Today we’d like to introduce you to Trevor Mitchell.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Trevor. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Working for a membership organization and non-profit was never on my radar. But it is where my career has taken me and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Almost every position I’ve had in my professional career has been in this industry. I always knew I wanted a career that worked with people, and now I have it. I started as a Marketing Director for a grant-funded non-profit right out of college in Missouri. After two years, I moved to Kansas City and eventually found a job at ARMA International. A member organization serving those in the records and information profession. After nine years there, I was offered the opportunity to come to Dallas and work for American Mensa. After two and a half years, the CEO announced her departure. I served as acting CEO for a couple of months and then officially offered the position in January of 2018. I’m doing exactly what I was meant to do.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Getting here was not easy but a journey that was necessary. I went through several roles at my previous organization. Each of them providing me with new skills and experience along with their own challenges. At the same time, I was evolving as a leader and understanding myself. All of this lead to addressing issue of my own perfectionism, collaboration, and drive. I had to face the stress I put on myself and the anxiety that accompanied it. I had to learn that by leading, you don’t always get to choose how that looks. There are times when situations are thrust upon us that we must handle. I took a risk in moving to DFW for the role at American Mensa. I wasn’t sure if it was the right thing to do and wasn’t on what I thought my path would be. I move away from my support system to chase my dreams. It was exciting and frightening all at the same time.
American Mensa – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
American Mensa is a member organization serving those that score in the top 2% of IQ tests. We have over 50,000 members across the US ranging in age from 3-109. We are the largest national Mensa organization in the world. Our primary focus is to provide social opportunities to members across the organization and ways to engage in intellectually stimulating activities.
There is so many we can and do for our members. What I’m most proud of is the community we help foster and nurture for our members. Many times we hear members say that Mensa is where they can be themselves for the first time. It’s where they understand what it’s like to feel “normal”. Being able to provide this positive experience and a sense of belonging to anyone is amazing. We know that our members have other social groups out there, but none allow them to engage their IQ.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I always try to find ways to celebrate various points in my career. I would say the proudest moment so far was being named the Vistage Impact Leader this past year. It recognizes fellow CEO’s from across the metro who are new to the organization and making an impact on others. It demonstrated to me that I’m not only impacting my own organization but those around me. Knowing that I”m having a positive effect, demonstrates that I’m doing the right things. I need to continue being me.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1200 E Copeland Rd Ste 550
Arlington, TX 76011 - Website: www.americanmensa.org
- Phone: 8176075501
- Email: member@americanmensa.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/americanmensa/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmericanMensa/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmericanMensa
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