The #ELGLInspire is moving out west to California! ELGL is headed to Mills College on April 19, 2019! Learn more about our event speakers in these brief profiles, and connect with them on social media before and after the event!
Kendra Davis
Management Analyst, City of Santa Clara
Website | Linkedin | Twitter | ELGL Buzz
What was the very first paying job you held (that you paid taxes on)?
Cashier/bagger at Dillon’s (Kroger) grocery store! I still remember the code for bananas & broccoli (4011 & 3137)!
What was your: undergraduate institution? Graduate institution? What was/were your degree(s) in?
University of Kansas- BA in French Language, BA in African Studies, Masters in Public Administration
What class(es) (if any) are applicable to your job today?
Almost all my MPA classes are applicable to my current job in some way, though maybe not in ways I considered at the time. And I learned so much about analytical thought and hard academic work in undergrad (language classes are no joke) that I still think about today.
Do you have a work or life motto? What is it?
Not really
What book are you currently reading? Would you recommend it?
Currently very into the “Thug Kitchen” cookbooks, which aren’t really reading books, but have some amazing recipes that focus on a plant-based diet. I would 100% recommend them because they focus a lot on the skills of cooking, so it helps you grow, too!
Other than ELGL – do you belong to any other professional associations? Which one(s)?
I belong to MMANC and 3CMA.
What’s the best networking advice for job seekers you’ve heard or shared?
What’s the fastest way to NOT get a job or internship with you? (e.g. what should potential applicants avoid doing if they were to ever interview with you for a position).
Being dishonest or disingenuous. I would much rather someone be upfront about any challenges or knowledge gaps, then find out later that they were misrepresented somehow. Also, enthusiasm is key for all applicants, however you choose to show it.
Why should an undergraduate student consider a career working in local government?
t is honestly a never ending trip with constant challenges and rewards. Plus, you will meet some of the most amazing people doing some pretty incredible things!