3 Fun Facts
- I am a huge fan of cooking shows.
- I have had several careers over the years including being a licensed investment counselor and a public middle school teacher.
- I am originally from San Antonio, Texas but most recently lived in Sin City (Las Vegas, NV) for over three years!
What would you tell your younger self about economic development?
I would tell my younger self that relationship building, amassing technical expertise, and refining communication skills are fundamental to being a successful economic developer. I would also remind myself that most development projects are long-game efforts, so patience is required. A former boss would often encourage me by telling me to, “stay the course”, in the context of revitalization work we were doing, I find that “staying the course” is applicable in one’s career and professional development long-term.
What’s something you wish you knew before starting your current role?
I am always seeking to deepen my knowledge of utilities, manufacturing, and aerospace/aviation for my role in business attraction but with the support of my leadership and colleagues both internally and externally, I am learning more every day. Additionally, I did not realize in business attraction (BA) how often development leads never materialize into completed projects. As someone shared with me early on, “In BA, you will pitch many more times than you’ll hit home runs.” There are so many factors and externalities that impact development, many of which are out of the control of the economic developer. It helps to always do your best work, manage your expectations, follow your passion, and remember that your work plays a critical role in creating jobs and enhancing the quality of life of folks in the community.
Who do you look up to in the field, and what advice might you give young professionals about mentorship?
In the day-to-day duties of my role, I look up to my knowledgeable City of Glendale leadership team for guidance and feedback. Thankfully, I am a part of a strong community of seasoned economic developers both at the organizational level and among the greater Phoenix area who have been extremely supportive. I am also fortunate to have been
paired with my AAED mentor, Jeff Stapleton, Program Manager, Transit Oriented Development for the City of Phoenix who brings a wealth of knowledge and experience. The advice I would give to young professionals about mentorship would be to express interest in your professional growth to your immediate manager or supervisor. Consider a potential mentor within or outside of your organization. Down the line, when you have more experience, consider serving as a mentor to others; it is a great way to pay it forward.
What advice do you have for up-and-coming economic developers?
My advice to up-and-coming economic developers would be to stay nimble in your approach to your professional
development and focus on breadth. Be an “economic development generalist” learning as much as you can, in as many facets of the industry as you can, such as business attraction, retention and expansion, small business, entrepreneurship, revitalization, redevelopment, planning, tourism, workforce development, and strategic planning (just to name a few). Over time, your depth of knowledge will grow and hopefully during the process you will find a facet of ED that you are most passionate about. Supplement your knowledge with certifications, credentials, and additional training and dig in to become an expert in your field!
What’s a recent economic development/career win you have experienced?
Within the first 6 months in my role, I have responded to over 70 development leads sometimes involving multiple sites for development consideration. The process is helping me understand the many facets and moving parts of business attraction. Additionally, I was able to attend my first ICSC retail conference in September and plan to attend my first site selector conference in November.
