Category: Uncategorized

Originally published on Principal.com

I started out with a challenging past, limited resources, and big dreams. My journey at Principal® has taught me that professional growth is less about achieving milestones on a prescribed path and more about channeling personal strengths. 

Here, the door is open to do so. 

A culture of accessible leadership 

My journey began with a chance encounter. I met a Principal Vice President while working at a careers fair, and we really hit it off. As a near-graduate with plans already set, I wasn’t looking to apply to a sales development program (not my field at the time) at a company I hadn’t heard of. But the connection stuck with me, and I sent in my resume. 

The night before my final interviews, I attended a happy hour and met a leader who would become instrumental in my career. She took the time to have a candid conversation and address some personal concerns I’d shared. This wasn’t just a professional courtesy—it was another real connection. 

Later down the road, the Principal CEO accepted a meeting with me simply because I asked. 

The willingness to take care of employees has gone above and beyond. Truly. When I didn’t have housing as a new hire, a colleague went so far as to welcome me into his home. This is not part of our employee benefits; it would never be expected. His gesture changed things for me and formed a lifelong friendship.  

Owning what you bring to the table

There’s a stereotypical image of a financial sales professional—a persona I simply don’t fit. But that’s never been a problem here. Principal doesn’t need its sales people to conform; it needs us to connect. 

My mentors consistently reinforced this message: Be who you are, not who you think you should be. Your authenticity is your greatest professional asset. Instead of trying to fit a mold, I learned to tap into my own skills, my own communication style, my own way of building trust with clients. 

There have been plenty of times I’ve advocated to try something new or work toward change. It isn’t just tolerated, it’s celebrated. 

Creating your own opportunities 

I work remotely, which could be seen as a barrier to growth. But I’ve found plenty of opportunities and visibility by volunteering for cross-functional projects, reaching out with innovative ideas, and consistently demonstrating my commitment.  

Take for example my work with the LGBTQ+ employee resource group. By showing genuine commitment and proactively pitching some ideas for organizational change—like addressing marketing language to be more inclusive and highlighting the purchasing power of the LGBTQ+ community—I made both an impact and an impression. I even wound up presenting to the Principal board of directors. 

I also lead a Career Development Network pod, helping colleagues navigate their professional growth. It’s an opportunity on both sides of the table. So many leaders and mentors have invested in me, and it’s important to me to invest in others in return. 

I’ve gone from foster care to presenting in the boardroom, but my story isn’t about being an exception. It’s about demonstrating that with the right mindset and support, potential exists for anyone. 

When you show up authentically, work hard, and remain curious, there are no limits.  

University of Georgia is not an affiliate of any member company of the Principal Financial Group® 

Principal® is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer and an E-Verify participant. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion or religious creed, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information or characteristics, sexual orientation, marital status, domestic partner status, military status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We also prohibit harassment on these bases.

Know your rights: Workplace discrimination is illegal (dol.gov) 

If at any stage of the employment application process you need a reasonable accommodation due to a disability, contact Human Resources at MyHR@principal.com or 1-866-524-6947. Read our employment policies for more information. 

Recruitment fraud is a scheme that offers fictitious job opportunities to people. This type of fraud is normally done through online services such as bogus websites, social media, or through unsolicited emails/SMS texts claiming to be from Principal or Principal employees. Only applicants who have filled out an official application on our career site (careers.principal.com) will be considered for employment opportunities. Principal will never ask for money during any stage of the employment application process. If you receive a communication (e.g., LinkedIn message, Facebook Messenger, SMS text, personal email, etc.) asking for money or personal financial information, don’t engage or respond. Please contact our Human Resources team at MyHR@principal.com or 1-866-524-6947, and your local law enforcement. For more information, review our recruitment fraud information.  

You can find our U.S. workforce privacy notice here. 

Insurance products and plan administrative services provided through Principal Life Insurance Company®, a member of the Principal Financial Group®, Des Moines, IA 50392.

4107129-122024

Authored by Ed Ricks, Jessica Drexler

Adopting an Electronic Health Record (EHR) system is one of the most transformative changes a healthcare organization can undergo. The promise of streamlined workflows, improved patient care and enhanced collaboration between care teams hinges on successful EHR implementation and long-term utilization. However, all too often, organizations overlook the critical role that change management and ongoing training play in maximizing the system’s effectiveness.

Effective EHR change management requires a comprehensive approach that begins long before go-live, fostering a culture where staff feel prepared to embrace the new system. This involves early knowledge development, real-time support and clear communication about the system’s benefits. By integrating change management from the outset, healthcare organizations can help staff feel confident in their new workflows, reducing stress and minimizing disruptions to patient care.

Empowering employees through early engagement

Change management in healthcare is about more than just training employees on how to use a new system—it’s about preparing them for change itself. The sooner staff members are familiarized with their new roles and responsibilities, the smoother the transition will be. By involving individuals who will be responsible for the change early on, organizations can tap into natural leaders who will champion the EHR implementation.

Rather than waiting until the months leading up to go-live to designate super users, organizations should identify and nurture these leaders throughout the project. Doing so not only prepares the team but helps alleviate the stress and resistance typically associated with major transitions.

Reducing resistance with a sense of control

One of the biggest challenges during organizational change is resistance, particularly when individuals feel a loss of control, which can overshadow potential gains. To address this, change management strategies that promote early readiness help empower staff and give them a sense of control throughout the transition process.

To reduce the emotional resistance that often accompanies change, organizations can assess and respond to readiness indicators, communicate clearly, actively involve staff in the decision-making process and offer autonomy in how they adopt the new system.

Continuous support and training: The key to long-term success

Training should not be a one-time event. Clinical workflows and the demands of healthcare professionals are complex, and training must reflect this. To ensure ongoing competency and maximize the long-term success of the EHR system, organizations must build in redundancy and offer continuous support.

Repetition and redundancy: Effective training involves repetition. Even after the initial training sessions before go-live, it’s critical to offer refresher courses, annual training sessions and follow-up support. Continuous reinforcement ensures that staff remain confident in using the system and don’t revert to outdated practices.At-the-elbow support: One of the most valuable support methods during go-live is at-the-elbow support. This involves having super users and other experts available to assist staff in real time as they use the system with actual patients. During this high-stress period, staff are dealing with both technical learning and patient care. Immediate assistance can help mitigate frustrations and improve the user experience.Multiple training modalities: Not all staff members learn in the same way, so a variety of training modalities is crucial. This could include in-person sessions, virtual training, recorded tutorials and digital adoption platforms (DAPs). These tools can be integrated into the system to provide in-context, guided support for users as they navigate the EHR.

Tracking competency and measuring success

It’s vital to monitor and measure how well staff are using the system post-go live. Most EHR systems don’t come with built-in competency tracking tools, so organizations must integrate third-party learning management systems (LMS) or other solutions to monitor training effectiveness.

By establishing clear key performance indicators (KPIs) from the outset — such as system adoption rates, utilization levels and user satisfaction — organizations can assess whether the EHR system is meeting its intended goals. Effective governance is crucial to ensure that these KPIs are tracked, and that there is an ongoing process for addressing any issues or challenges that arise.

Building a culture of continuous learning and governance

As with any system, ongoing post-go-live support and maintenance are necessary to ensure continued success. Prior to deployment, organizations must establish a governance structure that ensures role and responsibility clarity for regular system updates, ongoing training and continuous support.

This governance process also plays a critical role in helping maintain employee engagement and confidence. If employees know that their concerns and challenges will be addressed, and that the system will evolve with their needs, they are more likely to embrace the system in the long run.

Proving the value of your investment

When organizations commit to a significant investment like an EHR system, they must be able to demonstrate its value. This value isn’t just measured by its performance at go-live, but by how well it supports patient care, enhances collaboration, and improves workflow efficiency over time.

Governance, training and support are integral to proving the value of that investment. By maintaining high adoption rates and demonstrating continuous improvement in clinical workflows, organizations can confidently show that their EHR investment has been worthwhile.

How we can help

Successful EHR implementation is about more than just rolling out a new system, it’s about fostering an environment where staff feel supported, engaged and empowered to use the system effectively. At Baker Tilly, we work with organizations to ensure that their EHR implementations not only go smoothly but that the system remains a valuable tool for years to come.

From early engagement to ongoing training and support, we help organizations navigate the complexities of change management and build a foundation for long-term success. With the right approach, healthcare organizations can maximize the benefits of their EHR systems, improve patient care and enhance overall operational efficiency.

Connect with a Baker Tilly specialist to learn more

Mastercard

Working as a waitress in Greenville, a small city of less than 30,000 nestled in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, Kenesha Lewis thrived off the strong connections she created with her regular customers and dreamed of one day starting her own business.

After working her way up to become a restaurant manager and later district training manager, she transitioned to a career in finance and banking. But entrepreneurship still beckoned, and in 2018, she started making fruit arrangements and then began experimenting with making smoothies after work to kick a life-long sugar addiction. And before long, she solidified her idea that would mix her passion for people with her growing interest in healthy eating.

When people started lining up at 6 a.m. for a taste of her fruit concoctions, Lewis and her husband Jason decided to use their savings to start their own smoothie shop.

But they quickly realized running a business demanded more than hospitality experience. They turned to the Higher Purpose Hub and Delta Compass — two local organizations with roots as business development organizations, whose resources, such as training and mentorship, help create economic opportunities in rural Mississippi.

Based an hour north of Greenville, Higher Purpose is one of several dozen business development organizations, known as BDOs, backed by Rural LISC, the rural arm of Local Initiatives Support Corporation, one of the biggest community development financial institutions in the country. CDFIs are specially certified financial institutions with a mission to provide services to vulnerable communities — from urban centers to rural regions often overlooked by traditional banks.

For entrepreneurs like Lewis, CDFIs like Rural LISC are a vital stepping stone to building the financial and digital skills needed to develop small businesses that are the lifeblood of rural areas where one in five Americans live.

Set up 30 years ago, Rural LISC focuses, in part, on helping business owners deal with challenges such as small markets, inadequate financing opportunities and, in recent years, lack of technology and internet connectivity, says Nadia Villagran, Rural LISC director and LISC vice president.

The child of Mexican immigrant parents who worked around the clock to provide for their family, Villagran understands the need for CDFIs to match the “sweat equity” people invest in their businesses with appropriate services and resources.

“In rural communities, people have these great ideas, but it’s a struggle to build the muscle of being a business owner,” Villagran says.

Organizations like Rural LISC are uniquely positioned to reach these entrepreneurs — not only with financial access but technical support, such as digital upskilling and access to digital tools, says Sandy Fernandez, who leads Mastercard Strive in the U.S., which aims to equip small businesses with the digital tools to build resilience and grow, in part through partnerships with CDFIs.

“Their deep-rooted local relationships enable them to customize solutions for their communities, helping deploy digital payment systems, cybersecurity resources, and other technology solutions more effectively,” Fernandez says. “Their community-centric approach builds trust and allows them to serve businesses operating on slim margins.”

Higher Purpose Hub helped the Lewises build the business leaderships skills they needed to get ahead, and it introduced them to local banks, opened the doors to getting the financing they needed, and sponsored billboards to support Kay’s Kute Fruit.

They now employ five staff members to serve acai bowls, veggie wraps and smoothies made with kale, pineapple, mango and other fresh produce.

A few years later, Higher Purpose and the entire community proved once again to be invaluable. When the smoothie bar was broken into and vandals wreaked havoc in 2023, the town’s outpouring of financial and emotional support allowed them to quickly repair the damage and re-open their doors.

“I don’t know if we would have survived or succeeded the way that we have without Higher Purpose,” says Lewis, who juggles running the business with being a mother of two boys — one a high school senior and the other a six-month-old.

“You can’t be in a business just for the money, as it won’t last. If your passion is there, love what you do and stick with it. You have to water your ground for it to grow.”

Kenesha Lewis

Rural LISC helps people develop business plans and strategize social media, and it makes sure they are ready to apply for bank loans. “We want to be the first ones in,” Villagran says, “but we don’t have to stay if they get so much attention they’re able to come to the market and be supported by the traditional world of small business investing.”

Now Mastercard is stepping up its collaboration with Rural LISC and other CDFIs to scale support for small businesses across rural America.

Ensuring that rural businesses have access to both short-term working capital and long-term growth financing remains a top priority, Fernandez says, but Mastercard is also helping equip rural businesses to compete more strongly in a digital-first economy. That includes supporting BDOs with technical assistance and peer learning networks, developing localized strategies to address unique challenges, such as a lack of broadband access, and even using Mastercard’s data-driven insights to help all CDFIs optimize lending, track impact and identify funding gaps areas.

Back in Greenville, Mississippi, Lewis pays her community forward by talking to local school children about building healthy eating habits and acting as mentor to others looking to start on their own business journey.

“The advice I give people is, you can’t be in a business just for the money, as it won’t last. If your passion is there, love what you do and stick with it,” she says. “You have to water your ground for it to grow.”

Originally published by Mastercard

Follow along Mastercard’s journey to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere.

EMERYVILLE, Calif., March 20, 2025 /3BL/ – SCS Global Services (SCS), an international leader in third-party environmental and sustainability certification, is excited to announce that Verra has approved validation and verification for a project in Africa using Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Methodology VM0042 Improved Agricultural Land Management. This project, a pioneering carbon farming initiative, is the first of its kind to achieve Verra certification under this new methodology in South Africa and demonstrates Africa’s increasing commitment to regenerative agriculture to fight climate change through carbon credits.

Conducted by SCS’ Greenhouse Gas Carbon Offset Verification Team, this is only the second project to have received verification approval resulting in credits since the methodology’s release in October 2020. Achieving approval under this standard is rare due to the complexity of this type of assessment.

Verra’s VM0042 methodology focuses on the quantification of greenhouse gas emission reductions and removals through the implementation of improved agricultural land management (IALM) practices. Such practices may include improved fertilizer application, improved water management, reduced tillage, cover crop planting, and improved grazing management. Quantification approaches may be based on a combination of soil sampling and biogeochemical modelling.

The CNG AgriCarbon Rewards Programme Project (Verra Project 2554) was developed by Anthesis Group (formerly Climate Neutral Group) and has generated 39,207 Verified Carbon Units (VCUs) which were verified by SCS and registered under Verra’s VCS Program earlier this week.

The CNG Agricarbon Rewards Programme supports the implementation of regenerative agricultural practices on 17,581.74 hectares in South Africa. Practice changes implemented by participating farmers include improved application of organic and synthetic fertilizer, reduced tillage and/or improved residue management, and improved crop planting and harvesting across the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Western Cape provinces.

“The SCS Greenhouse Gas Carbon Offset Verification Team is proud to be a part of this groundbreaking project,” said Christie Pollet-Young, Vice President of SCS Global Services’ Climate Division. “Our involvement in this critically important initiative is exactly why we do what we do—help organizations to demonstrate their commitment to innovative practices that promote conservation efforts beneficial to their ecosystem and communities.”

Franz Rentel, Managing Director of Anthesis South Africa, says, “We are incredibly grateful to SCS Global Services for their support in verifying the AgriCarbon programme. Achieving validation and verification under Verra’s VM0042 methodology is a significant milestone, and the expertise and dedication of the SCS team were instrumental in achieving this. Their rigorous assessments and commitment to high standards have helped ensure the credibility and impact of this pioneering initiative. This achievement reinforces the potential of regenerative agriculture to drive meaningful climate action, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration in scaling sustainable farming solutions across Africa.’’

SCS’ team of scientists and auditors have extensive expertise with the Verified Carbon Standard as well as soil science and agronomy. Leveraging this expertise, SCS is currently conducting validation and verification assessments for several additional VM0042 projects across three continents – Europe, North America, and Africa.

Read More

About Anthesis: 
With world-class expertise in science-based advisory, market-leading digital solutions, the development of high-quality carbon removal projects and purpose consulting, strategy, and communications, Anthesis is uniquely positioned to manage risk and find value for our clients on their transformation journeys. Anthesis supports over 4,000 clients across all industry sectors, including multinationals such as Reckitt, Cisco. Tesco, Nestlé, and Target. The company brings together 1,400 experts guiding clients in 80 countries around the world, with offices in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Middle East, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, the UK, and the US. For more information, visit www.anthesisgroup.com

About SCS Global Services: 
SCS Global Services is a global leader in third-party environmental and sustainability verification, certification, auditing, testing, and standards development. Its programs span a cross-section of industries, recognizing achievements in climate mitigation, green building, product manufacturing, food and agriculture, forestry, consumer products, and more. Headquartered in Emeryville, California and celebrating over 40 years in business, SCS has representatives and affiliate offices throughout the Americas, Asia/Pacific, Europe, and Africa. Its broad network of auditors are experts in their fields, and the company is a trusted partner to companies, agencies, and advocacy organizations due to its dedication to quality and professionalism. SCS is a chartered Benefit Corporation, reflecting its commitment to socially and environmentally responsible business practices. SCS is also a Participant of the United Nations Global Compact and adheres to its principles-based approach to responsible business. For more information, visit www.SCSGlobalServices.com.

Media Contact: 
Stephanie Flynn 
Marketing Manager, SCS Global Services 
sflynn@scsglobalservices.com