A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION CHAMPIONING OUR LOCAL WOMEN IN BUSINESS. PHOTOGRAPY BY EDWIN HAMMOND.

Mount de Sales Academy
Incoming Director of Enrollment and Career Discovery

851 Orange St., Macon
478-751-3240
mountdesales.net

What is the mission of your business?
Mount de Sales Academy (est. 1876), an independent Catholic school sponsored and inspired by the Sisters of Mercy, is a diverse college-preparatory community of learners — students and teachers alike — who are poised to discover, challenged to innovate and motivated to serve.

How do you define success?
For me, success is living a life that aligns with my values and purpose. This doesn’t mean each day is amazing, but it means I can live each day with an awareness of my “why.”

What are you most excited about right now in our community?
Our direction. Macon isn’t afraid of change and growth. As someone who is returning to Macon after 14 years away, there is so much for me to discover about who Macon is today.

What is the most gratifying part of your job?
My mom, twin-sister and I graduated from Mount de Sales, so I view my role as an opportunity to give back to a place that has already given so much to me. I enjoy helping families and students get excited about MDS. I also love taking what I’ve learned from working at the University of Georgia to prepare MDS students for college and career.

I admire women who: Live out their values and purpose. Dolly Parton said it best: “Find out who you are and do it on purpose.”

What was the best business advice you ever received?
Good questions are better than good advice. Good questions build relationships, gather context, encourage reflection and more. Leaning into curiosity has helped me get to where I am today.

I hope more women will: See their worth. There are many distractions that can blind us from recognizing the value we bring to a space. I hope that all women will take a moment to pause, reflect and acknowledge their unique strengths and how these strengths positively impact others.

How can women better support each other?
We can do a better job of going out of our way to affirm the strengths we see in each other. Send a note, write an email or make a phone call when you see a woman in your life succeed.

Looking back, I wish I had known: Who I’d be today. If I could go back, I would tell myself to worry less and trust the process.

In five years, I: will have five more years of memories and adventures. Since March 2020, I’ve become a homeowner, cat mom, aunt, fiancée and wife. At this point, I’ve surrendered my ability to predict. I am not sure what’s to come, but I like my current direction and am excited to s