HEADQUARTERS: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
WEBSITE: www.highmark.com
BUSINESS: Health insurance
REVENUES: $14.8 billion
EMPLOYEES: 20,000
TITLE: Director, Community Programs and Employee Volunteerism
EDUCATION: BS, Eastern University; MS, Waynesburg University
WHAT I’M READING: On Becoming Fearless…in Love, Work and Life, by Arianna Huffington
INTERESTS: Reading, traveling, spending time with family, and most importantly writing my first book
What lessons have you learned from business relationships?
I’ve learned that trust is the cornerstone for cultivating positive relationships because without it opportunities to grow are stifled. Being open to diverse ideas and people is what gives businesses leverage. Lead with integrity; collaborate with others; build bridges, don’t burn them; respond from a place of positivity; be prepared and knowledgeable; and help foster growth opportunities for others.
How has the civil rights movement affected you personally?
My grandmother’s best friend was the Honorable Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman elected to Congress and the first black candidate for president of the United States. Growing up in their light gave me a firsthand account of the responsibility we have to keep the dream of equality moving forward; to not take for granted the sacrifices of our previous generations; and to be an active part of the solution to create a better environment.
