Consultant's Confidential: Get to Know the Person Behind the RFP

What is one thing you are deeply passionate about, and how do you express that passion?

Go vote! I've worked in elections as an employee of a municipality and as a volunteer. There's a lot of misinformation, and one of the ways you can educate yourself is by being part of the process. Your municipality is always looking for volunteers and there's a wide range of roles you can take on. For first timers, the upcoming midterm election is a great place to start. They'll even pay you for your time.

What belief did you once hold that you no longer do, and what changed your perspective?

I used to believe it was a sign of weakness to ask questions. It isn't! We all think about problems differently and we all have our own experiences we bring to every situation. Don't miss out on sharing ideas, knowledge, unique approaches, and the opportunity to build relationships with the people around you. They'll be more inclined to ask you questions as well.

What do you do and what are some of the most common misconceptions people have about your field/role? What would you like them to know instead?

Once agreements are finalized and work begins on an economic development project, there are reporting obligations to show that the project is delivering on their commitments. As a Compliance Specialist, I facilitate that process by collecting data from the client and creating reports. A lot of the work our clients see is the data requests, and creation of reports, but there's a lot behind the scenes. Understanding agreements, advocating on their behalf through communication with the local government, creating playbooks, templates for data collection, time management, and navigating when things don't go originally as planned are just some of the things I do. In short, I'm in the client's corner making sure we hit all compliance requirements and receive the maximum available incentive.

What are the most important skills or qualities someone needs to be successful in your role?

Every project requires organizational skills/time management, communication, and analytical skills. When you understand the program and rules, you can clearly convey data needs to the client and get it right the first time without too much back and forth. It makes hitting deadlines and goals a smooth process.

What is one thing most people don't know about you that you want to share?

I like working with my hands and I always have a project. Recently, my husband got me a 1904 Singer treadle sewing machine (with the original manual and accessories!) and I'm currently working on refurbishing it and getting it running.

Bonus Question: What’s the best meal you ever ate (or something regarding food)?

The best meals are always after you've spent all day doing something physical outside. Working in the yard and then grilling for dinner is perfect and I’m really looking forward to being able to do that again soon.