Ashley Hazell - Systems & Strategy

This week reminded me that productivity isn’t always measured by a completed to-do list.

I didn’t finish my Q3 board (or start it 😝), and for a moment I let that overshadow everything else. Then I stopped and looked back.

This week, our grant team submitted two grant applications (one with less than 12 hours’ notice 🤯), we began building new community partnerships, I found new funding opportunities and invested in professional development, and I had the opportunity to continue leading a team that’s passionate about serving our community.

And somewhere in between all of that, I was still building my business, being a wife, and being mom to my babies. Not too shabby 😏

Here’s to celebrating progress, even when it doesn’t look the way we expected. 🥂

At the beginning of this year, I had no idea where God was taking me. I just knew that wherever we were going, we were getting there fast.

I was introduced to the NC CEAL and the Research Leadership Academy (RLA) through my lovely church buddy, Demetria. We entered together wondering how this experience would impact our organization and our lives, not fully knowing what God was going to do in this space.

Since that time, I’ve been completely transformed. I’ve begun looking deeper into our community impact, my personal goals, and how I can use my spiritual gifts to enact meaningful change. I’ve sat in rooms with researchers learning about the science behind community engagement. I’ve been in spaces with large nonprofit organizations receiving significant funding through grant work. And every time that little inner critic tried to convince me I didn’t belong, I stayed anyway. I listened, learned, and absorbed all that I could from the people around me.

Today, we completed the program with an in-person workshop where we shared ideas across sectors and “graduated.” I’m leaving this experience encouraged to continue this work, build sustainable impact, and keep growing in the spaces God continues to place me in.

Writers room in session 🤓

Today’s focus is grant writing.
This is where vision, impact, and funding come together.

I don’t take it lightly that I get to lead spaces like this.
Where the work behind the scenes turns into real opportunities for the community. 🤓✨

Let’s Reset ⏰

As much as I love Trello, Notion and everything that Google has to offer, I will always be a pen-to-paper gal first. I keep a notebook on me at all times, paired with my favorite pen (Pilot Precise v10 RT in blue 😉).

A lot of my day-to-day runs on systems, so I feel out of whack starting my Q2 brain dump so late…but, we’ve gotta start somewhere! Between leading initiatives and teams at work, being mommy and wife and rebuilding a business…time definitely slipped away 😂

From paper to whiteboard this list will go, then we’ll break it down in Trello, build it out in Notion and everything else will go into motion! I’ve missed sharing these things and I’m so excited about everything that’s to come! 🤓✨

I’ve been working on something behind the scenes and I’m super grateful for the assignment!

Today I got to facilitate my first “Stewarding the Vision” session and help turn ideas into action.

It felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be 🤓✨

I was just there helping and ended up in front of the camera.

Funny how life works like that.

Sometimes you show up to support the vision and find yourself in position anyway. 🙌🏾

I’ve been working. Stay tuned. ✨