Leadership

Leadership has played a defining role throughout my personal and professional journey. Before college, I served as a Senior Patrol Leader in Boy Scouts, led my high school football and basketball teams as a captain, and supervised a landscaping crew for my local school district. These early experiences taught me to lead by example, communicate with purpose, and hold myself accountable to the same standards I expect from others.

As I transitioned into the professional world, I continued building on that foundation—most recently through my internship and promotion with the Charleston RiverDogs. What started as a rotational Events Intern role quickly evolved into a full-time opportunity, and I am now serving as the organization’s Events Coordinator.

In this new role, I’ve taken on a wide range of responsibilities that require leadership, problem-solving, and collaboration. I continue to serve as the Front-of-House (FOH) lead in the Segra Club, but now with expanded authority and expectations. I work closely with our kitchen staff to plan and execute in-house catered meals, including:

  • Coordinating menus and service timelines

  • Tracking expected guest counts and making adjustments on the fly

  • Communicating needs with bar staff, wait staff, and setup crews

  • Overseeing execution and cleanup to ensure a seamless guest experience

Whether it's a graduation party, corporate dinner, or sold-out ballgame, I am responsible for ensuring that each detail is handled and each department is aligned. These tasks require consistent communication, leadership under pressure, and the ability to make quick decisions while maintaining a professional and composed presence.

Leadership in Action: A Real-World Issue

At the beginning of my internship, I often completed my assigned tasks quickly but struggled with knowing what to do next. This wasn’t due to a lack of work — it was a lack of visibility. In event environments like ours, where roles shift daily and schedules are constantly in motion, even high-performing staff can feel underutilized or out of sync without clear direction.

As our office evolved—following the promotions of Lance Fletcher to Assistant General Manager and Victoria Veserra to Director of Events—I had the opportunity to contribute to a simple but effective solution. We implemented a centralized whiteboard in our workspace that tracks:

  • Daily, weekly, and monthly task goals

  • Event-specific targets and timelines

  • Team responsibilities and communication updates

  • Visual elements like field layouts and planning notes for major events, including our upcoming BBQ & Boots Country Music Festival

This whiteboard has become a vital part of our daily operations. It helps our team stay proactive, organized, and aligned—even when things move fast. I now use it as a leadership tool: to set expectations, assign tasks, and support newer staff by walking them through the system. It’s helped me grow into a more confident and accountable leader, and it’s improved our team’s cohesion and productivity.

Centralized task and planning board implemented by the Events Team to improve workflow, accountability, and communication for daily operations and special events at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park.

Looking Ahead

Leadership, to me, is about showing up and setting the tone. I don’t ask anything of my teammates that I wouldn’t do myself. I believe trust is built through consistency—showing up early, responding promptly, and always giving your best effort, even when no one’s watching.

As I continue my career, I aim to lead teams that are organized, motivated, and proud of what they do. I want to create spaces where people feel supported and know they’re part of something meaningful. Whether I’m managing an event, training a new team member, or collaborating across departments, I’ll continue leading with integrity, adaptability, and care.