Meet Ify Etuokwu | HR Professional | LeadHER Board Member

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ify Etuokwu and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ify, what do you attribute your success to?
Success (no matter how you define it) should add intrinsic value to life. One attribute that has aided the accomplishment of my goals and the development of my person, is authenticity. This quality has been integral to both my personal and professional success because not only does it allow me to stand out in today’s noisy world, it also enables me to stay noteworthy, unforgettable, significant and anchored to my core values.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a HR professional and LeadHER Foundation board member. For as long as I can remember, I have always been a champion of people. I began my professional career in education, assisting special needs children in their academic learning. It was truly one of the most fulfilling periods in my life and after seven amazing years, I transitioned from championing little hearts, to my current career in HR. It was an easy move because my transferable interpersonal, communication, and emotional intelligence skills, proved invaluable in fostering positive work cultures and achieving company-wide strategic people goals.

When I became entrusted with LeadHER’s Student Experience program, these skills also became useful and helpful. My educational background affords me the opportunity to use my expertise to formulate strategies that would enhance our students’ ability to be successful in the pursuit of their career goals. This school year, our overarching objective is to maximize impact by improving student experience in our two major offerings: LeadHER Scholars Program (LSP) and LeadHER Business Scholars (LBS). We have employed valuable initiatives such as automating our recruiting, interviewing, and onboarding processes to facilitate better online engagement and interest. In addition, we’ve also streamlined our data capture for student feedback, using two metrics (student satisfaction and recurring attendance) to reach these goals.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Definitely have to start with the food experience! Texas has some of the best barbeque spots, and Houston houses quite a few of them. Starting with Pinkerton’s BBQ in the Heights, this restaurant has chopped beef sandwiches heaped with meat and served on fluffy jalapeno buns. (Can someone say Yum!) For a fine dining culinary experience, a tucked-away treasure in the Katy area is Pearl & Vine restaurant. The chef inspired menu focuses on americana food with a southern flare. I also absolutely love the energetic atmosphere within the restaurant—it is perfect for any occasion, an intimate dinner, private event, or lounge & drink with friends or weekend family brunch.

Segueing to hang outs, activity-based events like escape rooms are fun and wholesome. Escape It Houston in the Marquee Center in Katy has a Apollo 13 lunar module—an appropriate escape room theme for Space City. I’ll culminate the visit with sightseeing spots to places like Houston Space Center, Houston Zoo, Museum District, Buffalo Bayou Park and Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
LeadHER Foundation is a non-profit organization I am honored to partner with and serve as a board member. Its vision of the advancement of at-risk youth girls has been the most important factor to the foundation’s success (and the reason I love volunteering there!) Programs like college prep readiness and mentoring from industry professionals are intentionally crafted to accomplish this goal, and the results have been gratifying! We have witnessed young females go from uncertainty & insecurity, to being empowered and confident in their abilities to expand their horizons and pursue the career of their dreams. This change in disposition has differentiated LeadHER as a credible and reliable brand in the communities we serve. Our girls and their families have come to expect and depend on our commitment, an integral pillar to our success in enabling girls obtain the tools and resources to live life to the fullest potential.

Website: leadherfoundation.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ietuokwu/

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/ifyetuokwu

Image Credits
Personal photo image credit: EnlightenedKTX