Blacks In Government’s 2022 NTI was the launch pad I needed for my professional development & community outreach. As a veteran (retired Army SSG) and federal employee, the NTI was the drill sergeant I never knew I needed but appreciated! It was the life coach I had avoided but also needed with its call to action! 

I attended the NTI last August in Cleveland and between the networking opportunities, the guest speakers, and the career development vendors in the exhibit hall it simply all resonated with me. It gave me my voice to express & change the areas I felt disconnected with. So, I joined BIG immediately after returning from the NTI. While there I met NOW Generation Chair Alesia Smith and inquired how I can support that committee. After a week of returning back I was informed I would be a part of the NOW Generation RXI. 

I also gained an additional mentor while there who is a life time BIG member Jolynn Winn and she invited me to her Toastmasters chapter. I am now a member of that organization as well since February after attending meetings since last September. This new mentor has been instrumental with career development consultancy. 

I also met the President of Federally Employed Women (FEW) Pamela Richards and I loved her presentation at the NTI. I was also inspired to join that organization as well. I even applied for their opportunity to be the 2023 National Training Program (NTP) exhibit hall coordinator and I was selected! I have been working in this role since January which ends with the NTP in July. I was selected based on my quantitative experience sitting on the Potomac AAU board and Team Management for Kevin Durant AAU team. Those experiences allowed me to visualize how those skills & contacts will benefit me in this role. 

Blacks In Government’s 2022 NTI was what I needed to recharge me! As I felt I had hit my ceiling in my current federal position, attending the NTI helped me realize other opportunities I can explore. 

In addition to joining BIG, Toastmasters, and FEW, I am now back in the military community. I was informed by my training specialist of open opportunities under USA jobs regarding a detail to be a community manager & project manager for open opportunities under the Interagency Veterans Advisory Council. I was also selected for this position effective March 2023.

The NTI created an environment that we could attain anything! Those values rang true to me and I have benefited immensely since attending. I want to personally thank my training specialist at USAGM Sonya Ponds, a BIG life time member, who felt I would benefit from attending! 

I arrived at the NTI solo but as you can see from the photos, I left with an entire team.

*If you want to share your NTI experience through a testimonial, the National President would love to read it. Please send it to BIG National President Shirley A. Jones, Esq. by email to bignatlpres.sajones@gmail.com .