ignore it anymore. As an Assistant Principal, I was already leading systems, supporting teachers, and driving student outcomes at a high level. But outside of the school building, I was doing something that felt just as important, working directly with youth and teens through outreach, mentorship, and faith-based initiatives. I found myself in conversations that went beyond academics, helping young people navigate identity, accountability, discipline, and purpose. What started as "extra work" quickly became the work that changed me. Through building programs like Accountability Missions and leading initiatives that focused on the whole child and family, I began to see a deeper gap, students didn't just need structure in school, they needed connection, guidance, and truth in real life. That realization shifted how I viewed leadership. It was no longer just about managing a campus well, it was about impacting lives beyond the walls. That shift has now led me to intentionally pursue opportunities that expand my influence, whether that's transitioning into middle school leadership, building youth programs, or creating platforms that equip the next generation to walk in accountability and purpose. What changed my direction wasn't a promotion or a title, it was clarity. Clarity about who I'm called to serve. Clarity about the kind of impact I want to make. And clarity that the work I'm building isn't separate, it's all connected.

The experience that most profoundly changed my professional path wasn't a traditional project or role; it was a personal turning point in 2022. At that time, I was navigating early retirement and a series of life changes that led to a significant mental health crisis. It forced me to step back and ask questions I had never fully faced before, about purpose, fulfillment, and the kind of impact I wanted to have moving forward. It wasn't a moment of clarity overnight, but it became the beginning of a shift. As I worked through that period, I realized that while I had spent decades building deep expertise in technology and consulting, there was a missing piece: the human side of the work. I had seen firsthand how overwhelming change, systems, and workplace pressures could be, but I hadn't fully integrated that understanding into how I showed up professionally. That experience led me to reimagine my career. I returned to consulting with a different perspective, one that prioritized not just efficiency and implementation, but also employee well-being, mental health, and sustainable workplace practices. In 2025, I founded Schoser Talent and Wellness Solutions to bring those elements together, combining talent technology, workplace culture, and human-centered solutions. At the same time, I began leaning into the emerging world of AI, particularly tools like ChatGPT, as a way to make knowledge, productivity, and opportunity more accessible. What started as curiosity quickly became a core part of my work. I now teach individuals and organizations how to use AI in practical, meaningful ways, helping reduce overwhelm, build confidence, and create more efficient and inclusive workflows. This has been especially important in supporting underserved communities who may not otherwise have access to these tools. In parallel, I co-created and expanded my work with the podcast Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads, which became another powerful outlet for connection, storytelling, and advocacy. Through both my business and the podcast, I've been able to turn a deeply personal experience into something that supports others in meaningful ways. What started as one of the most difficult periods of my life ultimately became the foundation for the most purposeful work I've ever done. It didn't just change my direction; it redefined how I measure success and the kind of impact I want to leave behind.

Being a paramedic and seeing people on their worst days was the biggest eye opening experience for me. I knew very early in my career that if I saw a problem, I wanted to be a part of the solution. That is what every step in my career thus far has represented. I saw a gap in EMS education so I became an instructor. I saw the rise of assault on healthcare providers so I joined Vistelar to help providers and patients feel safe when faced with critical times.

When an unexpected layoff hit at the moment I needed stability most, it forced me down a path I never would have chose, but looking back, losing that security was exactly what pushed me toward work that finally felt purposeful and truly mine.

The moment that redirected my path wasn't a promotion; it was a decline. When I turned down a CDC PHAP fellowship to pursue an unconventional road in population health and pharmacy, I learned that purpose doesn't always follow the prestigious path. That single act of faith led me to build Intensity Health Solutions, co-found iNtensity HEALS, and serve communities in ways no fellowship could have scripted.

As my children grew up and left for college, I realized I was ready to refocus my energy on professional growth and challenge myself in new ways. Watching a longtime colleague continue to advance in her career also inspired me to push myself further and pursue my full potential.

Being a founder first gave me firsthand experience with the realities of building a company: the uncertainty, resilience, and constant need to adapt. That experience naturally evolved into mentoring and supporting other entrepreneurs, especially those underrepresented. As a Studio Growth Partner working within the venture ecosystem, I now have the opportunity to help founders scale globally while still creating meaningful impact for entrepreneurs and innovation communities locally.

Working in community advocacy unexpectedly redirected my entire career. What started as simply helping Marshallese families navigate education, healthcare, and everyday systems grew into international advocacy, public speaking, and leadership opportunities that showed me the power of using my voice to uplift my community.

When my husband's job uprooted us to Georgia, I was able to take the opportunity to direct my own career path from working with adults to working with children. This not only changed my career but my perspective as well, change can be good.

A single experience that redirected my career was my transition from a traditional banking role into product and later, stepping into a true zero-to-one environment at Dao Card. Early in my career, I didn't set out to work in product at all. I started as a bank teller, initially on a very different path, I had planned to pursue graduate school and eventually become a professor. When that became financially unrealistic at the time, I moved into a universal banker role. That shift, while practical, ended up being pivotal. It exposed me to the full customer lifecycle (account opening, servicing, credit conversations, and operational friction points) and more importantly, it sparked a deep curiosity in how financial systems actually worked behind the scenes. That curiosity gradually pulled me into more complex problem spaces and broader ownership. I began gravitating toward the "why" behind processes: why applications were structured a certain way, why exceptions required manual intervention, and where customer experience broke down across operations, credit, and servicing. Over time, that mindset naturally led me into product. The real acceleration came at Green Dot, where I led credit and lending product initiatives across highly regulated, complex financial systems. Working across engineering, compliance, fraud, and operations taught me how to translate ambiguity into structured execution, especially in areas like transaction flows, disputes, reversals, underwriting, and customer servicing. But the most defining shift happened when I joined Dao Card. Moving into a zero-to-one environment fundamentally changed how I operate as a product leader. Instead of optimizing existing systems, I was now helping define them, shaping core primitives like onboarding, transaction flows, risk decisions, and servicing from the ground up. It required a different level of product judgment, speed, and comfort with ambiguity. That experience solidified my trajectory: I'm at my best building in undefined spaces where customer needs, regulatory constraints, and technical design intersect and where the work directly shapes the foundation of the business.

I had wanted to be a writer ever since I was a little girl. When I finally decided to take the leap and become my own boss, it was unbelievably refreshing. There is something so freeing about knowing you are in charge of you, and you only have to answer to yourself.

One of the biggest projects that unexpectedly changed the direction of my life and career was writing my first book, Highway to Healing. At the time, I was not focused on becoming a speaker, mindset strategist, or building frameworks for leadership and personal growth. I was simply trying to #heal4real. For years, I carried the weight of childhood trauma, grief, loss, and silence while still showing up for everyone around me. Writing became a safe place for me to process what I had survived and what I refused to let define me. What started as a deeply personal healing journey unexpectedly became something much bigger. As I began sharing my story, people connected not just to the pain, but to the resilience, reflection, and intentional growth behind it. Conversations that started around healing evolved into discussions about mindset, communication, leadership, emotional regulation, and breaking unhealthy cycles both personally and professionally. That journey ultimately led me to create The C.L.A.R.I.F.Y. System™; a practical mindset framework designed to help people pause, regulate, and respond with intention instead of reaction. What I once saw as my brokenness became the blueprint for purpose, impact, and legacy. Sometimes the project that changes your direction is the one you never planned for, but the one you were always being prepared for.

One of the experiences that truly changed the direction of my career was when I first stepped into the behavioral health field working with vulnerable women facing substance use, domestic violence, and mental health challenges. That experience ignited my passion not only for supporting women and children, but for serving entire communities through advocacy, crisis intervention, and improving access to care. Witnessing the resilience of the individuals I worked with inspired me to dedicate my career to helping create meaningful change and supporting people through some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

After my divorce and at the end of another long-term relationship, I found myself starting over in a new place, in a new educational leadership role but feeling anything but new inside. On the outside, I was functioning-showing up, leading, doing what was expected. But privately, I felt lost, dejected and quietly questioning whether I was truly enough. I had given so much of myself to relationships and responsibilities that I had slowly lost sight of myself. My confidence felt fractured, my boundaries blurred, and my sense of identity uncertain. I was successful on paper, but internally I was rebuilding from silence. Then came a week that changed everything. I spent time with a close friend who offered me something I didn't even realize I was missing-a safe space. No judgement, no fixing, just presence. In that space, I was reminded of who I was before the disappointment, before the over-giving, before I started shrinking to fit expectations. He reflected back to me what I could not see: My Magnificence. That moment did not "fix" everything, but it awakened something in me. It reminded me that I was not broken-I was becoming. I was not starting over-I was returning to myself. From that awakening, I developed and implemented a "Magnificence Framework" in all aspects of my life. The "Magnificent Framework" is a lifestyle and leadership philosophy that now guides my life and work: centered on identity, boundaries, emotional intelligence, purpose, excellence, and empowerment. It is the foundation I now use to rebuild myself, lead others, and create spaces where women, educators, and young men can remember their worth and rise into their own magnificence. Today, I no longer define myself by what I lost, but by what I am continuously becoming - Magnificently."

Starting my fitness journey unexpectedly changed the entire direction of my life. What began as personal self-growth after mental health struggles turned into a platform that connected me with thousands of people online and showed me that authenticity, discipline and vulnerability can create real influence.

I was on a vacation in Malaysia and found out there was a film shoot happening in Langkawi. It was a beach scene; out of 30 girls, I was selected to walk at the beach and showcase my bikini wear.

Sometimes the project that changes your direction is the one that changes how you see yourself. My degrees didn't just educate me, they taught me how to lead with confidence, purpose, and vision.

Accepting a job and moving to New York City when I was 25 is the catalytic decision of my life. I had finished college, graduating with a degree in Hospitality Management and already I achieved success within the Michelin rated world. My first career mentor Jason Wagner recruited me from Chicago to NYC to assist in opening a restaurant on the lower east-side of Manhattan, helmed by Chef Jonathan Wu of Thomas Keller acclaim. The rest of the story consists of hard work, ambition, determination and utter joy. I am proud of where I am and can truly say my career has been fulfilling. My dedication to the hospitality industry opened doors and opportunities that never would have happened if I had not moved to NYC in 2013. The next steps for me, through At Home Soigne is to inspire not only the next generation of women hospitality professionals, but women in general. Providing hospitality begins in the home, serving those nearest to us, which is our family.

One of the most pivotal moments in my career wasn't a single role, it was a realization that came from my work in public education. I was part of teams responding to serious student concerns, and I kept seeing the same issue: it wasn't a lack of caring or effort, it was a lack of consistent systems. Important information wasn't always shared, decisions varied from person to person, and patterns were being missed. That realization shifted my direction. I moved from focusing primarily on individual student support to helping schools build structured, prevention-focused systems that allow teams to identify and respond to concerns earlier and more consistently. Since then, my work has centered on helping educators move from reactive responses to proactive, system-level approaches that strengthen both safety and student support.

For the first part of my career, I followed a traditional corporate accounting path. As a CPA with a bachelor's degree in accounting, I spent years working in-house as a Controller before slowly moving into highly specialized corporate spaces like revenue management and sales operations. I was comfortable, but after taking a deliberate two-year career break, an unexpected door opened that completely redefined my professional trajectory: joining the Global Services practice at Ernst & Young. Coming from an industry background, entering EY shifted my world entirely. I moved away from the routine, month-end closes that had anchored my early career and stepped into the role of a high-level strategic advisor. Suddenly, I was the one analyzing the complex international compliance landscapes of major multinational enterprises, identifying critical operational gaps, and architecting tailored cross-border solutions. That pivot changed everything for me. It transformed me from a hands-on accountant into a global operations strategist. Ultimately, that exact experience paved the way to my current role as Chief Operating Officer at Cerity Global. Today, I use the exact same enterprise-level strategies I deployed at EY to help mid-tier companies navigate international expansion, helping them scale seamlessly into the global giants of tomorrow.

The project that unexpectedly changed the direction of my career wasn't one I initially viewed as a defining moment. At the time, it simply felt like important work that needed to be done well. Looking back now, I realize it reshaped not only my professional path, but also my understanding of leadership, service, and purpose. Several years ago, I was entrusted with leading and expanding what would become an award-winning passenger engagement initiative centered around music, culture, and human connection within the airport environment. What began as a creative customer experience project evolved into something far greater. It taught me that operational excellence and emotional intelligence are not separate disciplines; they are deeply connected. Airports are often viewed through the lens of logistics, metrics, and movement. But this project reminded me that airports are also deeply human spaces. Travelers carry stress, excitement, grief, hope, reunions, and goodbyes through our terminals every day. Creating moments of calm, connection, and belonging through the arts revealed the true impact thoughtful leadership can have on the passenger journey. That experience fundamentally changed how I approached leadership. I stopped seeing customer experience as simply a department or strategy and began viewing it as an operational philosophy woven into every touchpoint from frontline interactions to emergency response readiness, accessibility, communication, and culture. What followed was an unexpected evolution of my career. I moved deeper into enterprise operations, large-scale team leadership, guest experience strategy, and ultimately into Emergency Preparedness and Protocol Training. At first glance, the transition may seem unrelated. But to me, the connection is clear: both roles are about people. Both require calm leadership, alignment, communication, and the ability to create trust during moments that matter most. That project taught me that leadership is not about controlling every detail. It is about creating environments where people feel seen, supported, and prepared, whether during everyday operations or extraordinary circumstances. It also reinforced one of the lessons I carry with me everywhere: alignment is the runway. When people, purpose, and vision align, extraordinary things can take flight. Sometimes the opportunity that changes your life doesn't arrive with a grand title or perfect timing. Sometimes it begins quietly with a single "yes" to something meaningful.