Tanya McCausland
For me life is about the journey, not the destination. Having grown up as the daughter of a career military man and a German mother, traveling to new places, meeting new people, and learning new things was a huge part of my life. In 26 years I’ve moved an average of about 20 times and attended 12 different schools – staying in one place is not my thing.After graduating from High School I continued this ever changing path. I started as a freshman majoring in communications at a small school in the suburbs of Philadelphia. After my first two years there I had decided that I was unsure about my intentions of going to school and decided to take a year off. I spent this time working full time at a car dealership and by the time I left had held three different positions there.
Still unsure about what my next steps should be regarding school I decided to attend The National Outdoor Leadership School (aka NOLS) for a 4-week backcountry session in the Rocky Mountains. This experience made me realize what is really necessary for us to be happy and survive. Not knowing what day of the week it was, admiring beautiful clouds and pushing myself mentally and physically helped me focus what I wanted to achieve.
I then returned to school this time attending Penn State to continue my degree in communications. My last semester of college was spent on another NOLS course exploring the several western states while backpacking, climbing, rafting and skiing for over 90 days straight. I then returned to Pennsylvania and graduated in December of 2005.
Then began the task of looking for a “real job.” My main goal was to move to New York City – a long-time dream. I also had always wanted to work for Martha Stewart. I had always admired her work, dedication and creative ideas. And so, I reconnected with a past colleague who had recently started working for Martha Stewarts new radio channel on Sirius Satellite. After a whirlwind of phone conversations and interviews I was hired there in March, 2006 as an administrative assistant. After that the whirlwind continued. I quickly gained additional experience working with radio hosts, getting the opportunity to produce a few shows and schedule guests. Before I knew it I moved through the ranks from an assistant to the Supervising Producer for the channels morning talk show.
After having spent almost 2 ½ years with the channel I decided that it was time for me to continue my journey. My days at NOLS were vivid memories everyday and I longed to live in an area where I could easily enjoy and pursue my love for the outdoors. I had run a half marathon in San Francisco a few years prior and came to enjoy the area very much. And so, after some quick planning I waved goodbye to the Hudson River and said hello to the San Francisco Bay.
I am now very happy to say that my windy path is starting to become a bit straighter and more aligned with my goals. I am looking forward to working with Bill Baren Coaching and to see where this path will take me next.
