Here at Executive Elements, we like to introduce you to fantastic women we think you should know. Some of these women are clients, some are friends, some are women we’ve only just met. But they all have this in common: they are dynamic, interesting people who have agreed to share with us their insights and secrets to success.

Sarah Hunyadi

My Name:
Sarah Hunyadi

My Current Job/Company:
Senior Interactive Designer/AEP

My Birthday:
08.18.86

My Work:
I conceptualize, produce, & manage web, video, animation, & photography projects.

My Passion:
My faith, my family, & art!

My Family:
Rob (Supportive Husband), Hope (Amazing Step-Daughter- 10), Leah (Spirited Daughter – 3), Coco (Very energetic and loving Corgi)

My Heroes:
My mom and my in-laws. My mom’s my rock, and my in-laws are some of the most generous, loving, and spiritual people I know. I’m truly blessed they’re all in my life.

My Escape:
The beach, a good book, or a funny movie.

My Pet Peeve:
People who are late, lazy, and distracted drivers.

My Indulgence:
Dessert and wine. Very rarely will I turn down either.

My Roots:
I grew up in Cincinnati but have made Columbus my home since 2004. I was taught to believe in God, work hard, and love everyone!

My Future:
Exciting! I have so much to learn and accomplish, but I’m on my way!

My Quote on Life:
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve imagined.” Henry David Thoreau

My Accessory:
Jewelry and my hair! I’m always changing my hair and l love the transformation you can give an outfit with just one cool piece of jewelry.

My Advice to Young Women:
Invest in your future and yourself. Never burn any bridges in business, you will always regret it. You only get one life so make the most of it.

How I Balance it All:
I know what my top priorities are and I don’t let anything get in the way of them. I also have a very supportive husband and a great circle of friends that step in and help when I need them to. It also helps that I’m organized and work efficiently, and start every day as prepared as possible so everything goes smoothly.

Here at Executive Elements, we like to feature fantastic women we think you should know. Some of these women are clients, some are friends, some are women we’ve only just met. But they all have this in common: they are dynamic, interesting gals who have agreed to share with us their insights and secrets to success.

Cathy D. Best

My Current Job/Company:
Assistant Vice President, Workforce Relations
Carolinas Healthcare System

My Birthdate:
05.15.68

My Work:
I collaborate and partner with Carolinas HealthCare System’s corporate services group to develop and strengthen relationships that foster a single unified enterprise. I provide consultative human resources support in the areas of employee relations, engagement, organizational development, performance management, and policy management.

My Passion:
My faith and my family

My Family:
Rick (Husband/Future PGA “Green Jacket” winner at the Masters), Justin (Son/Future Baseball Player – 8), Morgan (Daughter/Future President of the United States – 7)

My Heroes:
My grandmother (Reverend Dr. Margaret L. Wortham – pastored her own church for over 40 years) and My mother (single mother to three college graduates who sacrificed so much, valued education, and never gave up on anything)

My Escape:
Going into my secret prayer closet to have a personal conversation with God

My Pet Peeve:
People who want to tell you what you should change but they have not changed themselves (clean up your own house before you try to make repairs on someone else’s house)

My Indulgence:
Intellectual conversations with people I don’t know

My Roots:
No nonsense. Conservative. Lots of “I Love You” (life is a gift and can be taken away in an instant).

My Future:
The sky is truly the limit. Anything is possible!

My Love:
Watching my children develop as individuals. My son telling me I am the best Mommy ever and my daughter expressing her love for me through letter writing (one letter said I love you so much because you know what is best for me – I have laminated this letter so I can remind her when she turns 16). My husband giving me “that look” which replaces the words that sometimes don’t come naturally.

My Movie:
“Forrest Gump”– I truly believe “life is like a box of chocolates and you never know what you are going to get”

My Quote on Life:
“Each person must live their life as a model for others” -Rosa Parks

My Accessories:
My collections of watches and purses that I change out daily to match my attire

My Advice to Young Women:
Don’t let anyone define who you should be; take charge of your own destiny.

How I Balance it All:
I know I can’t do it alone so I stay grounded by focusing on the things I have (my faith, my family, and my health) versus the things I don’t have. I surround myself with positive people and I don’t sweat the small stuff (like when my husband/son forget to put the toilet seat down) – life is too short!

Each week, we feature a fantastic new woman we think you should know. Some of these women are clients, some are friends, some are women we’ve only just met. But they all have this in common: they are dynamic, interesting gals who have agreed to share with us their insights and secrets to success.

Laura Bennett

My Current Job/Company: CEO and co-founder of Embrace Pet Insurance

My Birthday: March 2, 1966

My Work: I’m the face of Embrace Pet Insurance, the “chief embracer” – and am involved in just about everything to do with Embrace Pet Insurance.

My Passion: I’m passionate about entrepreneurship and building an amazing business…..and creating the quality to go along with that is just incredible. On a personal side, I’m passionate about my family. And I absolutely love traveling off the beaten path. I also love eating food – anything from the fanciest restaurant to a random little cantina in California that serves the best Mexican food I’ve ever had in my entire life.

My Family: Two daughters, Ellie and Erin, 8 and 6; my husband, John, our three cats and nine fish.

My Heroes: I think everyone’s a hero in their own lives. In my life, my mother and my grandmother have inspired me. My grandmother led an incredibly challenging life with moves and divorces and racial bias and had so much backbone and resolve. I still have the watch she bought for herself as her symbol of independence.

My Escape: Reading, long hot baths, long drives by myself. And, I love doing jigsaw puzzles; it’s very meditative.

My Pet Peeves: Fickle or fake people. Oh, and when people don’t use their turn
signal!

My Indulgence: Chocolate, coffee, massages, and eating pie for breakfast!

My Roots: I grew up in England and my dad was in the Royal Navy so we moved every two years. We stayed for a bit in Bath, England. I went to boarding school for high school so I could be in one place. My parents immigrated to Canada when I was 16 and I went to university there. Then I moved to Ireland for four years and then moved to Ohio where I am now. I’m British-Canadian-American.

My Future: Continue to keep growing the business and be as good a parent as I can be. Once the girls are older, traveling more!

My Love(s): My family. And, I love music. That’s how I met my husband; on a street corner in Ontario, trying to get into a concert. I love to laugh. I also love what I do for a living and using my brain to be creative.

My Movie: “The Good, the Bad and The Ugly,” “The Sound of Music,” “Lord of the Rings,” and “Harry Potter.” I like a variety of things, but I’m not a big fan of chick flicks.

My Quote on Life: Just Do It.

My Accessory: My thumb ring.

My Advice to Young Women: Whenever you are starting in your career or your life, it really is only the beginning of the rest of your life. The decisions you make then have impact but you aren’t pigeon holed into your choice forever. Trust you will find your path – if it makes you happy you can be successful. You will work it out yourself. Hang out with excellent people so you can see what is out there. Learn what your version of success is.

How I Balance it All: You can’t! You always have to make priorities. You have to say what you are not going to do. Find help where you can. Share with your partner. You have to let perfection go.