Sarah Marchese

I love the Arizona sky. I took this picture a few years ago. I am obsessed with the McDowell Mountains, and the clouds that build up around them. I used to carry my camera with me everywhere I went, and one of these days I will buy a nicer camera, and hike up one of the trails to really capture the beauty. I've learned some important lessons in the past few years, and one of those is the past does not define you; you have (almost) total control of what is going to happen. The picture is the sun shining behind the clouds. The sun, the good, the positive things in life that will always find a way to be more powerful than the dark clouds of negativity.

I have also found another passion in my life: HR/OD. Isn't it odd how we come full circle? When I graduated with my Bachelor's, my intention was to enter Human Resources, but life took me elsewhere. When I made the tough decision to pursue my Master's, I put my foot down and returned to my original goal.
When I think of Human Resources, I don't think of just doing payroll, benefits administration, or sifting through resumes. I think of training employees with continuing education to improve the employee’s current skill set, or acquire new skills for another position; I think of helping two employees or departments who are not getting along; I think of consoling an individual in a recent hardship, so that they know we have their back and appreciate their commitment and dedication; I think of team-building exercises such as miniature golf, white water rafting, and Pictionary; and I think of everyone grabbing a Starbucks on Monday morning so that no one has a "case of the Mondays.”

I believe that work should be a safe haven and a fun place. An employee is not just a body to fill a seat and collect paychecks. Employees are an important asset and part of a company’s atmosphere, culture, mission, value, and vision. Even the CEO, CFO, and head honcho with the corner office are only a part, not a whole pie. The word employee is outdated, so together let us come up with a new word. What if we called ourselves contributors or players? What if we respected each other for what we each accomplish?