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Do you know how amazing and inspiring our female MVPs are?
This next guest is no exception. She may not have nine lives, but her furry friends sure do. Let's give a warm welcome to Lindsay Shelton!
I met Lindsay back at the Microsoft Power Platform Conference last October and she left quite an impression. From a packed room of hundreds, to a super engaging session on Power Automate, you name it. The experience she gathered in education equipped her with patience, approachability and a keen eye for detail. And let's not forget; the most genuine compassion. Qualities of a community leader.
Say Hello to Lindsay Shelton
Let's hear it straight from the source, what makes Lindsay...Lindsay!
"I’m a 30-something in my second career just living the dream. I work for a medical research institute non-profit, working to support scientists in advancing our mission. Spent the last decade teaching English Language Arts, where I trained to become a technology and pre-engineering teacher based on my aptitude for learning and adapting new technologies.
I am certified in Microsoft 365 Teams Administration, Microsoft Power Platform Fundamentals, Microsoft 365 Fundamentals, and I am a Microsoft Certified Trainer. As of 2023, I am also a Microsoft MVP in Business Applications. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two kittens Charlie and Trixie, and marathoning a wide variety of television shows.
You can keep up with Lindsay on LinkedIn, X or her blog. Let’s see what made Lindsay's journey into tech and the community so unique.
Origins: How did you discover your passion for technology and what was your first project?
My late dad was very passionate about technology. There's a picture of me at the age of 3 or 4 on his lap on an old MS-DOS computer. I still have old Sesame Street floppy disk games with their command prompts. It was not popular back then to get children hooked on educational computer games! My dad managed a few hunting stores that my grandparents owned. As he hated hunting, he got himself books on HTML, CSS and graphic design. Then, he formed his own web design side gig. When we sold the family business, he was able to transition full time into tech. That really inspired me, as he cultivated my love for tech early. My first project was an Archie Comics website in middle school on Microsoft Front Page that he also used and taught me how to use it too. Really wish I could find it on the Wayback Machine!
Award: What are some of the most rewarding or impactful experiences you have had during your time in the MVP program? How did they change the way you learn and interact with others?
One thing that I've reflected on recently is that getting my MVP award really hasn't changed what I'm doing in terms of interacting with people and my desire to continually learn and grow. It's just expanded the platform I have to do those things on. The biggest thing that has happened while I've happened to be an MVP was getting selected to speak at the Microsoft Power Platform 2023 conference. I got to speak to and hear from soooo many people who felt that what I had to say had an impact, which was really bizarre but also incredibly cool. I guess I'm still used to my feedback coming from middle schoolers, who aren't the best audiences generally. My cup overflowed with joy, emotion and gratitude for the opportunities that I've been given.
Real talk: How do you balance work and personal life? Do you ever have to deal with imposter syndrome, and how?
Coming from a very real place of burnout with my previous career, I work really hard to maintain a work life balance now. I carry around two phones, which is kind of sketchy looking and annoying. This is so I can avoid putting anything work-related on my personal phone, and I can put it away when I really want to engage in what I'm doing. I try to shut the laptop lid when it's 5pm, and just work blogging and social interactions into breaks in my work schedule. Then, I can enjoy some time with my brain shut off each day before bed to watch my Bravo housewives, veg out and recharge. I deal with imposter syndrome much more poorly, however, and it's a constant thing. One thing I try to do, that goes back to my education days, is save compliments and nice things that people have to say about what I've done. When my cup is running low, those are things I can go back to and remind myself - hey, this mattered to this person at this point, and you did that just by sharing what you know. It's not perfect and I'm not nearly as organized about it as I used to be. Nevertheless, it's one little tool in my toolbelt when I'm questioning who in the heck let me in this organization among all of these people!
Giving back: How do you support and uplift aspiring MVPs or Community members? How can we drive new perspectives, for example those with neurodiverse superpowers? Feel free to share your personal superpower stories.
I feel like more and more, it's the people who aren't neurodiverse in the minority! I've met so many people, especially women, who battle some of the same things that I do (and some I don't) and share tips and tricks. If you are neurodiverse, don't be afraid to share your experiences and be out there! I personally struggle, on top of ADHD, with diagnoses of persistent depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. I don't feel the need to hide (if you do, I understand). It's nothing to be ashamed of. Life got a whole lot better when I embraced my quirks,ups and downs as they make me who I am. Not something to be changed, just managed and celebrated. Look at what I overcome to get out of bed, do my job and go above and beyond in the MVP program every day.
Fun: If you had a WWE-style smackdown between 2 products, which ones would it be and why?
Honestly, my preferred smackdown would be between Microsoft Forms and Google Forms. Niche, I know, but I used to extensively use Google Forms as a teacher and would make content about using Google Apps for Education products all the time. Now that I've turned either to or from the dark side, depending on your perspective, I'd love a showdown (but Google Forms will win, sorry Microsoft Forms - you've been improving, you really have).
Reflecting and learning with a smile:
Learning from each other brings us all closer. Here are my top five thoughts from what Lindsay has shared with us:
Honesty and vulnerability about who we are is a superpower
Kindness goes a long way
Sharing is truly caring, and a cornerstone of the Community
Sharing your journey inspires others
Nothing substitutes real passion
A massive thank you to Lindsay for joining the MVP Diaries series. Cannot wait to hear your thoughts and AHA moments which inspired you.