Q. You went to school at SIU Edwardsville – how did you choose that school?

My decision to go to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) was based on the aspiration of being a student-athlete. I left California and signed a scholarship to SIUE which navigated me outside of my comfort zone.  Attending SIUE not only equipped me to fulfill my dreams of being a Division I basketball player and to continue my education, but it developed me to become comfortable being uncomfortable.

Q.  At SIUE you were a Student Athlete – what were the most demanding areas of balancing athletics with scholarship?

The act of balancing was indeed a challenge during my four years at SIUE. As a student-athlete, one is expected to excel scholastically, dominate one’s sport and be a standout representative of the university. Balancing my social life with school and basketball took some adjustments initially. By senior year I was able to finish school on time, play basketball, work a part time job and have an additional part time internship. The most demanding area of this balancing act for me was disciplining myself and committing to do whatever it takes to reach my goals. I thought I understood what these two things meant until I left home and went to college. I quickly learned that no one was going to complete my tasks for me. I had to commit myself to my goals, my education, and my team. I had to discipline myself and calculate choices I made.  In my opinion, the balancing act of a student-athlete is about discipline and commitment.

Q.  During your time in college can you identify a person or two who mentored you and/or had unusual impact on your life?

I am blessed to have many inspirational and influencing people in my life. Aside from my family, my coach, Amanda Levens, was an enlightening leader on and off the court. She was exquisitely demanding and strong, as well as kind and calm. The “tough love” approach ignited me to persevere in the next steps in my life. I am so grateful to have such an inspiring coach that never stopped engaging in my dreams and aspirations.

The summer before my senior year of college, Del Wilber (of TPGF), reached out to me to talk. As we started chatting more and more, we became friends and someone I looked to for advice about “the real world”. We connected on our similarities of being student-athletes. I sensed his trust and passion for helping others succeed in their goals. Del not only helped introduce me to new wonderful people, but he gave me a sense of hope and encouragement. The kindness of his words, enthusiasm of his generosity and thoughtfulness to take the time to guide and support others has been one of the best lessons I have learned in my life. I am truly blessed to have such a great mentor like Del.

Q.  When did you decide that working in sports was something you were passionate about and wanted to pursue post graduation?

I will always be passionate about sports but I will admit, I wasn’t pursuing a career in sports until my junior/senior year of college. As my athletic career was coming to an end, I began to focus on my next move. Del helped guide me into the business side of sports. At the end of my basketball career I realized that the lessons I was taught throughout the years playing were things I would never be able to learn in a classroom. I wanted to continue to support athletics and grow as a business leader in the sports world.

Q. Your first internship after graduating was working for the San Francisco 49ers – tell us about that assignment?

Yes, I received news about the opportunity to be an event marketing intern for the 49ers during my last few months of college. At this point, my college athletic career was over and I was finishing my last few classes. I was so eager to start and do anything and everything I could for the 49ers. The event marketing internship was an amazing step to get the feel of how a team works within a front office. I assisted with special events which enabled me to fine tune my social skills and help the smooth flow of events occur.

Q. That internship turned into a full time opportunity.  Tell us what you are doing now and what your responsibilities are today?

I currently work on retail operations and my responsibilities include being a buyer for 49ers merchandise, analyzing data, creating customer experience in our stores, and delivering satisfaction for our fans through retail. This is only a quick snapshot of the key items I have been working on.

Q . Besides the 49ers – what other teams (pro or college) do you follow?

For business, I follow a lot of teams to keep up to date with trends, social media engagement and to extend my knowledge of how each team is running their business/team. As a fan, I am all about the U of O Ducks and Stanford Cardinal.  I became a big St. Louis Cardinals fan while in college (saw two World Series). Although, I can’t move on to the next question without giving a shout out to the San Francisco Giants!! Way to go!

Q. Any advice you would pass on to other TPGF candidates as they work their way toward a career in sports?

One may dream of one’s perfect job in sports, or may not even be sure what is out there. Either way, continue to meet new people, be open minded, and never underestimate one’s potential. TPGF candidates are in the perfect position right now; with endless possibilities you can do or go anywhere you want. If you put the time and effort into what you are working for, you will create opportunities for yourself. You can be a leader at any age or at any position. Be kind, work hard, set an example and believe in yourself. Make an employer have no choice but to want and need you to work for them.