What was your first job and what did you learn from it?

My first professional job was at Texas Instruments as a member of the technical staff which involved doing all types of programming and testing of software on a proprietary program. I had the opportunity to immediately use many of the skills which I had learned in college and I had a rewarding experience in solving all kinds of problems. I learned that you could get a lot of visibility when you make a difference through adding value to the team. I worked very hard to develop solutions quickly and received a good deal of praise, encouragement and support in return.

Who is your hero, mentor or person you most admire? Why?

I wish that I could just single out one person, but I have been influenced by many great people from my high school math teach, Mr. Ferrell, to my current boss, Dave Welp and a long list of people in between. I would also have to mention my parents who raised me to not be inhibited by things that don't matter. They raised me to believe that I could do anything that I could envision myself doing and the fact that I was a women was not even an issue to be given any credence. I think that this fundamental mental state has truly made a difference in how I deal with the world.

What are you most proud of (either professionally or personally)?

My daughter is my proudest accomplishment, although she is still a work in process. She is still young, but showing all the right signs of being an extraordinary person that is going to make a positive contribution to our world someday. She is a real gift and I have had the opportunity to not only enjoy her but also teach her about life so that she can be prepared to take it on, on her own someday.

What advice would you give to young women who want to enter your field?

Focus on making a difference in what you do by working hard and building a rich technical foundation that is accomplished through taking on the difficult assignments. Let people know what you want to do, take on the challenges and deliver. Develop relationships with the people that you work with and support them. Don't be intimidated by a job or assignment. You have to show yourself and others that you can do the most difficult work. Learning and experience are keys to success because if you do not get the experience necessary to go further, you will eventually be in a "glass ceiling" situation with no where to go. And, if you are not careful, you are so far into your career that it is very difficult to recover.

What is your favorite book?

I have read a good number of management books and many novels, but I would have a difficult time singling one book. I have gained tremendous insights from "Stewardship," "The Fifth Discipline," "The Goal," "Passages," "Reengineering" and Covey's books. I find reading to be a good outlet for learning and for expanding your world. I recently enjoyed reading "The Horse Whisperer" and "Snow Falling on Cedars."

What is your favorite Web site?

PointCast

What do you see as the single most interesting element of your work?

There is a multitude of issues that I have to deal with on a daily basis and they have a wide range of topics. I like the diversity and challenge of having to deal with such a dynamic business environment. Every day is a new day with new problems to solve and I am learning constantly. I think that if I ever quit learning then I would find the work to be boring. Learning and growing is what keeps me motivated.

What was your darkest moment (professionally) and what did you learn from it?

We restructured the company and I was asked to form a new organization where it involved moving people out of their current organizational structure into a totally new one. We were creating an Engineering Division and I was asked to form the Software Engineering group. There was a time during the process where we had to deal with a lot of resistance that was extremely stressful on me and others. I learned that people, in general, have a very difficult time with change. I learned that change management is a real skill where change-management knowledge is critical to success in any assignment that requires people to do things differently.

What do you do to relax?

I try to work out, but due my constant traveling it is a challenge. Working out helps to relieve stress more then anything else. I also like to listen to music, read, bike, snow ski, cook, watch movies, go out to dinner with friends and vacation with my family.