Category Archives: workplace wellness

Confessions of a Former Chef: Mastering Your Thanksgiving Turkey 

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Thanksgiving is just about here, and as people spruce up their homes for guests and brave last minute grocery trips, there is an annual wave of dread and anticipation among hosts and guests alike. No, it’s not the once-a-year conversation with your distant uncle, or your grandmother’s intrusive questions. It’s the age-old tell of a successful Thanksgiving: The turkey.  

From Hollywood’s depiction of an overcooked bird puffing into smoke upon carving, to news stories of fried turkeys gone wrong, the art of cooking a turkey can place immense pressure on home chefs. Turkeys are fickle birds, with meat on multiple parts that cook at different temperatures. That paired with the mere size of most hens makes the task feel like an annual moving target.  

Now, you may be wondering why a public relations agency is publishing an article about cooking turkeys. Prior to starting my career in public relations, I was fairly deep into a culinary journey when I hung up my apron as a chef de cuisine in Chicago. If there’s one commonality I’ve noticed across these two careers, it is that there are a myriad of ways to reach a goal. There is no one way to build a brand’s public relations profile, and there is certainly no one way to cook the perfect turkey. But, with a strong understanding of the factors at play and technique that allows you to pivot when things don’t go to plan, you too can inch closer to achieving the dream of satisfied table guests and the words you’ve always longed to hear: That turkey was incredible. 

There are three factors to keep in mind when cooking a showstopper of a turkey:  

  • Preparation: Cooking a frozen turkey can be the quickest way to a dry end-product. While there are techniques that suggest it can help lock in moisture, it’s a gamble as to whether it will cook evenly and the odds are not on chef’s side. Ensure the turkey is fully thawed and brought to room temperature prior to cooking.  
  • Moisture: Before cooking, consider the tactic you would like to use to aid with moisture. There are several options to help with this such as wet or dry brines, rubbing butter under the skin or spatchcocking the turkey in which you remove the backbone allowing it to lay flat while cooking. You can practice some of these techniques with a roast chicken ahead of the holiday and test options before the main event. While it won’t be exactly the same, given a turkey’s size, it will get you familiar with the process.  
  • Rest: Arguably one of the most important steps to cooking any meat is allowing time for the cooked bird to rest. Often, people will assume this step is “just a formality” when it’s extremely important to ensure juices do not drain and dry out the turkey. Even if it’s cooked to perfection.  

With these important factors in mind, you can determine how you want to cook a turkey. Let’s look at a couple of options to really bring it home:  

  • Roasted: Tried and true, roasting is the most common way to cook a turkey. With your oven at 325-350 degrees, you will cook it for about 15 minutes per pound. The biggest risk with this approach is the potential dryness. Consider brining the bird prior to cooking as well as basting it, in which you cover it with its own juices throughout cooking.  
  • Backyard fried: The riskiest of options, frying your turkey can lead to a juicy center with crispy skin. Unfortunately, mis-steps in the deep-frying process are all too common and the risks of fire or injury are certainly something to consider. Given the risks, I usually do not recommend this approach. However, if you choose to deep fry your bird, make sure the turkey is at room temperature and patted completely dry. Water or ice entering into a fryer could cause your bird to combust.  
  • Smoked: The least common of the three methods, some people opt for a smoked turkey. This method requires you to cook at a much lower temperature, about 225 degrees, for about double the time. While this method is more time intensive, it can yield moist meat that falls-off-the bone bound to be a crowd pleaser.  

As you prepare for this holiday, don’t let the stress of preparing the turkey stop you from appreciating the day alongside your loved ones or from acknowledging all for which you are grateful. This could be the year you dazzle the crowd with an award-worthy turkey and if it doesn’t quite go to plan, there’s always next year.  

From all of us at Kimball Hughes Public Relations, we wish you a safe, happy and turkey-filled Thanksgiving.  

Yes, Chef: Revisiting “The Bear” for Communications Dos and Don’ts

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FX’s “The Bear”, an instant hit when it premiered in 2022, is preparing to air season four. Taking place in Chicago, the show follows a restaurant’s kitchen staff as they ping-pong across the scale of functionality. Something is always broken, staff members are constantly fighting and profitability is plummeting. It gave those with previous food experience, like me, severe deja vu, and those who have never worked in a restaurant a gritty look at how chaotic the day-to-day can be.

Two years ago, my colleague Kate Glaviano wrote a piece inspired by the show exploring kitchen skills she learned as a Chicago chef that transitioned well to her work today as a public relations manager for a busy boutique agency. A service industry veteran myself, I’d like to take that article a step further offering a few communications lessons from the highly acclaimed series.

Spoiler alert: in the show’s third season, we see “The Bear,” the upscale restaurant main character Carmy dreamed of opening with his late brother, finally open for business. But after the high of the grand opening in the season two finale, things sour through season three. The menu is changing on a constant basis, and the team feels fractured and out of step with one another, leading to high tensions that prevent the restaurant from reaching its lofty goal of attaining a Michelin star.

The kind of communications chaos seen in the fictional kitchen is bound to produce burnout. It’s not an uncommon story in the business world—a company with a talented team and solid product can’t seem to get out of its own way. This is why business leaders sometimes employ communications professionals for input on their day-to-day internal and external operations, to help set their team up for success.

Lessons from The Bear’s kitchen

As communicators, our team frequently advises clients on both internal and external communication functions. For organization leaders who sometimes do not have communications as a core function, there are lessons to learn from The Bear:

  • Don’t ignore your team: During season three, Chef de Cuisine Sydney is constantly sidelined at the restaurant. She often tries to speak with the head chef and owner, Carmy, with ideas about improving the menu, only to be ignored or to have his ideas prioritized over her own. At the end of the season, she begins to consider leaving the restaurant altogether. Radio silence is never a good sign for team morale. Your high-value team members need to feel like they’re being heard, and a good communicator can help you figure out the best way to ensure employees feel appreciated and keep difficult conversations constructive. Employees also want to be kept in the loop. A good communications team will work with you to build smart, transparent messaging to make sure your team members feel valued and critical to the company’s future.
  • Know your audience: A big point of contention among the kitchen staff in season three was the menu changing daily. While a daily menu change may not be abnormal for a fine-dining institution, most brands need to rely on consistency to build their audience. If your internal team doesn’t understand what your product or service is aimed at, no one will. Shifting priorities can lead to muddled messaging, making audiences unsure if your company is relevant to them. A communications team can serve as a sounding board for new business decisions, ensuring you stay aligned with your target audience and brand consistency.
  • Leadership sets the tone: The leadership displayed by Carmy, while effective at times, often devolves into angry outbursts. He frequently yells at his team, causing increased tension among his staff and making operations difficult. On the other hand, when he takes the time to show his team members respect and provide them with the right tools they need to succeed, the team is all the better for it. Toxic leadership can derail an otherwise talented team, stunting the growth of not only the company but also the employees. Poor communications from leadership can also trigger a crisis situation that could attract negative media attention and cause reputational damage to the brand. Leadership should work closely with a communications team to help them find a tone and personal brand that conveys empathy and transparency as well as a commitment to the company and its employees’ professional growth.

Whether The Bear restaurant can bloom into a functioning restaurant remains a question for its fourth season to address. Regardless, we can take the fictional restaurant and its kitchen chaos as a guide for what not to do with your company’s communications. Remember, just because something is working currently, doesn’t mean it will last. A big-picture communications strategy that is adaptable and responsive to your operational needs—and those can be a bear to build—can help organizations remain consistent while addressing the shifting needs of any business.

Get to Know Senior Advisor John Forberger

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Public relations is all about relationships—the people behind the stories. That’s why we’re offering this blog series all about our team members. This isn’t about our professional accomplishments but who we are as people. We hope you have as much fun reading along as we do interviewing each other.

What got you interested in public relations?

    In the early 2000s, I led marketing teams for multiple Miami real estate developers. One role involved maintaining a steady media presence in targeted local and national outlets, highlighting our projects and CEO to attract buyers and landowners. I recognized that getting media attention on topics I was passionate about, for equally passionate people, never felt like work. Throughout my career, my favorite part of public relations has been identifying and shaping the messaging that brings companies, product lines or projects to life.

    Tell us about your favorite movie and what appeals most to you about it?

    During film school, in a galaxy far, far away, I saw Citizen Kane. Every frame and angle mesmerized me, maybe because they were still so atypical. It doesn’t look like anything else. I wonder if the care for filmmaking at that level of detail can still be possible? I like to think there is someone out there who can and is trying to do better right now. The determination to make a strong statement in cinematic history really moves me.

    Tell us about a meaningful hobby or “outside of work” commitment that is important to you?

    Maintaining the plants on the property my wife and I share is a healthy, busy hobby I look forward to. I see myself as being loyal to the plants and animals around us. In total silence, I learn something each time I go outside whether on my own or through Google Lens. The simple experience of watching pineapples change colors from green to blue to purple to gold to brown, for example, is incredible. Feeling useful to our mini ecosystem by doing things like removing invasive vines and plants is rewarding, and the bonus of all the positive health benefits that come with gardening is great!

    Share a fun fact about you.

    My wife and I have driven across nearly every Canadian province with our 17.5-year-old “super senior” beagle mix Abby. She even joined us on the ferry to Vancouver Island when we lived in downtown Victoria for a month.

    OOO: The Kimball Hughes PR Team’s Summer Plans

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    Summer is here and the Kimball Hughes PR team is all about enjoying the warmer weather and some fun in the sun. Here’s a glimpse into some of the summer shenanigans our team members have gotten up to or are planning while OOO.

    What do you have planned? Summer concerts? A beach or lake vacation? Backyard barbeque? Quality time with a good book in the AC? 

    Eileen: For our family, summer means an annual trip to the Jersey Shore to enjoy time with friends on the beach or on the deck and a good soft-serve cone – or several. I’m also looking forward to hitting my first summer concert in years to see Zach Bryan at Lincoln Financial Field in early August.

    Kate: Summer 2024 is going to be hard to beat for me. So far, I’ve gone to my first INDY 500, saw Billy Joel and Stevie Nicks, Jacob Collier, officiated my best friend’s wedding, helped another get engaged and found out I’m going to be an aunt for the first time.

    James: The lake calls! After closing on a house earlier this year, my wife and I are heading to the mountains for some much-needed time away. A week of fishing and kayaking will provide a much-needed break from the never-ending list of house projects.

    Rod: It will be a busy summer with several weekends with house guests and a weekend trip to North Carolina in July to christen our friend’s new home. We’ll wrap up in August with a week in the Virginia Mountains for Teddy’s first road trip with our nieces and extended family. In between, there will be lots of games of fetch with Teddy, of course.

    Liz: Our family will be heading to LBI in a few weeks for fun at the beach and the annual family cook-off – always a great time. My husband and I are looking forward to seeing Jeff Dunham in September for some good laughs.

    Cassidy: This summer has already been fast paced and adventure packed with a one-year wedding anniversary trip to Maine, Red Sox games with friends, time by the pool and golf dates galore. The rest of the summer is projected to be just as exciting with a family beach trip, a Noah Kahan concert at Fenway Park and a slew of friends’ weddings on tap.

    Hari: This summer kicked off fast with a trip to Greece, traveling through seven different towns and cities exploring the history and food of the country. Up next will be a few weekends down the shore with friends and family, a trip to West Palm Beach and a wedding to wrap up the summer.

    Lacing Up for Good: Enhancing Team Communication, Collaboration by Giving Back

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    This Spring, the team at Kimball Hughes Public Relations is lacing up our sneakers and tracking our steps to raise funds for those in need through the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation’s annual Step Up challenge.

    We have found philanthropic activities like this not only support charitable causes, but they also enhance our employee culture, team morale, and bring us closer together. As professional communicators, we’re always striving to find the best channels for our clients to use to reach their target audiences. In a new age of remote work, channels of internal communications are changing and we’ve found one of the best ways to communicate and deepen relationships with colleagues is to work together for social good.

    As we’ve all heard, giving back and volunteerism have become core tenets of businesses across industries in recent years. There is a clear business case for philanthropy, as the next generation of workers have a clear interest in working at businesses that back up their values with action. Further, recent studies have shown that customer loyalty may improve at socially responsible businesses.

    We believe giving back and volunteering events that emphasize collaboration and bringing communities together find more engagement.

    Our client Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance Company (PLM) is also getting fit and having fun while building comradery among team members and raising funds for vulnerable children and communities. Each spring, employees form a team for the Insurance Softball League of Philadelphia, which raises money for local nonprofits while gathering regional insurers for friendly softball competition. Employees have the opportunity to get to know each other outside the office, get a little exercise and breath in fresh air while helping those in need.

    With the IICF Step Up challenge, employees, friends and families in and around the insurance industry can form a team and compete with one another in a fitness challenge, measuring their steps, pedal strokes, sit-ups and virtually any other activity against the teams of other companies. Kimball Hughes PR is proud to have been a part of Step Up for the past five years and we have enjoyed learning more about each team member along the way – whether it’s a penchant for morning dog walks, an after-work jog, a Peloton ride or hike through the woods.

    Consider reigniting company culture with a collaborative philanthropic initiative this Spring. We’re having a blast. Check out our progress so far here:

    Have Work, Will Travel: Images of Work from Away

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    Earlier this month, we shared a blog about remote work and travel. Here, PR Manager Hari Rajagopalan shares some photos of some of the interesting food and sights he saw while working in India this year.

    A stuffed, pesto marinated paneer steak with onions and spices on a bed of roasted potatoes and arrabbiata sauce.

    A view of a restaurant center in Bengaluru, India.

    An Indian take on a deep-dish pizza with veggies and a burrata bomb on top.

    A view of nearby buildings and nature in Bengaluru, India.

    A quattro formaggi pizza with an Indian twist, with a range of spices included.

    In a World of Viral Videos, Employers Need a Plan for Hiring and Firing

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    We live in a TikTok world with countless Americans (me included) drawn to dramatic online videos of real-life joy and sorrow. How many of us have turned to our phones to watch one brief-but-compelling video, only to find 10 minutes or more have passed as we watch video after video? And those videos filled with relatable, emotional moments, are often the most compelling.

    In 2018, Melanie Sanchez was recorded at her college graduation taking a cell phone call from an employer offering her a job. The video went viral, and we all shared in Melanie’s joy. One of my favorites was from about 10 years ago. Marina Shifrin posted an interpretive dance resignation video for her employer. It was fun, with a bit of dark humor, and showcased her creativity in the process. The video went viral. Marina hit the talk-show circuit and even landed a book deal.

    Of course, there are also heartbreaking videos. Brittany Pietsch made headlines a few months ago when she recorded her Cloudflare layoff-via-video, showing us the dark underbelly of not only remote work but also how poorly some employers plan these challenging discussions. There are too many examples like Brittany’s, and not enough of those like Melanie.

    For employers, however, there are lessons to be learned as we continue to break new ground in a world of hybrid and remote workers. The biggest lesson from a communications perspective is to be human and humane in these discussions of hiring and firing.

    When Hiring

    1. Check the Tech: Before you dive into the conversation, make sure the technology platform you’re using works for all parties. Shaky or delayed connections create misunderstandings and frustration. Don’t proceed if the tech fails or is of such poor quality that the messaging you wish to convey is at risk. This step applies to both the hiring and the firing process.
    2. Be in the Moment: Video meetings are part of the new normal of workplace cultures. Treat them like in-person meetings. Greet the candidate and be warm and conversational. Work to maintain a high level of eye-contact by looking at the camera when speaking and listening.
    3. Set Expectations and Don’t Let Suspense Linger: Be transparent about your process upfront. Outline the steps in that process and your approximate timeline clearly. And if you are calling to offer the position to the candidate, be upfront rather than leaving them waiting to know if they have been selected. No one needs to be on pins and needles across an entire conversation waiting for the big reveal at the end.
    4. Record with Consent: If you plan to record the interview to share with colleagues or even for your own internal review, ask for the candidate’s consent first. Show respect for their privacy. And remember, in some states and jurisdictions, it is illegal to record someone without their consent. Parties who break these laws can face serious legal consequences.

    When Firing

    1. Privacy First: In addition to checking the tech as noted above, privacy is critical. This is a devastating moment for the employee being released from your employ. Both you and the employee should be in a private setting.
    2. Be Empathetic: Job loss ranks alongside death and divorce as a major life stressor. Demonstrate kindness and empathy as best possible. Acknowledge the hurt and distress of the moment.
    3. Be Direct: Clearly communicate the decision to end the person’s employment without mincing words. However, be kind in the process. Avoid jargon or corporate speak; simply act like a human and treat the person with respect.
    4. Provide Resources: Your human resource representative should join the employee’s manager or supervisor on the call. The manager or supervisor – someone who knows the employee and his or her work product – is there to discuss the decision and provide feedback, while the HR rep should explain any severance package, unemployment benefits, health insurance options (if applicable) and any other services the organization plans to offer following separation. At all times, the employer should be respectful and be sure to truly hear the employee while still keeping the call focused and brief.

    As employers continue to hire digital natives, the likelihood of a business matter like hiring or firing becoming click-bait for the rest of us rises exponentially. Millennials and GenZ are the first truly digital generations whose lives online are rarely separate from their offline experiences. So, employers would serve themselves well to consider those hiring phone or Zoom calls or the difficult layoff discussions via Teams or speakerphone might take on lives of their own online. These discussions could put your organization’s reputation on the line and even threaten your bottom line.

    Remember, these discussions have the potential to become tomorrow’s headlines. Plan accordingly.

    Sharing a Little Inspiration this Women’s Empowerment Month  

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    Last week I spent International Women’s Day with 200 remarkable women in Philadelphia from the legal, marketing, communications, nonprofit and other fields at the inaugural Follow Friday conference aimed at women’s empowerment. Hosted by my friend and chief marketing officer for Legal Internet Solutions, Inc., Robyn Addis, the conference addressed how to rethink gaining entry, focusing on career advancement, managing work-life issues, overcoming fears and challenges, and most importantly, the value in helping each other succeed.  

    Although the occasion was Women’s History Month, now often now referred to as Women’s Empowerment Month, the speakers demonstrated that these are practical, everyday career and work-life integration issues for women in the workplace that go well beyond any one calendar date. These women inspired the audience with their stories — both professional and personal — of perseverance, resilience and hope.  

    Kelly Breslin Enache, CMO for Saul Ewing LLP, kicked off the presentations by explaining that while many of us recognize some aspect of imposter syndrome within ourselves, we have to tap into our professional courage to move forward and succeed. She referenced Tracy Brower, PhD, who recognized that while self-doubt is common in successful women, it is not standing in the way of their success. Women with professional courage choose to move forward despite feelings of self-doubt, fear or readiness. “Courage is when conscience, fear and action come together. It is grit, optimism, perseverance and determination,” Brower said.  

    I believe we have to say good-bye to the plague of imposter syndrome and usher in a new era of success for women grounded in professional courage.  

    Many women are fighting personal “gremlins,” Elise Holztman, president and founder of The Lawyer’s Edge, told attendees. Not just the gremlins that make us feel we don’t belong at the table or deserving of the professional title we hold, but those that put a wrench into our plans like health crises, family struggles and other personal issues. Some women suggested we give these gremlins a name — and shared the names they put to their gremlins. You would never guess looking at these accomplished women, the multitude of external pressures taking aim to derail their best laid plans of professional progress. But they shared how tapping into the power of each other can help to tackle the challenges before them. They reminded us to create our own personal board of directors to call on for advice, insight and support. 

    Speaker Beth Mirzai, a professional opera soprano, addressed the power of using your voice with confidence. She noted how critical it is for women in the workplace to remember that no one is actively rooting against us. We all have advocates cheering for our success. One woman in the room reminded us, to some laughter from crowd, that this is not always the case in the legal profession. That may be true, but overall, I agree we generally want one another to succeed. Particularly, as women, we have to be a force of support for each other.  

    During a break-out “fishbowl” session, one woman after another joined the table to share their professional experiences, accomplishments and struggles. Their words made me consider my own occasional feelings of self-doubt as well as family health issues I’ve struggled with that can tighten their grasp when we least expect it with no regard for our professional aspirations.  

    I’m fortunate to say I’ve experienced tremendous support from Kimball Hughes Public Relations. Company leaders and colleagues have supported my professional growth and career development as a female leader whether it’s a client win or crisis, a call from the school office, health issues or  the little things in life that challenge us all. In fact, when my son was hospitalized a few years ago I was fearful of missing too much work and asking others to carry my workload. I tried to step down but I was told that was out of the question. Whatever time I needed I could have; I was assured my job would be waiting for me when I was ready because family comes first. A few months later, the agency took on the small nonprofit championing my son’s rare disease – The MOG Project – as a pro-bono client. We supported them with a public relations campaign to bring attention to this orphan disease I had come to know too well.  

    Yes, our jobs are important. We all strive to do our best, but family is critical because if you can’t do the important work at home, the professional work becomes exponentially harder. The women at this conference reminded me of this fact. We are all working to succeed in our roles as female professionals, as parents, as spouses, as valued members of our communities and more. By inspiring and supporting one another, we can build each other up and enjoy our successes and those of others while managing what life throws our way. We can be better leaders, better mothers, better members of our community, mentors and role models for future generations by showing professional courage, using our voice, boosting each other up and remembering we are all rooting for each other.  

    Get to know Mattison Brooks, Public Relations Manager

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    Public relations is all about relationships—the people behind the stories. That’s why we’re offering this blog series all about our team members. This isn’t about our professional accomplishments but who we are as people. We hope you have as much fun reading along as we do interviewing each other.

    1. What got you interested in public relations?

    My love of public relations spun off from a combination of my early journalism career, a deep love for American history, and my love of good storytelling. After a short but intense stint covering politics on Capitol Hill at CNN and working local news in a few regional Virginia markets and my hometown in Western Canada, I realized I wanted to do communications differently than I had previously. I learned that I was really excited by taking on the challenges of shaping messaging, crafting narratives, and helping organizations navigate the media world, crisis communications, and engaging the public in mission-focused communications. Working in the non-profit world was an easy jump after graduate school. And that road ultimately led me to here – a new and exciting way to keep telling great stories and engaging clients in new and innovative ways.

    2. Tell us about your favorite movie and what appeals most to you about it?

    Anyone that knows me knows that this is a multi-hour discussion. However, because I’ve got a word limit, I’ll grudgingly choose one; and that is The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring. This movie never fails to give me chills to this day – and as a young kid, this movie blew my mind. The movie score, the cinematography, the acting, the scale and scope of what was built and created gave life to Tolkien’s masterpiece. I truly believe there’s never been a movie like it… and short of the new Dune movies, there may never be again.

    3. What was the last, best book you read and what about it spoke to you?

    The last book I read was a guilty pleasure: World War Z by Max Brooks. Totally just an entertaining and thrilling book, written in the form of a pseudo-documentary about a global war against zombies. The movie wasn’t great, but the book is fantastic. The last book that I read that inspired me and spoke to me was probably Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow. The life of George Washington is truly something that people need to read to believe. There’s something very inspiring about a person whose singular commitment to honor and duty shaped the way that we view civic virtue and our system of government to this day. Not without his flaws, the book also does a wonderful job exploring how deeply complicated and conflicted Washington was with his own family, his career, and his view of the revolution he helped fight. How that book and the story of George Washington hasn’t been given a proper treatment or at least translated into an HBO mini-series a-la John Adams or Chernobyl, is beyond me.

    4. Tell us about a meaningful hobby or outside of work commitment that is important to you.

    I am really into winter sports, which makes living in Florida an interesting place for someone who grew up playing ice hockey and snowboarding. But any time I can manage to get to the mountains I feel completely refreshed. There’s nothing quite like the total peace and quiet at the top of a mountain. It is a great place to clear your head and decompress.

    5. Share a fun fact about you.

    I am an avid cook and am constantly trying out new recipes for my wife and me. Not all of them are winners, but we’ve stumbled across some absolutely great ones that have become staples in our house. To quote the great classic, Ratatouille: “You must try things that may not work. Anyone can cook; but only the fearless can be great.”

    Get to know Liz Rubino, Media Relations Coordinator

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    Public relations is all about relationships—the people behind the stories. That’s why we’re offering this blog series all about our team members. This isn’t about our professional accomplishments but who we are as people. We hope you have as much fun reading along as we do interviewing each other.

    1. What got you interested in public relations?

    I started out my career after graduating from college as a radiologic technologist. After my first child was born, I was a stay-at-home mom to my four children for many years. Our good friends across the street had six kids and they were friends with our kids. In 2007, Gary (the founder of Kimball Hughes PR and our good friend across the street), asked me if I would like to come and work for him. So here I am, 15 years later working in public relations.

    2. Tell us about your favorite movie and what appeals most to you about it?

    I have always liked movies that Robin Williams has been in and the variety of characters he has played. One of my favorite movies is Mrs. Doubtfire. He is a father who loves his kids and does just about anything to make sure he is a part of their lives each day. Although everything changes within the structure of the family, they were able to come together, compromise and still be a family, just in a different way.

    3. What was the last, best book you read and what about it spoke to you?

    I like to read mysteries and one author I enjoy is Agatha Christie. Murder on the Orient Express is one of my favorites that takes place on a train that has had to stop due to heavy snow. One of the main characters is detective Hercule Poirot, who appeared in many of Christie’s novels. He  is precise with his methods he uses to solve crimes and not shy in letting everyone know.

    4. Tell us about a meaningful hobby or “outside of work” commitment that is important to you?

    Becoming a mom has been one of the best parts of my life and now I am a grandmother for the first time. My 2-year-old grandson always puts a smile on my face. He has a great personality and is quite the character. I look forward to spending time with him each week.

    5. Share a fun fact about you.

    I moved to Florida after I got married and my husband signed me up for scuba diving classes without my knowledge. I was very nervous about taking the classes, but I ended up enjoying the lessons and being best in class on my test. I only got to go diving four times, but each time I enjoyed the experience and the beauty under the water.