Hometown: Raleigh, N.C.
Role: Human resources generalist, North Carolina General Assembly
Years of legislative service: Three
“‘Own your mistakes.’ Everyone makes them, and the only way to grow as an individual or colleague is to acknowledge the mishap as soon as possible, fix it, learn from it and move on.”
Why did you choose to work at the legislature?
After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and relocating to Raleigh, I had never considered working in government, much less at the Legislature. Through an acquaintance, I found out the Human Resources Office had an opening for an HR generalist. Now, after working at the Legislature for three years, I can’t see myself anywhere else. I love being part of the behind-the-scenes institutional operations, assisting legislators and legislative staff with their staffing and personnel needs and concerns. No two days are the same, and I am constantly learning and being challenged to expand my HR knowledge. I am very grateful for my team and the wonderful staff that make up the General Assembly.
What skill or talent are you most proud of?
I am most proud of my ability to interact, relate and communicate with others. I like the phrase “I have never met a stranger,” because I have always been comfortable speaking to all people, regardless of race, age, gender, job titles or positions. My ability to connect with people has been a tremendous asset in my role as the lead recruitment coordinator. When I began my role years ago, recruitment was merely posting a vacancy on the state’s job website and waiting for the applications to come in. Over the past few years, the job market and employment needs have significantly changed due to factors such as the pandemic, generational shifts in the workforce, and lack of strong candidates being interested in the public sector. These obstacles have forced me to be creative in our branding and in expanding our outreach to new talent pools and resources. I have enjoyed rising to the challenge while increasing my knowledge and skills.
Who or what inspires you?
This question was the most difficult for me, because I’m an idealist and get inspiration from a variety of subjects: nature, art, music, books, family and friends. However, the person who inspires me the most would be my fiancé, whom I met as a fellow student at UNC Charlotte. He is one of the most hard-working and dedicated people I know. He challenges me to grow intellectually, displays an unbelievable level of patience and compassion, and inspires me every day to become a better version of myself.
I am also inspired by my co-workers—a small team of very diverse, intelligent and supportive HR professionals. Everyone is always very respectful, motivating and encouraging to each other and to everyone who interacts with our HR office. They show up daily to accomplish our mission, which is to serve the people. Being in a role and office where I can be of service to people is what I have always wanted to do in my career.
What’s one thing you love about your state?
It offers a variety of beautiful scenery, from the coastline shores of the Outer Banks to the peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains. You can easily take a day trip to go snowboarding at Beech Mountain or relax at Wrightsville Beach, both adventures are within a few hours’ drive of my home in Raleigh.
What are you currently reading/listening to/watching?
I am a huge fan of all music genres, and over the past few years several artists have produced some great albums: Ed Sheeran, Rufus Du Sol, Tash Sultana, Taylor Swift, Adele, Tame Impala. The most recent musical discovery I’ve made is a Chicago-based duo called DRAMA. I thoroughly enjoy listening to their music because it offers an escape from everyday life, with just enough soulfulness to be relaxing background music and enough pop to play while exercising—they’re definitely worth a listen!
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
For its “Staff Snapshots” series, State Legislatures News is asking legislative staff about their role in the legislature. To suggest a staffer for this series, please use the email icon above to contact Holly South.