I have been with Nevada Rural Housing Authority for nearly 12 years and I can’t remember a day that I didn’t learn something! I go home each night and help my kids with their homework and can’t imagine what they must be feeling with all the information being given to them and what their brains have to retain. Then I go to work and feel the same thing about myself. HUD’s regulations seem to change by the minute, so you have to stay sharp to keep up.

I started my journey with the Section 8 Department at the front desk helping people and answering questions all day. It seemed to never end and I remember thinking, “when am I going to get this and HOW am I ever going to remember it all?”

Throughout my years here, I have sat though a lot of conferences, meetings and presentations. Some more interesting than others, but I always walk away with more knowledge than when I went in. It is a satisfying feeling to have learned something I can really put into practice.

I have had only two supervisors in the last twelve years and, although very different people, I grew as a professional from each of them. I couldn’t wait to be in a position where I could give someone else the knowledge I had been accumulating for so long.

The last few years have been challenging one for our program. We must ensure that we don’t over utilize our vouchers. Terry Smith, Rental Assistance Director, Kim Terminel, Eligibility specialist, and CJ Manthe, COO work very hard to make sure this is successful. Again I am finding myself on the learning train trying to absorb exactly what it takes to accomplish this task without getting derailed. In December 2010, HUD announced they would be hosting a “Program Utilization” conference and I jumped at the chance to attend.

Little did I know that once the HUD office saw our housing authority was coming they would ask that we present our best practices and explain to the attendees how we balance our utilization? I accepted this challenge all but collapsing from nerves. I was once told that doing the things that make you the most uncomfortable make you learn and grow. I was so honored to have been asked that I started to work on the presentation right away. We wrote, practiced and changed the presentation several times before heading out for the trip. I was terrified until I stepped up to the podium and then it struck me, I know the material, I know how, when and why we do this, and all I had to do was tell the audience in front of me what I knew.

And that was the day I became the teacher! They asked questions, made valid points and had some interesting discussions. All in all it was a great conference and an experience I’ll never forget. Now on to 6^th grade homework, I’m not sure which one scares me more.