Your Hour, Her Power Spotlight: Teresa Brinson
We’re celebrating Women’s History Month 2022 by highlighting women leaders in our community as part of our Your Hour, Her Power campaign. Our first spotlight is Teresa Brinson, Senior Director of HR Strategic Communications and Audience Engagement for Ascension. Read more about her story below!
Q: How did you get to where you are today and what did that path look like for you?
A: During my undergraduate years at Howard University, I had a chance to charter a bus with hundreds of my other peers and spend our spring break in New Orleans, Louisiana, right after Hurricane Katrina. We slept in one of the few standing churches near the 9th ward on cots.
We left the church building each day around 5-6 a.m. with a mission to help the community rebuild and hear from the families impacted by the devastating storm. We focused on clearing an elementary school and a community service center. We didn’t come back to the church until about 9 p.m. each night. Even though the days were exhausting, we each stayed up - rarely getting 4 hours of sleep - talking about the day’s experiences, what we learned, and what we planned to do the next day.
Returning to Washington, D.C., I put together a short documentary on the stories we captured during our time in Louisiana. I would say that experience sparked my professional journey as a storyteller.
My early years of my career was in television news and media analysis. I then took a role as a spokesperson for a police department and other volunteer events. I am currently in healthcare and oversee a talented team focused on communication strategies for Human Resources.
My career journey was not linear. The only consistency was how I looked at serving others after my experience in Louisiana. Everyone has their “why” in doing what they do today. Find your why, and your career journey will follow.
Q: Why do you feel it’s important to have women in leadership roles?
A: Having diverse representation in leadership roles is important, including differences in our experiences and how we think. I feel it is important to ensure there are opportunities to include those perspectives.
Q: Why do you feel it's important for women to have access to the resources DFSA provides?
A: As a mentor and speaker with Dress for Success Austin, I’ve heard over time that having access to professional clothing, development opportunities, networking and a space to learn from others was so valuable.
Thank you, Teresa, for participating in this year’s campaign and for helping us empower Austin women, both as a DFSA volunteer and a leader we can look up to! If you want to support our Your Hour, Her Power campaign, we’re asking our supporters to donate one hour of their salaries to empower women. Donate here.