Please share a bit of background about yourself.

 

Growing up in Champaign, IL, I spent more weekends on a soccer field than off. Whether it was sitting on the sidelines and coloring while “watching” my older siblings, dressing up as Mia Hamm for 3 Halloweens in a row, or lacing up my own pair of cleats, soccer was always a focus for my family. After graduating from Indiana University, I moved to Chicago and fell in love with the city and everything it has to offer. I like to try out all the new restaurants, read by the lake (in the warmer months 😊), and attempt to keep my touch on the ball through social leagues. While my talents on the field have faded, I am grateful to have the opportunity to serve the sport in other ways and be a part of its growth here in the United States.

 

 

All pathways are different; how did you get to where you are?

 

My path to U.S. Soccer was a mixture of good timing, hard work, and persistence. After graduating with a degree in finance I spent two years working at a corporate law firm in a development program with the intention of going to law school. During that time, I realized law was not my passion and I was more interested in using my finance degree to support a cause I believe in. After hours upon hours of LinkedIn searches, scouring job boards for the right fit, and working and re-working my resume I came across the U.S. Soccer Associate Program, a six-month full-time paid internship, and luck would have it that headquarters was a 30 min L ride from my apartment! I applied for the Accounting Associate position and sent a few messages over LinkedIn to various staff. Lucky for me, my message caught the eye of the HR Manager and she suggested I check back in at the end of the month when applications would be closing. I followed up on the dot and an interview was scheduled for the next day.

On paper my resume had not been selected for an interview, but because I showed initiative, follow-through, and persistence, the team gave me a chance and the rest is history. I joined the federation full-time as a Financial Analyst following my associateship.

 

 

What do you love about your current job?

 

1.I love the variety that comes with this role, on any given day I could be working on budgeting for the upcoming fiscal year, producing financial reports for a department head, working with our technology team on our various financial platforms, or taking part in a meeting discussing the incoming class of SheBelieves interns. At U.S. Soccer I have had the opportunity to work on and participate in initiatives beyond what a typical FP&A role would entail, including joining the SheBelieves Committee and our internal staff engagement group.

2.The people. As part of a support function, I work with every department at the federation. I feel lucky to have the opportunity to interact with and get to know anyone from the Analytics team to the YNT staff and everyone in-between. It’s pretty cool to come to work and know that I am working with people who are the best of the best at what they do in the country.

 

 

What skills do you use every day?

 

Each day requires a number of skills from standard accounting capabilities, analytical skills, and excel modeling, to project management, communication, and time management. To be most effective in my position, it is important for me to not only be able to compile financial data, but also know what the information is telling us and how to best communicate that to our staff. Attention to detail and caring about the little things also goes a long way.

 

 

What advice would you give to women seeking a position in the sports industry?

 

Look for ways to use your skills in new ways and always say yes to new opportunities.