Alicia Kough
Financial Advisor Edward Jones
What was your first job?
My very first job was as a waitress in a nice little restaurant at the Marina on Raystown Lake in central Pennsylvania. It was hard work but fun, too. I worked there each summer through high school. Because of that experience, I have a great deal of appreciation for those in the food service industry.
What advice do you have for women aspiring to leadership roles?
My advice is to jump in, ask for the position, and sit at table. Rarely are you invited into leadership opportunities. Go after what you want. If you approach life and your career with a teamwork attitude, you will eventually find yourself leading others formally or informally. One of the biggest lessons I've had to learn was to focus on progress over perfection. Progress is essential; however, perfection isn’t realistic.
Lisa Wilson
President G.L. Williams & Daughter Trucking
What brings me joy in my current position?
I love being able to carry on the family legacy with GLWD. This year will be our 57th year in business. I am thankful for the many people and businesses that I have met and worked with along the way. Seeing local construction and road projects completed and knowing that we had a part in making those happen, never gets old. I also enjoy being able to give back and make a difference in our community by sponsoring local ball teams, church projects, and equestrian non-profits and providing an annual scholarship at Aiken Technical College.
Have you had any mentors that have supported you in your career?
Certainly, my mother and father were great mentors who have taught me a hands-on approach and provided guidance along the way. My husband, Len, is a huge support and sounding board for me. I also met Kirk McGowan through the Aiken Chamber's SCORE program, and he has been instrumental in guiding me with the rebranding of GLWD and starting a new company, Purebred Compost.
Dr. Kathryn Potter
AU Dermatologist, Aiken Satellite Office
What was your first job?
I ran the batting cages during high school at the Baseball and Softball Warehouse in my hometown of Powdersville, South Carolina.
How did you come to be in your current position?
After graduating from medical school at MUSC Charleston, I completed a Dermatology residency at the University of Florida. I then completed a fellowship in Mohs micrographic surgery at the University of Vermont. I really enjoyed exploring other parts of the country but
was excited to move back home to South Carolina! I wanted to work at an academic institution with medical students and residents, so AU was a great fit. While transitioning to AU, they started the satellite dermatology clinic in Aiken, and I have been serving there as the medical director for the past three years.
How do you manage work/life balance?
It takes a village! My mom helps with childcare, which allows me to really focus on work while I am at work. While at home, I put my phone away to focus on family until it’s bedtime.
Cary Frommer
Horse Trainer
What was your first job?
My first job was working in an animal hospital when I was 14.
What brings you joy in your current position?
Watching young race horses go from timid, insecure babies to confident and competitive racehorses brings me joy.
What advice do you have for women aspiring to leadership roles?
Nothing comes easy. Failures happen. I’ve had to tweak my direction a couple of times in my business. Horses are like most things in life, nothing is finite.
What do you do to de-stress after a long week?
I’m happiest sitting with my dogs and a good book. My life has a lot of stress in it, and that’s how I decompress.
Sheri Osburn
Owner, CertaPro Painters of the CSRA
What advice do you have for women aspiring to leadership roles?
I think the world loves a confident but humble soul. I would say to be the servant leader wherever you are, in whatever you are doing, no matter how small the moment. All of the small moments add up to a habit of looking out for the wellbeing of others. Being aware and
conscious about your impact on others is a very intentional way to live out our values. My networking group says, “Givers Gain,” and I truly believe in this motto.
Have you had any mentors that have supported you in your career?
Mentors have been immensely important to me over the years. As a young woman in a business office, my beloved manager, Marlene Harn, was my confidant and cheerleader. She unequivocally boosted my exposure to the boardroom and bolstered my confidence to ask for whatever I needed for my department or for my own professional development. As a young mother, she again helped me balance my obligations without apology but always with the best foot forward for my career.
Caroline Gwinn
Executive Director
Aiken Center for the Arts
What was your first job?
My first job after finishing graduate school was working as a professional dancer with International Ballet Rotaru.
How did you come to be in your current position?
I began working at Aiken Center for the Arts in 2015 as the finance director and was asked to step into my current role in 2019.
Have you had any mentors that have supported you in your career?
Susan Anderson, Distinguished Professor Emeritus in Dance and the founding director of the USC Dance program and Company, was my teacher all four years at USC in Columbia. My undergraduate work was in accounting and finance, but I enjoyed taking dance classes and performing with the University dance company throughout my time at USC. When I graduated, Susan encouraged me to apply to graduate school in dance at her alma mater UCI Irvine. Susan has encouraged and supported me throughout my adult life as I moved through performing, teaching, and now administrative work in the arts. Even though we don’t have frequent contact, she has always been the voice that said, “you can do this.” We all need that!
What brings you joy in your current position?
Having the privilege to walk alongside and learn from the incredible people creating, teaching, and sharing themselves through their art with our community brings me joy. Whether it's watching a friendship grow in our Art and Music programming for people living with cognitive and/or physical disabilities, listening to our beginning students learning to play the violin, witnessing the moment when a school student receives a compliment on their artwork displayed in public for the first time, collaborating with an artist to create an exhibition, or brainstorming with staff and board members to continue to grow arts access in our community; I consider it an honor to be in the position to support a space where people can gather in the spirit of community, enjoy one another, and celebrate art as a shared experience.
