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Knoxville cannot be its best without all of our children having the opportunities to be their best. My 10 year vision for Knoxville lies in contributing to the development of a foundation that will lead to an educated, sustainable workforce and infrastructure for Knoxville and our surrounding communities that provides equitable opportunities for all of our children. These opportunities should provide them with the chance to make a living wage to provide for themselves and their families. With the tremendous growth that has occurred within Knoxville, we must concentrate efforts towards providing our organizational infrastructure with a workforce that will support existing businesses and attract future industry to Knoxville. Our children and families need exposure to the resources, networks, and post-secondary opportunities located within our community to pursue high wage, high demand employment opportunities. This is the key to encouraging workforce development, housing opportunities, and providing the resources to sustain future growth. My continued vision would be to develop as many opportunities for the immersion of our students and families into workforce possibilities located and developing within the Knoxville community.

Knoxville's best kept secret is its people and business partners. During my tenure as the Director of Academies for Knox County Schools, I have been privileged to work in the area of partner engagement for the 865 Academies. This opportunity has given me the chance to encounter some of the most caring, engaged, and committed people involved in the local business organizations within the Knoxville community. Likewise, the people who serve as members of our CEO Champions and Steering Committees are some of the most dedicated and caring professionals I have worked with. The amount of care, investment, and dedication they exhibit to our community and schools is our best kept secret. If everyone could witness these interactions, they would quickly understand how crucial these partners and their business organizations are to the infrastructure that will be pivotal in the future success of Knoxville.

To strengthen Knoxville, we must be firmly committed to the Chamber of Commerce's 2030 Initiative. 60% of the current workforce within our community is 55 or older. For Knoxville to continue to grow and thrive, support the necessary infrastructure, provide opportunities for home ownership, and to recruit businesses we must provide an educated, trained, and skilled workforce for the future. Continuing to solicit and seek input from our business partners is crucial to navigating what the needs that our workforce will entail over the next decade. Likewise, we must be responsive to this feedback and continue to implement initiatives that will assist in delivering the sustainables for these expressed needs. Knoxville has the resources and attractions to be thriving metropolitan and suburban community within the South. By working strategically to insure a sustainable workforce, we will continue to provide the foundation for this continued growth and expansion of our community.

Leaders Eat Last, Simon Sinek

The best advice I have ever received from a mentor is the advice I received from my college field experience professor, Dr. Edward Harrison. Dr. Harrison told me, "When you walk into a classroom, you become more than you realize. You become a role model, mother/father figure, leader, mentor, and custodian of someone's most prized possession." I try to remember this advice every time I walk into a school or classroom. Our teachers and principals do one of the most important and difficult jobs every day. They accomplish this with grace, passion, competence, and commitment. Our teachers need all of the help, care, and support we can give them. I am very privileged to be part of that responsibility every day with Knox County Schools.

Take a breath, but work harder. It's ok to relax sometimes, but it is just as important to put in the work necessary for what you want to accomplish. Remember, dreams without goals and hard work are just wishes. Apply yourself. You're capable of more than you believe.