As I launch into another crazy, busy, exciting year at BrightScope, with my volunteer work at Rady Children’s Hospital and as I grow my consulting client base, I would like to thank those of you that helped me on my professional path to HR world domination.

Emily Thomas – Thank you for the  beautiful, clean, fun, spunky and ‘just so me’ logo design. You did an incredible job capturing my essence and you took my project from inception to completion in such a quick amount of time! I will forever be grateful to you for your time and talents…and oh, that adorable little kiddo you have! XOXO

Patrick Ostrosky – you are one of my favorite clients. Not only did you make me laugh at every project completion cornerstone, but you challenged me to think outside the box and find a creative way to help you find a great job in a state where I had zero connections. I appreciate your passion for going after what you want and I am thrilled to see the success you have achieved at your new company.

Rand Owens – you constantly have to take time out of your busy schedule to download me on the current pulse of the tech space. Without you, I wouldn’t know that Tinder is a hook up app (gross, and hilarious), I wouldn’t understand why people go out an buy Porsches (they are fabulous, especially while speeding with the top down), I wouldn’t have my own personal cheerleader to support me in every scary, challenging, but ultimately worthwhile new endeavor/adventure I undertake (starting a job at a tech startup, venturing out into consulting, my blog) and I wouldn’t know so much about men “on the grind” (do not come between an entrepreneur and his work). Thank you for being one of my closest friends and confidants. Love you like family bro.

Susana Nuno – I don’t even know where to start here. I may only see you 1-2 times a year, but we talk every day. You are like a sweet little sister, a smart ass older sister, a best friend, my conscience and a great mom all rolled into one. There were times where I wanted to quit because I thought I couldn’t face my challenges and overcome my obstacles but you wouldn’t let me bail on my commitments to myself and to others. Thank you for always being my shoulder to cry on, my friend to b*tch about work to and the person that gives me the occasional reality check so I can stay on the straight and narrow. Love you babe – I owe you a few margaritas.

Jeff Persek – thanks for being one of my first clients and a great buddy. I enjoyed working with you, sharing beers over football and whining to you about the lack of great men in San Diego. You are one of the best people I know, and a great catch to boot. Keep going after what you want, stay hungry, keeping wrecking shop at your new gig (not so new anymore) and thanks for referring me awesome clients!

Sara Molnar and Carolyn Tillett – thank you ladies for being such a pleasure to work with. As I keep an eye on your professional and career development, I know you are both on the track to success, happiness and major BOSS LADY status. Keep on your grind girls – you’ll rule the world!

Mary Alcock – thank you for being an influential and knowledgeable mentor and friend. I learn from you every day and appreciate all that you have, and will continue to, share with me. Thank you for picking me up out of dark holes and helping me see light at the end of every professional tunnel, so to speak. You are amazing!

BrightScope – as an organization, you have challenged me and asked more of me than I ever thought I was capable of. I have designed and implemented a plethora of amazing HR projects, programs and initiatives and I will be forever grateful for the amazing opportunity to work for a company that refuses to be defined by simple adjectives (e.g. amazing, enterprising, fun, innovative, exciting, etc). Each day you challenge me, and for that I am thankful. I get to work with the some of the brightest and most talented people in San Diego and I wouldn’t change this experience for anything. Stay disruptive, stay daring!

Mom and Dad – I could write an entire blog about how incredible you two are and how influential and supportive you have been to me. I can never truly express my gratitude towards you for listening to me cry when things were really, really bad, for giving me high fives and hugs when we celebrated my successes and for bank-rolling my crazy dream to become a Human Resources Guru. You have helped me on the path to my dreams and for that, I will be eternally grateful. I love you more than you could ever know.

The year of 2013 – you were pretty awesome. I learned a lot, I had some great professional accomplishments (cheers to getting my PHR and working with the legislative committee of SD SHRM) and I got to do a lot of incredible things with a lot of incredible people.

– Namaste