Can you share a bit about your background and what motivated/inspired you to join the Leafguard team?

I began learning about office management and administration by working as an office manager for a rehab company. I was then promoted to Director of Admissions, which relocated me to Pittsburgh. About two years later, I started to realize that substance abuse wasn’t the direction I wanted to go in anymore. I loved doing office management, but the mental health field can be emotionally taxing.   I moved back to New Jersey and continued building my skills by working as an office manager for a detox facility. This role gave me some distance from working so closely with patients, which helped. It was at that role that I saw an ad for an Office Administrator role with Leafguard and thought it looked interesting.

I became an office administrator for Leafguard, and that’s when I realized I have a natural fit for this role, which requires being a go-to person and a Jack of all trades. You need to know every detail of the company, including accounting, payroll, auditing, and more. You have to be in the know of everything. A couple of years later, I was promoted to Office Administrator Supervisor, a role I held for about four years. Around that time, the Regional Office Administrator role was developed. I realized that I preferred the Regional Office Administrator role to supervising others, so I transitioned to that role, and it has been very fun for me. 

How would you explain to your friends and family what working here is like?

It’s a great job, like there’s nothing like it. Whenever people ask me, “How’s work?” I always say it’s great. I love it. I like what I do. Working with the corporate team is incredibly easygoing, and I have one of the most supportive bosses anyone could have; the Office Administrator Supervisor is just incredible. 

Tell us about a professional success story that you’re proud of.

When I started as an office administrator, I was hired as one of the first remote office administrators. Our position was the first of its kind, as it was initially conducted entirely in person. When I stepped into the supervisor role, I was part of the team that oversaw building the processes that we still use today. We rewrote the OA handbook, developing numerous new policies and procedures. I’m proud to have been at the forefront of the department becoming what it is today. Being a part of the team that made this department as strong as it is is one of my best professional accomplishments.

What are some important lessons you’ve learned throughout your career?

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is never to burn bridges, as you never know when you’ll run into someone else again. The world is so vast yet so small. You never know who you’ll end up working with again.

Any advice for colleagues or individuals aspiring to advance their careers within the organization?

There seems to be a growing trend online of doing the bare minimum to get by, as people believe that ultimately, their job doesn’t care about them. Unfortunately, many kids share this mindset, and it’s rare to find individuals with a go-getter attitude and the know-how to be a team player in every aspect. However, I believe that continuing to go above and beyond will benefit you in the long run. If you continue to go above and beyond, to your capability, you will be rewarded. You just have to maintain a positive attitude.