Like many people across the globe, the pandemic shook up my world and provided an opportunity to make some changes in my life. Not only did I shift my career path, I was also onboarded remotely - a mindset change in itself if you, like me, never worked remotely before. Working within a team and organization virtually has made me reflect on my communication style, what it means to authentically show up in virtual environment, and how can I earn trust with people I have not, and may never, meet in person. April House and I are former colleagues. For the short period of time our paths crossed at the organization, for me, I often felt there wasn't enough scheduled time to talk with April. 

To give some context, though I worked with April, the only time I really got to collaborate with her directly was during our DEI committee meetings. If you know me at all or have listened to any other episodes of the podcast, you know that conversations talking about the complexity of being a person are my absolute jam. It was a privilege to share virtual space with April and listen to her vision and leadership on how to truly make an impact with our DEI initiative. More times than not, the sixty minutes was simply not enough time to listen to the wisdom and human story of every individual in the committee. I wanted to learn more about their life experiences and how those experiences impacted their lens in how they see and navigate the world. I reached out to April hoping she would be willing to chat with me some more about her journey of becoming the best version of herself. I was ecstatic when she said yes and am excited to share this conversation with you all.  

April House is the President of HR Benefits INC. for the Washington Technology Industry Association who's mission is to foster a robust, equity-centered technology sector that empowers thriving communities. You can find April on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmha