She Leads – With Paezle’ Turner
Name: Paezle’ Turner
Job Title: Director, Licensing, CEI
What would you tell your younger self? I would tell my younger self to first determine what you enjoy doing, then to couple that with what you do well in order to determine a career destination. Armed with that information, I would suggest mapping out an educational and career path that leads to that destination. Most importantly, I would remind myself to enjoy every step of the journey, because that is where you really live life – in between destinations.
What was your major in college and how did you get to the position you are in today? My major in college was Business Administration with a minor in Legal Studies. I furthered that with a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA). However, long before either of those degrees, I postponed my degree track, obtained both a Paralegal and Advanced Paralegal Certificate. I began working as a Paralegal in law firms & organizations not only to acquire experience in different areas of law, but to also determine my path. Once I discovered that my interests fell somewhere between business and law, I began working towards finishing my undergraduate degree. During my first 8 years as a Corporate Law Paralegal at Cox Communications, Inc. (CCI), I absorbed as much information as possible on both the legal and business sides of the company. By the time a manager position I desired opened, I was prepared enough to confidently apply for it and move into a more business-centric position within the Legal Department. After 5 years, I was offered my position at Cox Enterprises, Inc. (CEI) to lead the Licensing Team as Senior Manager where I have remained for the past 4 years. During the pandemic, I obtained my MBA and was subsequently promoted to Director. I truly believe that I got to this position by consistently learning about Cox’s different lines of business; embracing knowledge from those with unique perspectives and diverse backgrounds; staying up-to-date with legal/business trends, technologies and law changes through participation in professional associations and professional development; and, applying these learnings daily to benefit our employees, customers, and businesses on a whole. Most importantly, I had a great group of advocates and mentors along the way who helped me to learn to advocate for myself as well.
What is your favorite quote? Benjamin Franklin: “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!”
What’s your favorite ice cream? My favorite ice cream is….no, actually, my favorites ARE orange sherbet, salted caramel, butter pecan and just about ALL OF THEM!