“What do you do?”

“What do you do?”

The inevitable question at business conferences and cocktail parties. Many of us have ready-made answers: “I work in finance,” “I’m a nurse,” “I’m an engineer.” For years, I had one too: “I’m a professor.”

The responses were predictable. “Oh great!” or “Must be nice to have summers off.” And when they learned I was a Psychologist: “Don’t try to analyze me!” But these conversations always felt incomplete. They captured a basic level of what I did, it wasn’t the whole picture.

Everything changed when I became Director of Digital Learning Initiatives. Our team challenged ourselves to define who we were beyond our job titles (shoutout to Dr. Angela Crawford). I could no longer fall back on “I’m a professor” – and that was a bit uncomfortable. For the first time in years, I didn’t have a ready answer.

Then it hit me. At my core:

I change lives through learning – every day.

This is far more powerful than “being a professor.” I. Change. Lives. And it’s not just about the immediate impact I see. It’s about the generational ripple effect I create. I don’t just change one person’s life. I change the life of their partners, children, and grandchilden… generational change.

Even though I’m no longer in the classroom, do I still change lives every day? Absolutely. I design learning experiences for people of all abilities and needs. I build curriculum for high-growth industries. I ensure workers have the resources they need to advance their careers.

Each success story reinforces my story: The employee who earned a promotion after completing my management courses – a life changed. The student who graduated from the counseling program I designed – a life changed. A career switcher who is creating a better life for themselves and their family- a life changed!

I change lives through learning… every day.