Give us a little background on your life

I'm Toledo born and raised! I lived in Point Place, Sylvania, Old Orchard and now Perrysburg, so I have gotten the opportunity to experience all our community has to offer! I'm a Sylvania Northview High School graduate and a University of Toledo graduate.

I love to golf and take my son to the Zoo and Imagination Station. We LOVE our art museum and Glass Pavilion (shoutout to the Taylor family for providing free parking going forward – what an amazing benefit for our community).

My favorite thing about Toledo is the diversity of our people, activities, neighborhoods and food scene – no matter what you’re craving or dying to try, there is either a restaurant or specialty market to try! I spent 10 years in public accounting and the last 3 years in banking as a commercial lender and love supporting my clients. 

I have a 3-year-old son who was born prematurely, and we spent 2 months in the NICU at Toledo Hospital, so if you see Ronald McDonald House cardboard houses at socials in 2025 to collect can tabs – you know why!

How did you get involved with EPIC Toledo?

I was probably a junior in college at UT when my mom actually recommended I check out EPIC. I was studying accounting and working full time for a local public accounting firm. She believed it’s never too early to start building a professional network and to get your name and face out there – I learned early to listen to my mom; turns out she is always right! I attended a few socials and the Birthday Bash event when Hensville was opening and knew this was an organization I wanted to be a part of. The Summer in the City program for interns was starting that summer and it was a great way to learn more about the city I grew up in and meet other young professionals (YPs) in the area.
 
What leadership skills have you learned from being involved with EPIC?

Communication, relationship building, strategic planning, decision-making, and adaptability (just to name a few).
 
What's been your greatest professional accomplishment to date?

My greatest professional accomplishment to date would be the opportunity to speak at a conference for Southern Living Magazine in 2020 just before the start of the pandemic. They established an exclusive network of custom homebuilders in the south that meet elite standards. When I was working in public accounting, I had a niche specialty in construction accounting and specifically working with homebuilders across the country with one of the partners of the firm. I was only 26 at the time and spoke in front of 200 business owners to discuss the importance of margin and markup when writing their construction contracts.

After the presentation, countless people either came up to me to ask questions or walk through a specific contract with them or requested my information so that I could help them going forward. It was easily the most nervous I have ever been but also one of the best things I could have done outside my comfort zone! That experience is a foundation I have continued to build on in my career and community involvement.  

Why Toledo? What keeps you here?

I was born and raised in Toledo and I love it here. After staying in the area for school, I bought my first house as a 21st birthday gift to myself in Old Orchard. I knew early on I wanted to continue to deepen my roots in my hometown. Toledo truly has everything to offer everywhere you look. Beautiful neighborhoods with affordable homes, or a lively downtown apartment scene. We have some of the highest fan attendance in the country for both the Walleye and Mud Hens, and nationally recognized institutions like the Museum of Art, Zoo and Metroparks system. We have incredible concerts and comedians coming to town all year and just as impressive talent can be found any night of the week at a local bar or restaurant. It’s hard to find a night of the week there isn’t something going on in Toledo!  

Best advice for other young professionals?

Show up, be present, and get comfortable with being uncomfortable! You will only get out of something what you put into it. Come to events, walk up to people you don’t know and introduce yourself; if it’s an EPIC event you can bet the people there will be friendly and want to get to know you, too! The more you attend, the more people you meet, and the more you get involved, the more you will benefit. This is true of anything you choose to invest your time and talent in!  

What is your vision for EPIC 2025? In a year from now, what does the organization look like to you?

My vision for EPIC in 2025 is an engaged and involved membership base! We have an amazing calendar of socials, Boss Talks, experiences and events for this year that I think our members are going to love. A year from now, I hope our membership and attendees look a lot like our advisory council – a diverse group of emerging leaders who are proud to call Toledo home! I like to say we are "a close group of friends with work benefits" and I hope we can help facilitate relationships like that for other young professionals in the area.
 
What's something about you people might not know?

I met my husband while on a sailing trip in Croatia. Thankfully, he moved here just before the pandemic because long distance from Ohio to Florida would have been a real challenge during lockdown!