What’s A Challenge You Faced Early On?

When I was an undergrad at UVA, I was the chairman of the honor committee, and it was challenging navigating what kind of leader I wanted to be.

I decided to focus on listening and knowing when to not be in the spotlight. I remember we had one case centered around race that was very open to the public. As chairman, people thought my role would be to defend, but instead, I just listened. It’s a powerful skill, and I'm still working on being a good listener.

It’s interesting to see how those who had this position before and after me approached the same challenge.

The chairman who served before me was what I’d call an aspirational leader – someone who, by just the way they engage with people and the world, people wanted to follow her. The one who came after me was a former Navy SEAL, who commanded respect with a slightly more authoritarian manner (not in a negative way, but just different).

I see myself more as a visionary leader, who likes to set a vision and say, let's all come along for the ride.