Who is your hero? I try to find heroes in as many places as I can – I really just LOVE celebrating strength, courage, compassion, and humility. I think of my grandmothers quite a bit. Both of them were actively involved in their church, communities, our family, and sought the good in everyone they encountered. I hope people think upon me the way people remember my grandmothers
If you could live anywhere, where would it be? New Zealand – just breathtaking! Never been, but I know I’d be happy there for many reasons
What is your biggest fear? Any kind of family tragedy – if I could put us all in a bubble, I would
What is your favorite family vacation? We spent a week in NYC without any real plans and just tried to experience places people who live there like to go. Sure there were some touristy places we visited, but we took a lot of our cues from places locals suggested and had the best time!
What would you change about yourself if you could? My metabolism – no really, my work out habits. And they can (and should) be changed!
What really makes you angry? It is very hard for me to swallow hypocrisy. I also find myself getting really frustrated when someone cannot open themselves up to another person’s point of view. You don’t have to agree with it, but don’t invalidate it
What fictional character do you most relate to? The Fairy Godmother from Cinderella. Except that I’m not making everyday items into carriages and coachmen – I help people see how the strengths and experience they have are wonderful and desirable assets to their potential employer. Eventually though, “midnight” will hit and it’s up to them to leave the lasting impression. That’s where I’m hoping to make the most impact for them
What motivates you to work hard? The fun of it! When you love what you do, you want to see the reward and there is no reward without working hard
What is your favorite thing about your career? The friendships I’ve made with peers, customers, and talent as we all learn and grow. It’s a heartbreaking job a lot of the time, but it is also a very fulfilling one
What is your biggest strength that makes you successful? When I was younger, I would have said compassion and empathy. Today, I think it is my desire to constantly learn and grow. Surrounding myself with people who have a different experience, paradigm, and perspective helps me to continuously elevate the level of relationships I develop each day in my career
What is your proudest accomplishment? Graduating Suma cum Laude from DePaul while raising a young family and working part time. It was sooooo hard to balance all of the demands! But I am very proud that my children were able to see me walk across the stage to receive my diploma with several cords around my shoulders. When you know what you want, the motivation finds YOU! And it’s okay if you don’t know what you want at 18
If you could compare your job to a movie, which title seems most appropriate? While I find myself quoting most often from “Jerry McGuire,” “The Gambler,” and “Forrest Gump,” the most appropriate movie TITLE is “The Right Stuff”
What would you sing at Karaoke night? “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor, “Wanted Dead or Alive” by Bon Jovi – or pretty much anything by Pat Benetar or Patti Smith
What made you passionate about payroll? So I don’t actually process payroll, but it’s a skill I’ve been networking with for over 16 years in my field. Payroll professionals are so passionate and such down to earth people! You are the heart of your organizations whether you know it or not, and that motivates me to want to continue representing the best of you every day
What do you think could change this industry for the better? I think it would be wonderful to see a formal higher education program centered around payroll/HRIS/risk/compliance. COVID has taught us that payroll was the department most affected but least consulted during all of the change
Why should people want to pursue payroll as a profession? Payroll continues to play an important role in organizations and there is a lot of opportunity to not only progress and move around in an organization, but also to help protect companies from risk and compliance issues
What is the most fulfilling part of your membership in FVPA? Networking with the amazing people in this chapter and learning from their vast expertise