Good News!

Email from Senior Vice President/Partner --


Colleagues,

As a result of the recent metro DC based assessment meetings, I am pleased to announce the following individuals have been promoted. We thank them for their hard work and dedication and wish them continued success in the future. Colleagues in our geographic offices who get promoted will be announced after the completion of all the geographic assessments.

Please join me in congratulating our newly promoted colleagues:

Promotions to Senior Consultant
Patrick Bolger
Brian Chen
Nicole Crane
Nathan Dean
Kyle Evans
Joseph Feaga
Craig Felt
Jill Kerby
Hillary Lerner
Teresa Newberry
Joseph Patton
Alison Rose
Katarzyna Siedlecki
Crystal Webb --> THAT'S ME!

The Man In the News

I read tragic articles about faceless people all the time:

A man who was pinned between two tractor-trailers Thursday night died two hours later from his injuries. Howard Mitchell, 55, of Clayton, Ala., was talking to another truck driver just before 5 p.m. at Wilco Truck Stop when an unattended truck began rolling and struck him.

"He fell to the passenger's side of the truck," said N.C. Highway Patrol Trooper Rich Willis. Assistant Fire Chief David Deal, who assisted emergency medical workers on the scene, said Mitchell had severe injuries to the right side of his body.

Mitchell, who was a truck driver with Odom Trucking in Alabama, was pumping gas when he stopped to talk with another truck driver about the weather and traveling conditions, Willis said. He was stabilized at the scene by emergency personnel and was then taken to Rowan Regional Medical Center, where he died.

The investigation is still pending and no charges have been filed. Investigators are also trying to determine how the unattended truck, leased by Toll Brothers Inc., of Virginia, rolled into Mitchell.

And every now and then, those names in the headline hit close to home - the man named in this tragedy was my favoritest uncle, Howard Mitchell. Uncle Howard was a loving husband, father, brother, son, uncle and co-worker. He had a heart that allowed him to give unconditionally and a boisterous laughter that would fill a stadium.... and now he's not here. Yes, it's definitely a void my family and those that loved him will feel for years to come.

Also let this serve as a reminder that tomorrow is not promised to any of us and the importance of living in the moment and letting those around us know how much we truly love them.


My Uncle, Howard Mitchell

Finding My Rhythm

Well, I've finally settled into life in Atlanta... well settled may be a stretch of the truth but I'm here. Moving was a little bit more difficult (and expensive) than I had anticipated so I didn't arrive until Sunday and had very little time to prepare for work on Monday.

It's very weird to be back home and having my Mom wash my clothes, having dinner ready when I get home and having her come wake me up every morning rather than using my spiffy alarm clock. I woke up this morning and for a second, I felt like I had never left. Like my years in DC only existed in my overactive imagination.

Other than missing my friends and my space, things are well. I really love my new project at the CDC. The work is interesting and more important, it feels like what I'm working on makes a difference - like some how peoples lives will ultimately be made better by the work I'm doing today. Even though I'm still with the company, I'm having to adjust to being the new girl again. Thank God a friend of mine from the VA office is here and that my Mom and old co-workers are across the street! The culture here is very different from what I'm used to and although the South is known for being a little more hospitable than the north, that has not been my experience yet.

I finally have a new place! WOO HOO! I'm so excited to be living in-town and not having to drive an hour to and from work, which is the case while I'm staying with my parents. The place I found is really nice and spacious. It's 400 more square feet than my place in VA and $400 less per month! I could've died when she told me it was $739/mo... I paid more than that when I two roommates when I first moved to Virginia!! I'm planning on moving in on December 22 and unpacking over the holidays.

Well, there's no shortage of work around here so let me get to it!