My employment with MacLaff began in 2001, becoming a crew member at our Ambassador Caffery location, affectionately called #9. I was 16 years old, a new mom, and working for Jimmy Trahan. I was a student at Acadiana High just trying to figure it all out.

I guess you could say that we all have a path to take, and we take it. Sometimes it’s a smooth path, and sometimes it’s a bumpy path, but we navigate those bumps to keep making progress. MacLaff was simply part of my path. Jimmy promoted me to shift leader when I was 18 years old. He saw something in me that I didn’t necessarily see in myself… Leadership Qualities! I guess he saw that I just wanted to get things done, and I was focused on what my leaders thought was important. If it was important to them, it was important to me! I worked for MacLaff for a few years and left to try banking. It wasn’t what I thought it was going to be. There was no schedule flexibility with the bank. I had activities that I wanted to attend with my children and banking didn’t afford me the opportunity to attend those events… so I left. That’s when I ran into Travis Foreman… Travis and I chatted and long story short, I came back to MacLaff again, but this time in leadership. Jason Guidry, Niven Brown as well as Travis have all helped me become the leader I am today. As I think back on the challenges of leading, I think about why I am still here after all the time I have spent with MacLaff. The truth is, I want to help as many people as possible to grow, develop, and become successful. MacLaff has given me the opportunity to impact others.

So many people have impacted me in a positive way, people like Charletta Thomas, with all her energy, positivity, and confidence, it’s hard not to want to be a better person and leader! I am truly thankful for all the leaders that have helped mold me into a better person and leader.

If I only had one chance to tell a young person something, I think it would be this…. “Have faith, believe in yourself, and be confident. Know your purpose, navigate YOUR path, and make a difference.” It wasn’t always easy to lead in the environment I was in. I was a young female leader, trying to figure it out, and there were always obstacles. I learned early on in my career that it was much more important to do the right thing and be respected than to do the wrong thing and be liked.

For our young crew members and emerging leaders, understand that nothing good ever comes easy, but with hard work, perseverance, and helpful people showing you the way, there is nothing that you can’t accomplish! I see many of our young leaders dealing with obstacles right now, but I know, through my experience, that those obstacles will not stop them. So I ask………