After 18 months with the company, I distinctly recall being given an assignment one night and, instead of heading home and just finishing it the next day, I stayed late to complete it. This was a turning point for me. It was when I realized that if I ever wanted to be more than an administrator at the company, I would have to prove myself in every way possible.

I began reading anything and everything that came across my desk. As the secretary for the Chairman of the Board, I was given access to a great deal of information on the company and the industry, while constantly being surrounded by incredible industry veterans and mentors.

I always raised my hand, always volunteered for the projects that no one else wanted to do, and, although I wasn't always given opportunities on my own timeline, I did find, like most, that the path to success is never a straight line.

To date, I have held seven different positions with Western National Group over the past 28 years, including Gal Friday, Office Manager, Risk Manager, VP of Operations, VP of Human Resources, Senior VP of Operations and Human Resources, and finally, my current position, President of Western National Property Management, a role I assumed in 2010.

Globest.com: Who would you consider to be an inspiration in your career – and why?

Instead of being inspired by one person, I believe that we all take little pieces of those who inspire us along the way, and we use those pieces to pave our own path to success.

Throughout my career, I have always observed those around me. I not only identified the good, but also the bad, and took the parts I admired and adopted them as my own. Through these efforts, I made a conscious decision regarding who I did, and did not, want to be. Whether it's my work ethic, how I treat the associates who work for me, or even how I dress, all of these values and morals have been modeled after someone who inspired me to be better and do better along the way.

With regard to what inspires me, it's important to note that above all, integrity has become the trait that is most important, and most valuable, to my career. I learned at a young age that it's not about making the easy decision. Rather, it's about making the right (and often tough) one, and sticking with it regardless of the outcome. At the end of the day, it comes down to always being able to look yourself in the mirror at night, and never feeling a sense of remorse.

Globest.com: Please talk a little about your blog – what made you decide to create it and how do you keep content fresh?

When I became President of Western National Property Management, the executives at Western National Group challenged me with changing the culture of the company, and working to continue to make Western National a desirable place to work.

With this goal in mind, I am always looking for ways to connect our large group of associates, property managers, and executives in a way that felt real and genuine.

My Luminosity blog was actually the result of an email I sent out to the Western National associates, announcing some rather sad news. That year, we had the honor of having renowned speaker Keith Harrell at our yearly leadership conference. After the conference, we were all thoroughly impressed and inspired by his speech, and talk of the speech circulated around the office for weeks. Unfortunately, Mr. Harrell passed away about three months later and, knowing the impact he had on our associates, it seemed fitting that I let everyone know the news. I drafted a very heartfelt and conversational note to our associates expressing our sadness, and reminding them of how we had all been so inspired that day.

The response to that email was overwhelming. From that email, I realized that the people in my company really appreciated the motivation that Harrell had given them, and at the same time, they genuinely appreciated with the conversational and relatable way I had connected with them in order to share that news.

From that day forward, I tasked myself with becoming more relatable, more approachable and inspiring our associates every day. My blogs do not discuss complicated real estate issues. Rather, each post is about topics we can all relate to: kids, dogs, clients, etc.

Connecting with people over the most basic of human issues and working to inspire them each day is a part of my job I now take very seriously. The Luminosity blog has done amazing things for our company culture, working to further connect us all and inspire us each day.

Globest.com: You're definitely involved with young professionals and giving back. How would you tell other executives to inspire the next generation?

The way to inspire is to simply lead by example. Early in my career, I assumed that philanthropy was simply about writing a check. I soon found out that it's actually about rolling up your sleeves and doing the work, while simultaneously grabbing those nearby and dragging them along with you!

It's important to remember that business is not always about the bottom line. There has to be a human factor in everything that we do. If we don't have caring people around us, and with us, both inside and outside the office, the company will not grow with the integrity our clients and associates deserve.

As a company, Western National Group has always encouraged its associates to get involved, and to help the community and those in need. The choice of helping others is very personal to everyone. We encourage our associates to be involved with the causes to which they have personal connections. In short - the ones that touch them. Ultimately, being involved with a cause and giving your time to help others only makes you a happier and more grateful person, and that will always have a positive impact on all parts of your life, including business.

GlobeSt.com: Where do you see your career going next and what are you most excited about over the course of the next few years?

Given the variety of positions I've held with the company, I'd like to stay with this one for a while! I would like to continue to grow the company from a business perspective, adding new contracts and strengthening our current group of associates' skills. From a personal perspective, I want to continue to work to make Western National the company people are just clamoring to work for in the multifamily industry.

I'm also very excited about how changes in technology continue to transform our industry and facilitate our business. We all must be willing to change quickly in order to maintain our position as a leader in the industry, and I look forward to meeting these challenges head-on, and watching their impact on our business moving forward.