Trina Cress

TLDR: Passionate about personal development and encouraging people to grow in their season of life. Empower students to pursue careers that support the life they want. Enjoy coaching conversations, leading workshops, and helping people make connections. Thrive in creating calm from chaos. Wholeheartedly believe good things grow down in life’s dirt. CliftonStrengths: Connectedness, Input, Relator, Discipline, Responsibility. Enneagram 4w5 "The Bohemian." Advocate (INFJ-T). _____ Before my career of the last 7 years as a college career coach, I did 10 years of freelance content creation (brochures, websites, social media, email newsletters), and 1 ½ years in enrollment marketing. I’m a high school dropout with a B.A. in English (writing & speaking emphasis, psych minor), an M.A. in Composition, and certifications in Gallup Strengths & Life Coaching. In college I wanted to be a traveling writer, and am now the personal journalist for my family’s adventures. My earlier experiences going to boarding academy at 13, teaching English to adults in Mongolia at 16, working full-time in a real estate office at 17, leading my college’s campus hosting team at 18, having my first baby at 21, and returning to work 3 weeks after she was born due to financial necessity–all formed who I am now as a reliable and competent professional. Rather than our hard stuff being too personal for the workplace, I believe these parts of ourselves are core to our identity and a key in our success. Even in the day-to-day grind, I’m still the independent 13-year-old, the 16-year-old seeking adventure, the 20-something balancing family and work, the self-reflective 30-something developing my writing voice, and the dependable professional also supporting parents through dementia and hospice. Don’t we all carry our past selves and current struggles within the person we currently show up as at work? Aren't we all professionally impacted by the personal challenges we've overcome? I believe these things