I grew up in Michigan in a very loving and disciplined household. My dad is a Ghanaian immigrant who came to America to get his PhD at Michigan State University (MSU). My mom is a New Orleans native, and she met my dad while she was studying at MSU to get her masters degree. Because of their backgrounds, my parents raised me and my two siblings to value faith, hard work, education, athletics and respect for all.
These values paid off when it came time for college. I earned an academic scholarship to attend Louisiana State University and was a proud member of the Fighting Tiger football team. My childhood career goals were to be a doctor, a car designer, or a pro football player—but a college internship at General Motors set me on a fantastic journey to my career in human resources.

My career has taken me many places domestically and internationally—including China and Europe, where I worked with some of the most innovative automotive minds in the world. I now have the honor and privilege to serve as the vice president of People Experience and Technology for Global Operations at Amazon and continue to work alongside an amazing group of people each and every day. I’ve learned a lot in my 25+ years working in human resources, and the values I was raised with at home and in sports have certainly helped.
Here are five leadership lessons that I prioritize to help build inclusive and successful teams.