CEO & Co-Founder, Woda Bag

M.S., Civil Engineering, 2008

What role do you play in the entrepreneurial ecosystem?

Being a stay-at-home mom to two young daughters while running my own business teaches my children one of the most important parts of being an entrepreneur: hard work. Watching them pack boxes, take photos, and even brainstorm new accessories for Woda Bag is one of my favorite parts of running my business.

What are some of your best memories of your time at Clemson?

The friends I made at Clemson are truly the most brilliant, loyal, fun, and amazing humans I have ever met. I tell anyone beginning at Clemson that the connections you make in those four years will last your entire life. I am still so proud to call myself a Clemson alum and am forever thankful for the football games, singing country music at the ATO and lacrosse house, and all those 8 a.m. mornings in Lowry Hall.

What were the key inflection points in your career after you left Clemson?

When I graduated in 2008, the job market was very challenging. I decided to print out hard copies of my résumé and hand-deliver them to every engineering firm in the greater Charleston, SC, area. Forest Suggs, a fellow Clemson engineer, got his hands on it and immediately called me in for an interview. I beat out many other applicants for that position. He hired me for two reasons: he knew the caliber of engineers Clemson University produces, and he also knew how much hard work and dedication it takes to earn that degree.

I worked under him for eight years. He is one of the most brilliant engineers I have ever worked for, but he taught me so much more than just civil engineering. I can still hear a lot of his advice while working on Woda Bag: never miss a deadline, honor your commitments, be honest, be thorough, always produce high-quality work, think outside the box, value client relationships, and the list goes on. When designing Woda Bag, we took our time and perfected it. We never cut corners, dialing in every detail possible. When I graduated from Clemson, I had no idea I would be given such a wonderful life mentor in my career, and I am forever grateful for that. 

What are your personal and professional dreams?

Personally, My husband and I have been blessed with two driven, intelligent, amazing daughters who show us daily that they are destined to accomplish great things in life. My goal is to foster their creativity and dreams to help them build a business of their own one day.  

Professionally, Our goal at WODA Bag is to continue growing the brand nationwide. We hope to land a large retailer to keep spreading the word of our nontoxic, mold and mildew resistant backpack. Our customers rave about the product and it has truly been a life changing addition for our family’s daily lives, summer camps, and travel.  

What would you recommend students do to maximize their remaining time at Clemson?

My senior year, I was able to add three Environmental Engineering classes to my already heavy course load to earn a minor in the field. It was much more difficult than simply coasting through my senior year, but it really helped me in my career. Remember, “the harder the journey, the better the destination.”

What else should we know about you?

My happy place is skiing with my husband, my two daughters, and my friends and their kids. I had no idea skiing with my children would be one of the proudest and happiest moments of my life.