Class of 2009 Yearbook: The Honorees

Employer: North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

LOCATION: Raleigh

First job: "Grocery store clerk (stocking and bagging)."

Most valuable career advice: "Perseverance prevails."

Favorite vice: "A good video game."

Life's ambition: "To travel the world."

What do you love about IT? "Adapting technology to customer needs."

Favorite sport: "Professional football and college basketball."

Twenty years ago, I was ... "At the start of my IT career."

Favorite ice cream flavor: Chocolate chip cookie dough

In high school, I should have been voted "Most Likely to ..." "Be a scientist."

Favorite book: The Dune series, by Frank Herbert.

Favorite TV show: Hell's Kitchen.

Leadership philosophy in a nutshell: "Listen, plan and execute. To be successful, it is important to listen and understand your risks, plan accordingly, and then execute your plan. Doing a good job at this ensures you have the involvement and commitment of your stakeholders and staff and a successful outcome to your efforts even when they are difficult."