Curious by Nature, Driven by People

Finding The Path By Following Her Passion For People

Alicia’s journey started behind a hotel front desk, where she worked while attending college at Eastern Kentucky University. Like many of us, she had a vague idea of what she wanted to do. “I knew I wanted to study business, but I didn’t know which route to take,” she said. She was considering a career in accounting until a chance encounter with a hotel guest opened a new door. 

“I remember a guest complimented me,” Alicia recalls. “They said, ‘you’re such a good people-person, you should look at a career in HR.’” 

Something clicked for Alicia after that conversation, so she switched her major and enrolled in the Management program at EKU, with a concentration in Human Resources. As she was finishing her degree, one of her professors mentioned an internship opportunity with Gray. 

“And that’s how my journey at Gray started, as an HR intern,” Alicia said. 

Alicia’s internship began in March of 2022. Throughout her internship, she had the opportunity to sit with each function in HR—benefits, employee relations, HR operations, training and development, and finally talent acquisition. When the program began winding down in August, Alicia decided to stay on part-time while she finished her degree. After graduating, she was offered a full-time position on the talent acquisition team as a talent acquisition assistant. 

Discovering What Clicked

Alicia’s internship experience acted as a launchpad for her career. Since joining full time, she’s been promoted to a talent acquisition coordinator, where she’s spent her time building relationships across the business—not just learning what people do, but why they love doing it. 

“I remember going on a jobsite visit to a pet food project during my internship,” Alicia recalls. “I met someone on the project and asked them so many questions, because I was genuinely interested about what they were doing.” 

That’s when she realized that her passion for meeting and getting to know people could be a career. 

“I really like to ask questions and get to know people. I want to learn about what they do, their personal life, their work life, and what drives them,” she says. 

For Alicia, it’s more than surface-level conversation. She  strives to understand people—their stories, their motivations, and what matters to them. That curiosity is what makes talent acquisition such a natural fit. 

“What I love about my job is that I feel like I am making a positive impact in someone’s life,” she says. “Getting to call someone and offer them a role at Gray brings me joy.” 

That sense of impact shows up in every part of how she approaches her work. 

A Day in The Life: Organized, But Evolving 

Alicia’s days are a balance of structure and adaptability—something she’s learned to embrace over time. On any given day, she’s moving between candidate conversations, pre-screens, and interviews, while also managing the behind-the-scenes work that keeps the hiring process running smoothly, from offers to onboarding logistics. To stay grounded, she often blocks her time by focus, dedicating parts of her day to recruiting and others to administrative work so she can be fully present in each. 

But that structure doesn’t always come easily. Naturally detail-oriented,  Alicia used to feel the need to stay on top of everything herself. Over time, she’s learned to loosen that grip by leaning on hiring managers, asking for input, and trusting the process. As she puts it, “I’ve learned to let go a little and rely on people and ask for help,” A lesson that takes decades for some to learn. 

That shift hasn’t made her any less organized, but it has made her more effective. By letting go of the need to control every detail, she’s created more space to focus on what matters most: building strong connections and supporting people throughout their journey. 

More Than Recruiting: Building Real Connections

For Alicia, recruiting is about building relationships. Her approach starts with understanding the person onthe other end of the conversation. Alicia takes time to learn what candidates are looking for, what matters to them, and what kind of life they want to build—not just what’s on their resume. 

When she talks about Gray, she focuses on the realities of the role, especially field positions. She’s honest about the travel but also highlights how Gray fosters balance by building time to rest and recharge. 

She also shares what makes Gray different: a culture grounded in relationships, flexibility, and care for its people. That focus on culture is something candidates often recognize right away, and something Alicia is proud to represent. 

The Moments That Matter Most

When asked what keeps her motivated, Alicia’s answer is simple: “As soon as someone accepts their offer, that’s when I know I’m making a good impact. Making an impact on someone’s life definitely brings me joy,” she says.  

She’s seen firsthand how a new opportunity can change someone’s life. Whether it’s helping someone leave a difficult work environment, find more balance, or take the next step in their career. Some of her favorite moments are the full-circle ones—like extending full-time offers to former interns. 

“We started out together as interns,” she says. “And now here we are—full time, doing this together.”  

It’s those moments that reinforce why she does what she does. 

Life Outside of Work

Outside of work, Alicia’s world revolves around the people closest to her. 

“My family is who really makes me me,” she says.  

Whether it’s hosting a full day of prom preparations, going out to eat, playing games, or taking road trips together, she values time spent with family above everything else. It’s more than just fun; it’s how she recharges. 

“Family time is kind of my ‘me time,’” she says. “It’s my de-stressor.”  

She also enjoys reading, listening to podcasts, and traveling—especially visiting family in England—but it always comes back to connection. 

Full Circle

From a chance conversation at a hotel front desk to helping others find their place at Gray, Alicia’s journey has been shaped by one constant: her curiosity about people. She followed that instinct and built a career around it. 

Today, she’s not just asking questions. She’s helping others find answers about their careers, their next steps, and where they belong. 

And for Alicia, that’s what it’s all about.