I spent a decade in city government IT and that experience greatly shaped the way I approach my work. I couldn't settle for becoming a jack-of-all-trades because the work had to get done and that meant I had to learn how to do it. I also couldn't rely on just my technical skills because someone had to be able to tell the story of my work and have the conversations with leadership around why we needed that license or why we could not take on that extra responsibility. It was a decade of hard-fought experience, technical challenges, and difficult conversations, but I emerged on the other end as a resource who understands the unique pressures that face state and local government organizations.Working now for Microsoft, I've moved to the other side of the support table. I act as an advocate for my customers, helping them navigate license discussions, develop strategic plans and goals, and filling in technical gaps when able. I feel proud that I am able to help continue making a difference for local governments across the nation.