My Story
Who I Am
My father was the third Black physician in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Watching him care for his patients taught me that leadership begins with knowing who you are and creating a space where others feel seen and valued.
I followed his example. I became a physician caring for people living with HIV and AIDS at the height of the epidemic and then spent more than twenty years as an executive at Pfizer. Across every chapter of my career, I tried to lead the same way my father did—with a strong sense of self and a commitment to creating welcoming rooms for others.
Several years ago, after hearing Adam Bryant describe the idea of a leadership user’s manual, I created one of my own. It explained my communication style, work preferences, values, strengths, and even my quirks so people knew how to work with me.
The response was immediate. People told me it accelerated trust because it made the invisible visible.
But eventually I realized something important.
The user’s manual explained how to work with me.
It didn’t explain who I was.
And who you are matters far more than how you work.
That realization became the foundation for The Original Room Framework®.