Truthfully, I never thought I would build a career by "doing good". Earning a degree from the University of Nevada and graduating during one of our country's largest recessions put me in an interesting position. Entering the job market at that time was scary. I was fresh out of college, I had bills to pay, and I needed a job! That's when fate came knocking.A couple of months after graduating, a position opened locally at the American Cancer Society (ACS). I never thought I would want to work for a non-profit because of the stories you hear (you are overworked! you are underpaid!) but this one was special, particularly because they funded research that cured my Mom's thyroid cancer when I was 12 years old. I spent nearly 10 years at the ACS; my leaders, peers, board members and donors essentially "raised" me, supporting me and mentoring me while continuing to give me bigger roles and more responsibility. Here are the biggest lessons I learned during my tenure: 1. Just because you don't have the biggest title in the room, doesn't mean your opinion doesn't matter.2. The only person you can always count on to advocate for you, is YOU. 3. Partnering, shoulder to shoulder, alongside your Board of Directors, will achieve the best outcome for whatever you're trying to accomplish.4. Take big risks, if you are going to fail, fail fast and fix it. But take the risk.5. At the end of the day, the work is important but there are things in life, like your family, that trump it all.Personal circumstances and tragedy led me to a decision to leave ACS and after that journey, I knew I was ready for a change. When I put that thought out to the universe, it showed up as an opportunity back in Reno (I had moved to Denver during my time at ACS) for a Federally Qualified Health Center called Northern Nevada HOPES (HOPES). Once again, fate had intervened.I began in a Director of Development/Marketing position, and earned the trust of my CEO and our Board of Directors to be selected as the agency's first Chief Development Officer. I just celebrated 5 years at HOPES and I'm incredibly proud of the work we are doing. In my time at HOPES we've achieved some BIG things (like a $36mil capital campaign!) but most notably during my tenure, our Medication Assisted Treatment program helped save my brother's life. I didn't think I would build a career by "doing good" but time and time again, I'm reminded that I'm exactly where I am supposed to be, doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing; helping to change my corner of the world.