How do you benefit from your TCREW Membership? Over the years, the professional development and confidence I have built from programs, networking, and leadership roles has been second to none
What do you do at Citrix and in what circumstances would I come to you for something? I lead corporate real estate and facilities services for Citrix Raleigh as well as some workplace design and real estate technology for our global portfolio. During the current crazy times, I am the global lead for the real estate departments return to office strategy and workstreams. I’m always open to sharing what we are doing and learning from others.
What’s your go-to productivity trick? Adding project work as blocks on my schedule, either by dragging an actionable email into my calendar or creating a meeting to tackle something on my plate – it helps me keep focused on the high priorities and estimate the time each will requires. Depending on the urgency, the block might be free (if the deadline is flexible), tentative (if I need to address but not urgently), and booked (if I need to carve out meeting free time to focus).
How do you prefer to start your day? Walking with friends three days a week, and sleeping in the other 4!
What was your first job? Girl Friday for a civil engineering firm, primarily getting plot plans from courthouses (hit a cop while trying to find a new county building) and making ammonia prints (I can’t smell to this day because the room wasn’t well ventilated).
What’s a mistake you made early on in your career, and what did you learn from it? Getting caught up in the drama at the office. Unfortunately I had to repeat that mistake several times before I learned that what your co-workers perceive as a crises is often manageable.
What led you to this career? A love for the built environment and how it can transform the experience of people. As I studied architecture in college, I realized I’m not a particularly gifted architect despite being born on Frank Lloyd Wright’s birthday which I took as a sign of a clear calling in my youth, so I had to branch off a bit!
What energizes you at work? Interacting with people and new challenges. In quarantine I’ve gotten less of the first and an abundance of the second!
What’s one thing most people don’t know about you? I’ve visited all 50 states.
What’s your guilty pleasure? Reading variations of Pride and Prejudice. I’ve read more than 135!
