Professional, community, and civic organizations: Leadership Paducah Class #36 Graduate, Paducah Chamber Small Business Cohort Graduate, Young Leaders of Western Kentucky Award Nominee, McCracken County Public Library Board Treasurer, Paducah Young Professionals Member, Paducah Professional Women Member, Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce Member, St. Mary High School Head Girls Basketball Coach What specific steps or strategies did you take to become successful in your field? Every day we all have the opportunity to learn something. Learning does not only happen in the classroom. It could be something as simple as sitting with a “seasoned” member and learning their experiences. I capitalize on the free resources around the community and online: webinars, conferences, etc. Transitioning from employee to business owner has been very interesting. It isn’t all peaches and cream, there is hard work and dedication, and a couple sleepless nights that I was not prepared for. However, I would not have it any other way. This is the calling God has on my life; to serve his people. What is the best piece of business advice that you’ve ever received? Failure is a part of success! With the rise of the internet and social media, it can seem like people or businesses are becoming successful overnight. We have to realize that realistically, that is not going to be the case for ourselves. It takes hard work, dedication, perseverance, and patience to reach the levels we are striving for. Don’t stop when it gets hard; keep pushing because the journey is where the success is, not the destination. Professional, community, and civic organizations: Paducah Young Professionals Member, Delta Zeta Sorority College Chapter Director What initially inspired you to pursue your profession? From the time I was little, I wanted to have a positive impact on the world. I wanted to feel like I was making a real difference in the lives of those around me. This is what led me to first volunteer with the American Cancer Society. I was blown away by the impact this organization was having on a global scale and poured myself into volunteering. I was truly honored to be selected to join as a staff partner with ACS. Each and every day I am inspired by the stories around me. I am proud to work for an organization that is changing what it means to have cancer. What specific steps or strategies did you take to become successful in your field? I would not be where I am today without the incredible support of my community. My success has been a direct result of the relationships I have formed. Working on your communication skills, getting involved in the community, and putting effort into relationships will get you where you want to be. A pivotal moment in my career came when Dancing With Our Stars broke records, becoming the largest event in the state of Kentucky for the American Cancer Society. This is fully credited to the volunteers, participants, and community partners. My relationships with those individuals is what brought me success in that event. Sponsored by 40 Under Forty SEPTEMBER 2023 9 Professional, community, and civic organizations: American Academy of Physician Assistants Member, Olivet Baptist Church Member What specific steps or strategies did you take to become successful in your field? One of my very first patients walked in and barely said a word to me. Now, every Christmas they bring me a pie. Transformation is one of the reasons I chose psychiatry as my medical focus. It is truly rewarding when I have a patient tell me I’ve helped change their quality of life. Psychiatry is actually not a specialty I envisioned myself in, I had originally planned to go into family practice. It was in my last rotation of PA school with Dr. Ballew that I made the decision this was where I needed to be. I knew I wanted to have regular relationships with people and see their progress. I wanted to see a variety of ages and treat a variety of things. Psychiatry was going to allow me to do just that. I fell in love with meeting people where they were and helping them begin to function in everyday life again. I can honestly say I can’t see myself anywhere else. In medicine, you never stop learning and I learn something new every day. What is the best piece of business advice that you’ve ever received? “Treat the janitor just the same as the CEO.” Growing up, this is the advice my dad gave me, and I can honestly say I strive to live this daily. We were all placed on this Earth to serve a purpose and I believe mine is to provide the tools necessary for my clients to gain a better life. It really comes down to treating everyone the way I want to be treated, no matter who walks in our office door. Aseer Itiavkase Scott Director of Operations, Ace Academy, LLC Bailey Porter Senior Development Manager, American Cancer Society Brandon Morehead Physician Assistant, Holistic Psychiatry
