Hi everyone,

 

Here’s Part II of “Getting to Know me.” Bear with me again as I go into more of my background.

 

……Now where were we?  Oh yes,I told you about my family and growing up years but neglected to tell you that both grandfathers were first responders and became Captains of their fire houses with the NYPD.  Pretty impressive!!!!

 

Now more….Education was very important in my house and there was NO doubt I would go to college.  Majored in English with a minor in French at the University of New Hampshire. It was a very stormy time in our country’s history, and remember I’m “OLD” or as I prefer to say I’m “more mature” so it was some time ago.

  

It was the Vietnam War era when University students were protesting and having “sit ins” outside the Presidents’ offices. It was a time when many of my male friends went to fight and IF they came back, did so as totally different people.  Some didn’t survive the difficult reception and transition back into civilian life and some went from job to job without purpose or passion.  It was awful to watch.   

 

It was a time when women were fighting to be anything they wanted to be. Until now they had few options and they were “expected” to become teachers, nurses or secretaries and my mother agreed with all of these sooooo a teacher I became.  It was going to be a fight to pursue other opportunities because, as my best friend told me, “Your Mother is having a hard time watching you have freedoms and opportunities she never had but wanted.”  So true!!

 

I taught at the high school and College level, got married young and had 2 children young - Kevin and Meaghan.  But it was my new opportunity to develop internships for University students all over the world that gave me that “spark” to be the best I could be and started the quest to be the real ME.

 

It was here on a college campus where I developed the first of its kind Hotel/Tourism internship in Bermuda.  Yes travel was part of the job.  I thought I’d died and gone to Heaven.  It was during this time I met two retired NBA players having a summer basketball camp on the campus where I worked and got to know them through my son who was attending the camp.  It was here where a company asked me to put an endorsement deal together for one of the two and my transition to establishing my own consulting business representing professional athletes began.

 

Now that was a real “experience” and my kids got a real education right along with me.  I was one of the first NBA female “agents” (I negotiated Marketing contracts only).  I have too many stories to tell and names need to be changed (LOL) but I’ll tell one at some point.  It was a wild time.

 

Fast forward to my stay at the University of New Hampshire where I was the Sr Associate AD for External Relations and where OHT would be born.  I spent a very long time loving going to games, establishing relationships, getting to know student athletes and developing amazing initiatives that went well beyond the borders of the State.

 

Again let me stop here.  Next month I’ll tell you all about the creation and development of OHT and give you some insight into why I “really” started it.

 

Stay tuned.  I hope you’ll return and hope you will make a purchase or donation or support our veterans in need in some way.

 

Our Fall Colosseum OHT collection on Fanatics is happening now at fanatics.com.  Don’t miss your opportunity to get something amazing. 

 

Warm regards,