Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel - GMR Marketing

Q: What unique qualities do you believe sets you apart as a leader and woman of influence?
A: I am a visionary servant leader, a values-driven collaborator, and a tireless advocate for women and underrepresented groups. I build strong partnerships between departments , within and across organizations. The legal and risk teams that I lead are purposely, and personally designed solutions centers with business and support teams, advising them on legal and strategic business matters. I have a proven ability to identify and leverage strengths of team members while developing strong relationships at all organizational levels. I am a continuous leaner, and I encourage my teams to be seekers of knowledge within our company and our industry so that we continue to innovate, learn, and grow. I love to try new things, and I understand that failure is an evolution of growth which helps to dispel fear and encourages healthy risk-taking.

I also invest in self-care and encourage and make space for my team members to do the same. There is no “I” in team and we are only as great as the weakest member of our team, so it is vital that we take care of ourselves and each other. As a leader, it is important to not pour from an empty cup. I’m very committed community volunteer which allows my cup to be poured into constantly. My impact reaches beyond my company and expands to my family and broader community.

My secret superpowers are my faith, calm demeanor, and servant leadership. My faith is the lamp unto my feet and light until my path that leads and directs all my thoughts, decisions, and actions. My sense of calm is an inherit gift from my dad, and knowledge that I can only control what I can control and seek to understand that which I do not control. This allows me to approach each situation thoughtfully, and with a solution-oriented and open mindset. Finally, as a servant leader I approach my work and life as service and empowerment to others. I lead with empathy, accountability and compassion realizing that I am working toward something greater than me and for the good of everyone.

Q: Can you share a pivotal moment in your career that shaped your path?

A: A pivotal moment in my career occurred when I was a partner in a law firm and went back to business school to get my MBA while working at University of WI-Milwaukee Executive MBA Program. It was 2006 upon graduating from business school, I was expecting my 1st child, and I had an epiphany that I lacked joy and fulfillment in my career, and the desire to have a broader impact in and around my community and in the lives of others. I decided that I would either start my own business to create my desired impact or join a company where the values of the organization were aligned with my broader goals around impact in career and community. I also knew I ultimately wanted to be a General Counsel/Chief Legal Officer. In July of 2006, my son was born and in June of 2007, I drafted my 1st mission statement which evolved into my current mission statement. In December of 2007, I went to work for Baird. At Baird, I became more involved in community and within the organization in an expanded capacity in and out of the legal department. I was introduced to Tempo and continuously evolved my leadership skills. I deepened and expanded my personal board of directors (mentors, sponsors, family, and friends who knew me well), who could assist and contribute to my development and desired impact. In 2020, I left Baird for an incredible career opportunity to become the General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer for GMR Marketing (a seed that was planted way back in 1991 through the movie Pretty Woman – a story for later - and watered more intentionally in 2007). I could say the rest is history, but the truth is the story is still unfolding and evolving, and I am enjoying the journey.

Q: How do you define leadership, and how do you embody those qualities in your own life?
A: I define leadership as the ability to influence, impact, inspire and innovate (transform). The core of these 4 I’s is my intentional focus on impact. I realize that life is bigger than me. I bring others along intentionally. My personal mission statement is to make a positive impact on each person that I encounter and to build a runway where my children, my community, and others, can see what is possible. That possible is whatever they can envision, dream, think and speak for themselves. My career, my community involvement and my engagement with my family is centered around purpose and my vision to leave this world a better place than I entered it. This vision is faith led, influential, and purposeful.

Without vision, I will perish and the leaves on my trees may perish – these are the women and other individuals and organizations that I impact, influence, inspire who are navigating the terrains in their careers that I have overcome, the girls and boys that look to me for direction, and the company that looks to me for strategic direction and legal guidance. To continue to open doors, provide access, break down brick walls and barriers, my leadership and purpose keeps the end in mind on the impact that I desire to make in the Earth.

Q: How do you pay it forward and support the next generation of leaders?
A: I pay it forward and support the next generation of leaders by being SALTY. Everything that salt touches is transformed by its presence. If you put salt on ice, the ice melts, when ice melts it becomes water, water is soluble, which allows substances to absorb through and to it (paves the way). When you put salt on food, it produces a savory flavor – I desire to enhance another person’s life/circumstance. If you put salt on an open womb – it may initially sting but it heals and pulls out the soreness in the body – this is the transformation that I desire to embody through mentorship and sponsorship. Again, I would like to leave an environment better than I found it, therefore, I take the saltiness of the life lessons that I’ve learned, career hiccups, headaches and frustrations and use them to transform my environment and those that I seek to influence, impact and influence through leadership.

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