Samantha Herring: “When I was first married, the thing I wanted more than anything else was children. I have been blessed with two beautiful girls, ages 17 and 21. When my first was born, I put my college career on hold. Once my youngest daughter was in high school, I decided to finish my degree. I am now a proud ECU alumna and have a dream job working as the communications manager for Extension of You Home Care. (You know how I love to write Haley – I couldn’t write this part in less than 2-3 sentences.)”
Interview Q & A
1. Do you stay at home, work at home, or work-outside the home?
For 20 years, I stayed home with my daughters. I kept very busy outside the home, volunteering for things at their school and in church.
2. How many kids do you have?
Two amazing, almost-grown girls.
3. What’s your go-to dinner during the week? Do you care to share a recipe?
Well, funny you should ask. During most of my married life, I have been responsible for family meals. A couple of years ago, my husband decided that he really enjoyed cooking and took over that responsibility. He actually loves to go to the grocery store too, so I let him. I don’t mind one bit. Most of the time, I don’t even have to think about what’s for dinner. It’s a bit of a role reversal I suppose—one that we are both very happy with.
Go-to recipe: Cincinnati Chili. The whole family absolutely loves
Cincinnati Chili
4. What are your best tips for staying sane?
Yoga, meditation, music, and staying positive. I believe that the energy you put out into the world is the energy that you get back, so I try really hard to be positive. I truly believe that good things will come to me (and they have!).
5. What are your favorite tools for time/household management?
My calendar. We are now a Mac household, so I can sync all of my Apple products so that I am (almost) never without my calendar. Sometimes I still manage to forget things though.
6. Do you have pets? If so, what kind?
Our family has a gray Boston Terrier and a white English Bulldog. They are currently eating their way through the baseboards and sheetrock in our house. They are very destructive puppies, but they have great personalities and we love them bunches.
7. What are your hobbies?
Since I started back to school, graduated, and started working outside the home, I haven’t had a lot of time for hobbies. I do love to travel immensely — especially internationally. I love learning new things, reading, riding my bike on the local greenways, practicing yoga, and singing in the CFX Praise Band at First United Methodist Church Cary.
8. What’s on your bucket list?
I’ve been blessed to have completed a lot of things that were on my bucket list already: hike the Swiss Alps, spend time in Italy and Sweden, fly in a small prop plane and a helicopter (over the Grand Canyon), sing backup in a band, graduate from college, edit a published book, be on a television commercial, help create a television commercial, learn how to play the guitar, participate in a study abroad program (in Poland!). Still on the list? Hike Machu Picchu in Peru, go on an eco-friendly trip to somewhere in Africa, discover my German descendants and visit the area in Germany where my family is from once I do. It’s hard to say what’s still on the list. I don’t really spend a lot of time thinking about it. I just try to be ready to grab an experience when it comes within my reach.
9. If you work, what do you do? How did you decide?
I am a communications major, and I work as communications manager for a home care agency. When I returned to school several years ago, I chose a degree that sounded like it would be fun. I really like writing, and that’s a large part of communications.
10. If you work, what’s the most rewarding part about it?
The work I do helps bring assistance to those who need it. That’s something that I can believe in and feel passionate about. It’s rewarding to have such a multi-faceted job: I am responsible for public relations, communications, and marketing functions. Things change daily, so I never have a chance to get bored.
11. If you could choose any career, what would it be?
The one I’m in now. I’m living the dream.
12. If you could tell your younger self something, what would it be?
Don’t be so hard on yourself. Learn to take things in stride.
