The Floor Is Lava: From Childhood Game to Career Journey

Leaping over lifes puddle to find your perfect spot

“The floor is lava!” we’d shout as my cousins and I leapt from couch cushion to coffee table at our grandparents’ house. Every piece of furniture became a steppingstone keeping us above the imaginary molten danger below. It was games like this that taught me about balance and resilience—lessons that have shaped my personal journey.

I often reflect on the many steppingstones I’ve hopped across to get where I am today. Some were solid and steady. Others wobbled or sent me tumbling down. I’ve had to pick myself up, find new starting points or wait for the next move to reveal itself. 

Most notable I look over the past 10+ years and recall how parking and transportation have made a lasting impact on my career. I look back on telling my dad how I landed a job, in parking, at a local well renowned hospital. He was so proud and I was excited. I didn’t know it then, but I’d just took a turn onto a road that would shape my professional life in ways I couldn’t have imagined. Even when I stepped away from parking for a short time, I felt the pull, the connection- my heart was in it. My passion became not just the operations, but the people, the customer service and the chance to always make someone’s day a little better.

The people in this industry are, hands down, the most well-rounded, supportive, caring, and passionate individuals I’ve ever met. I feel energized and inspired every time I interact with them and learn from their experiences. I can be myself without judgment and I hope they feel the same way around me.

I also make it a point to lift other women, especially in this field. As women, we’re often conditioned to be caretakers, but we need to remind each other to care for ourselves, too—to put on our own air mask first. Being a daughter, sister, friend, wife, mother and a working professional, our cups tend to feel both full and empty at the same time.  Being part of a “mobility sisterhood” is bound to make me feel less alone and I hope the same for others. 

When the opportunity to join the Mobility Pathfinders came up, I jumped at it. I want to be an advocate for women in this dynamic and ever-evolving industry. From technology and alternative mobility to customer engagement, the industry is constantly shifting—and more women need to know that this exciting and rewarding world is open to them, with so many fabulous opportunities to explore.