F.I.R.S.T. Institute President

Justina Fiocco

For over 15 years, I have been a servant leader. Success for me means leading a high-performance team that is provided the opportunities for growth. Over the years I’ve come to understand that investing in the people I lead, is an investment in myself.
 
Many of you have probably heard the quote, “Be who you needed when you were younger.” Author, Ayesha Siddiqi.
 
This quote changed the way I viewed leadership early on. As a leader, I understand that leading with empathy translates into being the leader I needed when I was learning that skill, preparing for that interview or when I was learning that failure is necessary for success.
 
Practicing being mindful of where someone is in their leadership journey and knowing where they want to go is the only way to build future leaders. Giving people the opportunity to be human, to make a mistake, and be afforded the opportunity to learn and grow from it without fear of criticism is critical for growth.
 
True leadership means you make a way for others, for me, this is what working at F.I.R.S.T. Institute is all about – leadership, opportunities and growing the future; for our Faculty, Staff, and Students.