Woman of the Week: Yvette McGee Brown

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Here at Executive Elements, we like to feature fantastic women we think you should know. Some of these women are clients, some are friends, some are women we’ve only just met. But they all have this in common: they are dynamic, interesting gals who have agreed to share with us their insights and secrets to success.

Yvette McGee Brown

My Current Job/Company:
Partner, Jones Day Law Firm

My Birthdate:
07/01/60

My Work:
I do business and tort litigation, handle appeals and a little corporate governance.

My Passion:
My family and my community. I think Columbus is a special place. I like to make a difference for the generations that follow us. I am really committed to helping women maximize their potential and to having the courage to live their dreams.

My Family:
A wonderful husband, Tony; 3 children and 2 grandchildren – Belinda and her husband Marcus – Sophia and Joshua; Laura, and David;

My Heroes:
My Grandmother and my mom. Both women taught me to be strong and work hard. They were exceptional role models with challenging lives. They didn’t have the opportunity to “Lean in” or have “work/life balance.” They did what was necessary to support their families and never gave up hope that their children’s lives would be better than their own.

My Escape:
Reading, travel and spending time with friends

My Pet Peeve:
People who are blessed and complain.

My Indulgence:
Wine.

My Roots:
Humble. Filled with love. Happiness

My Future:
Busy and Bright. Challenging, engaging

My Quote on Life:
“Life is 90% attitude and 10% aptitude.” Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re probably right.

My Accessory:
My smile – it’s always with me.

My Advice to Young Women:
Quit trying to be perfect, there is no such thing. Find something you love and do it well. Your kids will be fine if you don’t observe every waking moment of their life. Give them the gift of independence.

How I Balance it All:
I have a great husband who picks up a lot of slack. And what I can’t/won’t do, I hire out. I manage my time and decide what is important to do. And most importantly, I don’t feel guilty about an empty fridge (my kids prefer take out) or an occasional night out with the girls. A happy me is a happy home.

Woman of the Week: Kelli Baxter

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Here at Executive Elements, we like to feature fantastic women we think you should know. Some of these women are clients, some are friends, some are women we’ve only just met. But they all have this in common: they are dynamic, interesting gals who have agreed to share with us their insights and secrets to success.

Kelli Baxter

My Current Job/Company:
Vice president of client relations for Scitrain, ltd.

My Birthdate:
9.3.63

My Work:
Building relationships with organizations’ decision makers and sharing with them scitrain’s unique, progressive, impactful leadership development process; it’s effective for accelerating leaders’ development and readying them for their next-level leadership roles. The scitrain approach is truly transformational – on both the professional and personal level.

My Passions:
Family, friends, and yoga (:-)

My Family:
Rod (soulmate and husband); Dorothy (97-year-old grandmother); Sondra (mother); Karla, Kris, and Kyle (siblings)

My Heroes:
My grandmother, mother, and sisters – they are strong, patient, resilient, remarkable women

My Escape:
The American Southwest – the desert, sun, dry air, and spectacular landscapes are relaxing for me

My Pet Peeve:
Hypocritical types

My Indulgence:
Comfy lululemon clothes

My Roots:
Big family, traditional values, small town, hard-working, and fun-loving

My Future:
Exciting, fulfilling … ready!

My Quote on Life: “An open heart is an open mind.”
– Dalai Lama XIV

My Accessory:
Neck scarves. It’s rare I’m seen without one – even during summer

My Advice to Young Women: Trust your instincts, learn from your mistakes, take risks, surround yourself with mentors who will give you honest feedback.

How I Balance it All: Hmmm … yoga helps…..

Woman of the Week: Kelli Jo Gargasz

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Here at Executive Elements, we like to feature fantastic women we think you should know. Some of these women are clients, some are friends, some are women we’ve only just met. But they all have this in common: they are dynamic, interesting gals who have agreed to share with us their insights and secrets to success.

Kelli Jo Gargasz

My Current Job/Company:
Senior Vice President & Director, Private Banking; Fifth Third Bank

My Birthdate:
12.05.69

My Work:
I lead a Team of 11 highly skilled and tenured private banking professionals. Our mission at Fifth Third Private Bank is to assist families of affluence in their day to day cash management needs. We help simplify our Clients’ daily finances so that they and their designated Private Bank Team can focus on achieving their long term goals.

My Passion:
My family, my friendships, my employees and their success.

My Family:
My husband of 15 years, Tim, our twin boys, Ben & Joe (10) and our six year old daughter, Anna. We lost our first son, Nicholas, to S.I.D.S. when he was 3 months old in 1999.

My Heroes:
My Mom, Suzanne Coburn and my “Mammaw,” Johnnie Thompson. My Mom was a very young, single mother to me and my brother, Ryan. She and our Mammaw worked as a team. While my Mom was juggling 3 jobs at a time, my grandmother was caring for us. I had no idea, at the time, how difficult that must have been for a 19-year-old woman, but now I understand the amount of sacrifice that took, on both their parts. They were (are) amazing role models for compassion, tenacity, and courage.

My Escape:
A true vacation must include sunshine, my girlfriends, and a great book. I’m OK to skip the beach….sand is not my friend! But, it doesn’t get any better than your own private pool!

My Pet Peeves:
Narcissism and Rudeness.

My Indulgence:
Potato Chips, French Onion Dip and Coca-Cola.

My Roots:
Small town, family ties and great friendships.

My Future:
Focused, successful, making a difference in the lives of my children, working women and the community.

My Quote on Life:
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” (Eleanor Roosevelt)

My Accessory:
A great purse!

My Advice to Young Women:
One of the most important decisions you will ever make, for many reasons but specifically for your career, is the person you choose to spend the rest of your life with. If you want to be a working woman and a mother, you must find a partner that respects that goal and is willing to help you achieve it. They do this by choosing to be flexible in all the “traditional” roles of marriage and partnership. Show me a happily married working Mom and I’ll show you a progressive, amazing partner / husband!

How I Balance it All:
I call it “work-life strategy” because there is no such thing as “work-life balance.” I am lucky to have an amazing husband who has a flexible work schedule (see note above!). I also have a great Nanny whom I trust running my kids back and forth when necessary. Additionally, one of my God-given gifts is the ability to say, “No” and I use that gift often. In fact, my friends and co-workers ask me to step in and use my “gift” on their behalf every now and again! Which leads me to my last tip, have great friends and co-workers who care about you and your success and whose you care about.