For those that don’t know me, I’m a native Texan, grew up in Garland. I received my BS in Business Management from Barry University in Miami Shores, FL. I moved back to Dallas in 2005, and was hired by PepsiCo in January of 2007. There are many opportunities available when you work for a global company, and I continue to discover new things everyday at Pepsi (some on purpose, some by accident). Here’s a quick synopsis of how I ended up participating in this “social experiment”:

Last year, I accompanied a friend to a CONNE3T meeting. I didn’t know much about the group, but the open food bar was a good lure. At the initial event, I had a blast and met some very engaging people. That experience perpetuated at subsequent CONNE3T functions. I began to think of the cliché – “the more you give, the more you receive” – which is strange because I am anti-cliché (I feel it’s a sign of unoriginality, but that’s for another post). But it was true, for every hour I spent with this group, I was awarded with new friends and experiences. Little did I know, the biggest surprise was yet to come. I got an email one afternoon from the Social & Digital Media team (by way of CONNE3T) with an opportunity to attend this year’s SxSW conference. To put it in perspective, this was like Comic Book Guy from ‘The Simpsons’ getting a free trip to Comic-Con. I’ve been to many music festivals, but this one has eluded me for years. Once I saw that email, I began to envision the performances, the smell of Austin BBQ, the weirdness (that’s a compliment!). Not to mention the opportunity to blog, network, and listen to thought provoking panels. Upon submitting my application, I worried if maybe I’d gotten my hopes up. After all, my function within PepsiCo had nothing to do with this sort of event. Luckily, it only took a week for an answer. Since then, I’ve been in a self-imposed “SxSW Boot Camp”. Arranging (and rearranging) my schedule, pondering which panels to attend, creating a checklist, sampling new tunes (via the excellent SxSW iPhone app), and reading blog after blog.

My goal is to give a perspective of the PepsiCo experience, one that some people may not be fully aware of. That you can go from being in your cubicle, doing your usual job one day, then the next day you’re documenting your experience at one of the most awe-inspiring conferences in the country. Hopefully, this can motivate others to get involved and recognize the importance of D&I groups and the opportunities they can provide. As for the conference, I still don’t know how I’m going to fit everything in, but I’m enjoying trying to figure it out. I look forward to sharing this experiment and experience with everyone.