SYNERGY - Yvette Carter

“Be open to your wild est career dreams. Know that what you daydream about can happen. Now, it won’t happen overnight. And it may not happen in the manner that you think it should, but it can happen.”

These are the inspirational words of Yvette Carter, an ambitious, accomplished professional from Broxton, Georgia. In her youth she moved to Fort Walton Beach, Florida, where she would eventually graduate high school.

Carter attributes her success to being grounded by her family and faith. As a child of teenage parents, she recalls her upbringing in two households. She lived in her maternal grandparent’s house, which was down the road from her paternal grandparent’s house, but both families attended the same church and she felt equally close to each pair of grandparents.

“I considered myself to have many caretakers, not just two parents. I always felt extra special because of that. I was blessed to form extremely close bonds with all four of my grandparents in those early years.”

Following her time in Broxton and Fort Walton Beach, Carter attended the University of Florida and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Family, Youth, and Community Sciences with a concentration in community development and a minor in Education. From this period of her life, it was clear that Carter has been committed to service and mentorship within her community.

“I am most fulfilled when I can be of service, to make a difference. I love my job because I effectuate positive change in the community and inside the organization.”

Post-graduate, Carter was employed first at Nationwide Insurance. She started at the call center and diligently worked up the ranks for the next 14 years until she became a supervisor. During this time she trained, mentored, and became involved in community outreach and matters of diversity and inclusion for the Gainesville office.

Following her position at Nationwide, Carter began employment with Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU). She has evolved in this organization over the past nine years, starting in community outreach to become the Chief Inclusion Officer for the organization. In this position, Carter is in her element, as it allows her to synthesize her passions for diversity, inclusion, education, mentorship, and leadership. While allowing her to serve as a vital voice on issues of social responsibility, corporate citizenship, and volunteerism.

“One of my responsibilities at GRU is to serve as its ombudsman. I receive so much joy from being able to be a bridge between the utility and the community. I am also extremely passionate about building an interculturally competent, inclusive, diverse, and equitable workplace. Beginning this work in earnest at GRU has been one of my most treasured assignments in my career.”

Carter has been active within her local community in Gainesville as well. She works closely with the City of Gainesville’s Equal Opportunity office in equity efforts and serves as a board member of several local non-profit organizations and community advisory teams, such as Dream on Purpose, the Alachua County Branch of the NAACP, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., the Rotary Club of Gainesville, the Cotton Club Museum and Cultural Center, the American Cancer Society (East Gainesville Relay for Life), and is a founding board member of the Center for Advocacy and Research on Health Equality (CARHE).

“I grew up in a family that expected excellence; it was simply a reasonable service. They led by example. They were all hard working, dedicated, and loyal. I learned humility, diligence, authenticity, and a work ethic from my grandparents and my parents, as they all had a hand in raising me.”

Carter also attributes her strength to her faith, as she was raised within the church but also sees her gifts as equipped in her by God to achieve His vision. In times of strife, it is this guidance that gives her the strength to do what is right, even when it isn’t easy.

“Throughout my career, my biggest challenges as a leader have come when my personal beliefs (and what I believe to be just) conflict with a company’s directive or direction. In those cases, I lean on my faith and speak out. I cannot always change the outcome, but it is my duty to be a voice for those who don’t have a voice.”

More than anything, Carter wants to be known as a friend and advocate for others:

“I want [others] to know that all I want to do is be of service, to be a help to someone along the way. I want folks to consider me a resource and more importantly, a friend. I secretly want to be everyone’s favorite person. LOL – but seriously, I do.”