The Places We'll Go

A message from Katie...

As we’ve shared recently in our blogs and through social media posts, we have a wall of images in our office that represent our teammates’ “Coins”. This display has become a great reminder for all of us of the depth of our full-time staff and our team of Expert Facilitators, and what we all value.  

In this week’s blog, our newest colleague, Katie Davis, gives us a glimpse into her values, and shares some of the currency beneath one of the images she chose.    

Katie began with us part-time as my Executive Assistant in February of this year. She stepped right in and added so much immediate value to me and our entire team, and we’re thrilled she just accepted the full-time position of Executive Assistant, Communications & Engagement.

Katie has experience in executive administration, leadership development, luxury hospitality, and event coordination. She is passionate about supporting her team, creating and improving efficient systems, and bringing energy and joy to every environment she enters. A resident of Lakewood Ranch, FL, Katie enjoys planning her next trip or playing pickleball when she is not working.

We’re honored to welcome Katie as a full time Game On team member, and we're so grateful for her trust, work ethic, perspective, and for her heart for serving others.

-Steve Shenbaum

One of my favorite things to do is travel to new and familiar places. Traveling is always a great reminder that the world is so much bigger than the bubble we often find ourselves in from day to day. There are so many places to be, people to meet, and experiences to have. 

In reference to the picture I chose to represent me on the Coin wall, one of my absolute favorite places to spend time is London. I’ve been there half a dozen times now, and it’s a special place for me and my family. But what makes it even more special to me is that every time I’ve returned, I’ve been a different version of myself. 

High school me was about to graduate and ready to go off to college and experience independence for the first time. Early college me flew to London by herself to surprise my mom for her birthday. Fresh-out-of-college me was contemplating what I should do with my life? What would I become, and what would I do? And most recently, late-twenties me was taking things one day at a time, figuring things out as I went and learning as much as I could each day, without feeling the pressure to have it all figured out.


To most, the picture I chose probably just looks like two green striped chairs on a lawn. To me, it represents a slow, memory-filled day with my little sister. We had no plan other than to explore new parts of the city, with no agenda or timeline. Some of my favorite travel memories have actually been the ones I didn’t plan - the days where you wander, get a little lost, stumble upon something unexpected, or simply see where the day takes you. 

I think that’s true in life, too.

So far, I’ve experienced the most growth and maturation in those moments and seasons where everything was unfamiliar - like going to college 14 hours from home and later choosing to move to a new state all by myself. I didn’t have it all planned out, and transparently, it was scary and lonely at times. But those have also been some of my favorite moments. They were seasons where I had no choice but to grow, experience new things, and do it scared.
 

As a young professional who can be pretty Type A and who is very much still trying to figure it all out, I’ve realized that, like travel, there is so much beauty when you step outside of your bubble. It’s in those moments that I’ve met mentors, made great friends, stumbled into unique opportunities, and learned some of my biggest lessons.


Maybe that’s why I love traveling so much. It reminds me that there is always more to see, more to learn, and more versions of myself still waiting to be discovered.

That’s something I hope I never get tired of. No matter what version of me it is, 27 or 77 years old, I hope I always cling to the beauty of the unknown, stay curious, and keep leaning into what’s ahead.