What’s the good news, ladies? June edition
No matter what the past few years have looked like for you, one thing seems to hold true: We have all had to adapt and shift, whether it be in our volunteer lives, changes within our families or taking a leap of faith to try something new in our industry. With that in mind, I’m excited to introduce you to June, Heidi and Vili.
I can’t believe that we are getting ready to roll into the third quarter! I know they say that the older you get, the faster it goes, but this year has just been flying by! It’s really great to see all the industry events back in full swing and to connect in person with so many after what seemed to be an eternal canceling of events during the pandemic. Everyone seems to be excited to share ideas and talk about the shifts in our industry since COVID.
I think one of the biggest ones that I saw was in terms of staffing. It’s no secret that the majority of our industry was previously keen on the 8-6 mentality, where you had to be in the office Monday through Friday. I know for my company, we have had the ability to be remote since we opened our doors in 2005, which means we didn’t miss a beat when things were shut down. However, I have seen colleagues who have shifted their models tremendously, from allowing remote work, to downsizing their real estate footprint, to hiring outside of their state.
No matter what the past few years have looked like for you, one thing seems to hold true: We have all had to adapt and shift, whether it be in our volunteer lives, changes within our families or taking a leap of faith to try something new in our industry. With that in mind, I’m excited to introduce you to June, Heidi and Vili; all dynamic women in our industry who have learned to pick and roll and are excited for the future!
June Taylor, Kaiser Permanente
“This past year has been nothing short of an amazing journey in growth. Becoming President of LAAHU, one of the largest industry associations in the country, has helped me uncover my superpower of “leading with confidence and grace.” Taking the best of my authentic self and combining it with 30 years of professional knowledge in sales and marketing has allowed me to thrive in the health care market.
As a leader, I am a subject matter expert in the areas of change management, diversity, equity and inclusion and conflict resolution. Change in the marketplace sometimes requires a change in leadership. I have learned to adapt and pivot quickly to meet the challenges ahead. As a result, these qualities have enabled me to succeed in my role and to be a valued asset to our association.”
“I am a single mom, working to open a new territory with a health care TPA and manage my consulting business while shuffling my daughter to events and coaching my son’s club volleyball team. Whew! I am exhausted just typing this! HA! In reality, I approach everything I do with enthusiasm, humor and the ability to see where I can help people. My philosophy has always been: Do the right thing and success will come. I focus on the people. My first question is “How can I help”?”
Vili Petkova, Kelly Benefits Strategies
“Never afraid of new beginnings and addicted to being in charge of my destiny, last year I joined a company I knew nothing about and transitioned to a 100% remote role. I am passionate about benefits, empowering others and living without regrets. It is a blessing when a role allows you to reflect on the tangible and intangible impact you have on your clients, community, and everyone you interact with. I would not change anything the past year unveiled, and I am grateful for the opportunities, challenges, lessons learned and deepened relationships. As far as the future, it is exciting to think that some of the best moments of our lives have not even happened yet (credit to Anne Frank).”
Know other women in our industry who are doing some cool things? I’d love to know them too! Just shoot me over an email at: scombs@combsandco.com so we can get them featured. I’ll see some of you soon in NOLA for the NABIP Annual Convention!