AWL Alumni Spotlight

What did the AWL experience mean to you in terms of your journey as a leader?
Being part of the AWL experience helped me clearly identify my strengths as a new leader, boosting my confidence and allowing me to truly own them. It also shed light on my weaknesses—not as shortcomings but as opportunities to lean on the talents of others, which ultimately made me a stronger team member. Even now, I find myself going back to my AWL binder to reflect on how far I’ve come.

Describe the benefits of the AWL experience.
AWL helped me build my personal sense of value and recognize that vulnerability can be a powerful tool for breaking down walls and creating genuine connections. I gained lasting friendships and the clarity to determine whether I was on the path I truly wanted—or simply following the path my company had set—and learned how to align the two. I confirmed my worth as a person, identified my strengths and weaknesses, and, most importantly, learned how to intentionally use them to my advantage.

What was it about AWL that made you feel you had an ROI from the experience?
It actually took about a year after completing the program for me to fully recognize the return on my investment—and I still apply some of the takeaways today. AWL validated my voice as a leader and gave me the confidence to pursue what I truly wanted: a C-suite position within my company. At the time, that role didn’t even exist—so I worked with the owner to create it.

What would you say to someone considering the AWL experience?
Be ready to take an honest, sometimes uncomfortable look at what you truly want—and what you’re willing to let go of to get there. If you’re not prepared for that level of reflection, you may not get the full value of the AWL experience. Come with vulnerability and openness, both with yourself and your cohort. This isn’t the place to pretend you have it all figured out—if you did, you probably wouldn’t be here.

I feel like I am fulfilling my purpose when… I’m able to recognize issues that affect multiple teams or staff members and take steps to address them. I also enjoy ensuring everyone is included in the process—every voice matters. Often, encouraging input from those who are more reserved or quiet leads to some of the most valuable insights.

My favorite way to spend an afternoon by myself is... bargain shopping while listening to late ’90s/early 2000s music (or cleaning—I know that’s a strange one!).

The kind of work I love is... engaging with new people!

To me, leadership is... a leader is someone who can provide a direction, excitement for the goal, and then get out of the way for their team to progress. Being sure to check in to ensure there aren't any unexpected roadblocks that are causing issues keeps you connected with your team and lets them know you are invested in them.

Something that makes my life ridiculously fun is... thinking about all the fun our growing family will have as we make our own new traditions and memories! (We have a 16-month-old son named Oliver and one more little man on the way!) Having children later in life gives you a chance to experience things all over again through their eyes!

The values/behaviors that are most important to me are... excitement for the team to succeed, willingness to get in there and do the hard work with everyone else, and being humble enough to admit when you may have messed up.