As a young man, playing at an elite level for various soccer teams formed my foundation for excellence, working as a collaborative team and the importance of leadership. Every time I took the field, I was driven to perform my best because I knew my actions had a direct impact on others. Performing and excelling as part of a team showed me that my individual role wasn’t as big as my role when part of a team. Through my participation, I had an epiphany that what I really wanted was to continue to be a part of something bigger than myself, and one way to achieve that was to serve in the military. I joined the Navy with the goal of becoming a SEAL and serving at the highest level. Twenty-six years later, I reflect on a successful and satisfying career where I served as part of team that was always about the collective and not the individual. Everyone knows that to become a Navy SEAL, all candidates must survive BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/Seal Training). During this training period, you are broken down as an individual and built back up to think and act as part of a team – something bigger and greater than yourself. When you earn your Trident, you feel both invincible and indestructible. However, on the flip side, to truly be successful, you must become humble, open to learning, open to feedback, and you must change and adapt when needed, even if you don’t necessarily agree with it. These are all lessons I learned early while I played soccer. Values like Honor, Courage, and Commitment are instilled in everything you do. I learned to become an effective leader from the best of the best. The most valuable lessons beyond having humility, is taking ownership of your mistakes, and maintaining your credibility. It is easy to give your credibility away when you are not truthful and transparent. Integrity should not be opaque. I deeply value a hard work ethic and working in a meritocracy. I fully believe in a culture of accountability. I am fully passionate about making a positive difference in whatever I do. The success of the organization is what matters.