I met Randi before she met me. I used to share an office with her uncle. He always told stories about his "Little Randi." I knew all about her. 

Then Randi attended the university that I was working for at the time. She was everything that her uncle said. Smart, attractive, curious, and LOVED information. 

I've had the pleasure of watching her grow through her college years and those first few tough years after school. She is not afraid to work hard.

Fast forward about tens years.

Now, I see her as my peer and colleague in life. 

If I want to get a pick-me-up, I call Randi for lunch. We can talk about everything, and we get each other excited about the strangest, yet related topics. We even recently discovered that we have the same MBTI label.

I really value that she wants to improve her life through education. And while she has sought traditional routes, she has also been her own best teacher. I look to her when I want to read a leadership book (or any book).

She has the BEST reading list.

You will love it, and she has shared it with us here. 

She will even be guest blogging from time to time. You will appreciate her insight, and you will envy her ability to push herself and to make change. 

She is just one of those everyday people. 

No fancy byline, no celebrity calling. Just a person working to make a difference in the world. It's great to be surrounded by inspiring people.