In 2006, I began working for Hancock Forest Management as an Administrative Assistant in my small hometown of Smethport, PA where they had acquired 130,000 acres of timberland. My job allowed me to meet some really amazing people in the industry. I learned all I could from anyone I could. Ten years into my career, I had to make a change due to a land disposition. I was offered a job with GreenWood Resources as the Regional Project Administrator and would be based out of Spartanburg, SC. Born and raised for 50 years in PA, I was about to get a dose of southern hospitality.

Moving to Inman, South Carolina in 2017, I was basically restarting my career in the timber business, just a lot further south, where I had always wanted to be. A new state, a new house, a new office, new co-workers, a new company; everything was new. I remember approaching my boss, Jeremy Kessinger, asking him if there was a group of women working in the industry that met to network and build relationships. He simply replied, “not that I know of.” I asked him if I could manage to form a group of women working in the industry, would he provide me with the support that I needed. His answer was simple. “Yes.” I really didn’t know how much interest I would actually get from women that I barely knew, but I was willing to try.

My vision became a reality on May 22, 2019.

What a surprise it was to me when 33 women showed up and showed out at the 1st Annual Meeting at The Front Porch in Richburg, SC! The interest from women working for and contributing to the timber industry truly proved there was great need and demand for this group! A very special thank you goes to the late Sue Swanson, former Executive Director for Allegheny Hardwood Utilization Group in Kane, PA, who had everything to do with my vision in South Carolina.

Also, thanks to my former boss and co-workers Jeremy Kessinger, Anthony Wood and Glenn Sheehan for helping me get this off the ground. I will always be grateful to each of them for standing behind my idea and helping me pursue what I believed could be a game changer for women working FOR and contributing TO the timber business!

In September 2023, I was hired by Manulife Investment Management as the Senior License and Fleet Coordinator working remotely from Inman, SC. I am so fortunate to be given this opportunity to join this Amazing TEAM and work with Amazing PEOPLE at Manulife.