It is the promise of innovation that brought me to Nashville and to Vanderbilt University. I was hired in August of 2021 to serve as Vanderbilt’s first Vice Provost for Career Advancement and Engagement. There were many elements of this opportunity which were attractive: joining a pre – eminent global university powerhouse; engaging with incredible students, staff, faculty, and alumni; building a new division focused on career empowerment; and moving to the music city boomtown that is Nashville. But the signature intrinsic motivation for me was the invitation to infuse innovation into every aspect of our career advancement strategy, with the potential to positively change and impact lives in new and profound ways.
Over the past year, I have met frequently with key collaborators including academic leaders, faculty, corporate executives, alumni, parents and of course, students. Our community is energized around the boldness of our career empowerment vision, as we reimagine every facet of our work to reach every student and support every pathway. I believe our energy core is innovation: thinking differently, welcoming diverse voices, ideating in new spaces and embracing discovery, change and action.
If innovation is the energy core for many start-ups ventures and change initiatives, how can thoughtful leaders protect it so it can fuel their ambitious path? I believe this is the most significant aspect of how I aspire to lead change and innovation: infusing emotional intelligence into our design. Innovation is inspiring, but it is also difficult, daunting and even scary for some. As a servant leader, I embrace the principles of emotional intelligence to help our team and stakeholders navigate through innovation and change: understanding self, listening intensely to understand others, showing empathy in every facet of our work, placing team and mission first, and being ever thoughtful in how we adapt, build and shape our strategy and our culture.
I’m honored to be one small part of the innovation ecosystem here in Nashville. We all play a signature role in developing our shared future. I’m eager to partner with others who share our mission of career empowerment, in whatever that means to you, and however that advances innovation in our music city boomtown.
Please reach out to me directly if I can support your unique path to deliver positive change and impact here in Nashville.
