First and foremost for me, that would have to be honesty and integrity. These have always been the two primary core values of how I try and lead my life by and by doing so I have also found it has helped make me a better leader. People are much more apt to listen to what you have to say and lend support when they feel you are someone that is trustworthy and willing to work hard yourself. Oftentimes people hold back, especially in their professional setting, for fear of getting in trouble or offending others so it definitely is a fine balance of how you say something and express yourself, but being willing to overcome those fears and speak from an honest place and showing integrity for what you believe in, typically that is when great ideas transform and great things happen. A third and very important trait is also respect; having respect for oneself, as well as, respect for others. Common courtesy and showing respect goes a long way. Lead by example and it’s amazing to see what transpires around you. And last but not least, I believe personal drive also helps make you a strong leader. Not sitting back and waiting to be told what to do but having the internal drive and motivation to pursue new ideas, new possibilities, change, and improvement, whatever it is. You have to be willing to fail at times, but learning from that and moving forward gets things accomplished.

I remember way back in undergrad having friends pick with me about going into the “helping” profession and never making any money. It was the 80’s and everything was about making the dollar and spending the dollar. However, I can honestly say I have never regretted the choices I have made in my professional career. The rewards of working in a field whereby I have been able to see truly positive and instrumental change in people’s lives and to know I had a role in that, well let’s just say, that has brought me more joy and peace and some days I have felt like the “richest” person around. I have found more times than not in my career, that most people do want better for themselves and want to do the work; they are not just looking for a “handout” like so many people think. But sometimes lack of resources or education or support system holds them back for which they may not even be aware of and with support, guidance, and assistance from persons serving in social services they reach their potential and they live a better quality and independent life. Now that is rewarding!

Most people seem to think of only meal delivery when they think of Meals on Wheels and More and rightfully so. Our organization has been around for 38 years and we do serve a six county area and deliver a variety of meals everyday to home-bound elderly and disabled, to seniors who gather at senior sites, to persons who live in rural communities, and even kiddos in after school and summer lunch programs. We are one of the larger Meals programs in the nation and we are also one of very few that our meal programs are delivered predominantly by volunteers instead of staff delivery. Day in and day out, our routes are covered 90% by volunteers. That is an astounding fete when the numbers are as high as ours. We cover 1230 homebound meal routes every week and coordinate 6000+ volunteer and teams to carry this out. But in addition to meal delivery, our organization is also so much more…as in Meals on Wheels “and More”. Our organization not only has a variety of other programs and services such as Handy Wheels, Medi Wheels, Care Calls, PALS, H.O.P.E., and Mike’s Place, we also believe in the holistic approach to care and service delivery to our clients. Our social workers and managed care team works with the individual and their families and reviews the full aspect of their life situation not just nutrition. Services are coordinated based on the overall level of need of the client. Our goal is to help individuals maintain dignity and live independently for as long as they possibly can. Service delivery is not cookie-cutter; it’s individually based always.

The beach and watching House Hunters International or as I like to call it “HHI”. Anytime I need an R & R, any beach locale will do. But if I cannot run off to the water, I do my best to bring the beach to me. For 10years I have kept a big yearly beach themed calendar on my wall in my office and it’s not uncommon for me to listen to sounds of the beach CD’s. They are so tranquil and relaxing. At home, no matter what the decor is in the rest of the house, I always keep my bedroom and private bathroom relaxing and tropical. With my new home, I had palm trees planted in backyard in attempt to make it my own little oasis. If I can’t be at the beach, I’ll bring it to me. Also, watching HHI has quickly become one of my favorite guilty pleasures because it’s something I can do any day. I record all episodes on DVR and when I need to “get away from it all” I’ll enjoy a glass of wine and stop and watch an episode or two. It’s like a mini vacay. You can travel just about anywhere around the world right in the luxury of your own home and it doesn’t cost a thing. How wonderfully fun!

I moved to Austin August 2004. I was born and raised in Louisiana and lived and worked throughout the state but I was itching to try some place new out. And since I wasn’t married nor had children, I thought this is the time if I was ever going to do it. I spent several months visiting different places and thought I had narrowed it down to either Pensacola, FL by the beach or North Atlanta, GA in the hills until one random weekend when I decided to help chaperon the LSUS Lacrosse team on a tournament trip to Austin, TX. In all my years traveling in and around Texas I had never visited Austin and who knew it was so lush with greenery, hills, and water abound. Austin is an absolutely beautiful city. One of the main objectives of deciding where I wanted to live was that it had to be a place that was aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Louisiana is a pretty state; it’s the state of the outdoorsman, so I wanted to live somewhere just as beautiful and also where the people were just as kind and friendly. Austinites are some of the friendliest and coolest people I have ever met. I love the diversity of the people, the endless opportunities for entertainment, and the fact that this is a pet-friendly community. I was hooked immediately and made my decision to move here without hesitation and regard. And family is only about 6 hours away so I have the best of both now.

My favorite dining spot still remains Guero’s after all these years. It’s not only located in one of Austin’s coolest, hippest areas but it has some of the best authentic Mexican food. Who doesn’t love their tacos and fresh salsa and tasty margaritas made with fresh lime juice? And don’t let the size of the small juice glass surprise you; those are some powerful little drinks! Hands down my favorite entertainment past time is the live music scene. It was one of main draws for moving here. I cannot go a day without music. So to have an array of live music venues at your fingertips every day of the week is amazing. There are so many talented musicians all around us and we are so fortunate to live in a city where this is possible for them and available for us to enjoy at the same time. And my favorite outdoor experience is going to Windy Point on Lake Travis. If you want to spend the day at the water but not with masses of people, this is your place. You can sunbathe on the rocks, swim, camp and scuba dive right here. It is simply a breathtakingly beautiful place. When you first get in the water, it can be a little intimidating since you are immediately in deep, deep water, but once you’ve done it a few times it’s not so scary. It’s not uncommon to be floating around and all of the sudden see bubbles and 10 or 15 scuba divers pop up around you. It’s quite funny but you have an opportunity to meet really interesting and adventurous people. If you haven’t checked this little paradise out you should sometime. I’m sure you will not be disappointed.