I earned a degree in mathematics at Central Michigan University. I really didn't have a dream job to work towards, but I loved learning math and was doing well in my advanced courses. With graduation quickly approaching, I interviewed with Plante & Moran to be an Employee Benefits Consultant. Though I was not sure exactly what I'd be doing, I understood that other consultants in the group also graduated with math degrees and were successful at their jobs. I also knew that consulting would be a way that I could use my technical math skills, but also develop great relationships with clients and have opportunities to communicate complex ideas to various audiences. By nature, I am an extrovert who loves working with others towards a common goal. It did not seem to me that many career paths in mathematics would suit this characteristic of my personality but consulting would be different.

As an Employee Benefits Consultant, I work with different kinds of retirement plans and welfare plans. I use my mathematics background for actuarial computations, analysis, and underwriting calculations. My math courses taught me structured logical thinking patterns which have made me an organized person and have developed my problem solving and creativity skills. In my career, I need to juggle the many client projects I may be working on simultaneously, but also read through and interpret the complex rules and regulations set forth by the Department of Labor (DOL) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).