Why I Love Where I Work

Why I Love Where I Work

One of my closest friends started the company Why I Love Where I Live years ago. Her mission is to help people find joy and discover the beauty of where they live. This movement has inspired so many people, including myself to do the same. I now find myself often thinking of the reasons why I love not just where I live but other aspects of my life including my community, and where I work.?

When I first started my internship with First Things First I could tell that it was a place that I would love to work. The Senior Regional Director of the Southeast Area, Jessica Harrington, and the entire Southeast team were incredibly welcoming as they taught me about the important leadership role FTF plays in the early childhood system of the region. During my internship, a job in the region opened up and I eagerly applied. I now am fortunate enough to call the Southeast team my teammates. Since my first day on staff, what has been most clear to me about all of my colleagues across the state is the level of excellence and dedication they bring, driven by their deep care for the children of Arizona to get the very best start in life. Departments collaborate to ensure our systems are working as efficiently as possible. Seasoned employees are always willing to spend time teaching newer staff and answering questions. New staff are encouraged to share their ideas and fresh perspectives. Innovation is embraced as each region is nuanced and needs a different approach. Our leadership is working intentionally to be transparent and inclusive with decision making. If someone disagrees with a decision or has a different perspective, at FTF it is a norm for people to speak up and share their experience, and not only that but work towards change if needed.?

Personally, I have learned so much in my first year. I jumped right into the strategic planning season with my amazing Regional Partnership Council, who are the heart of our work. From developing funding plans to releasing Requests for Grant Applications, from data reports to?systems change work the learning curve has been steep and yet my leadership and team have given me the support tools I need to succeed. In addition, to all that I have learned so far, I also get to continue to be an early childhood advocate and leader in our region. I got into this field because I believe children and their families deserve the very best start and early childhood providers do some of the most important work of our communities. However, the reality is that many children and families do not have access to the support needed to thrive and overall our early childhood providers are not valued or supported as they should be. Working as a Regional Director with First Things First allows me to work towards this reality each and every day and I consider it an honor to be a part of this work.?

I will never claim that anywhere I work is perfect, however First Things First is truly a place where I can confidently say that I love where I work!