Leadership Greater Topeka 2022: AUTUMN FRIEDLI
Photo by: Braden Dimick
DESCRIBE YOUR VISION FOR TOPEKA.
Have you ever listened to teens talk about how bad they want to leave this place? “I can’t wait to get out of here.” I get that, and I want them to explore the world and realize that Topeka was not only a great place to grow up, but it’s a great place to call home; it’s a great place to live, work and play. I want Topeka to be the place where our youth want to come back and make it even better.
WHAT ADVICE HAS SERVED YOU WELL IN YOUR JOURNEY?
“You interview every day.” I heard this from both Marie Pyko and Stephanie Hall and it really resonated with me. Your actions and reactions impact how people see you every day.
YOUR LIFETIME GOAL?
Years ago, I read the most amazing obituary. The opening line was “She drank life through a crazy straw.” The whole obituary was a beautiful memorial to a woman I never met and I had total FOMO because of it. This woman’s obituary inspired me to be a bit more daring, to have more fun, to enjoy each and every opportunity and moment. So my ultimate goal is to live a life that inspires others to do more and to keep getting better with time.
MOST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR JOB?
Have you been to the library? Seriously, if I had to pick a MOST favorite part, it would be the Red Carpet Outreach Services. We take books, movies and other materials, including companionship, out to congregate facilities and homebound people around Topeka. It’s like playing Santa Claus.
HOW DO YOU DEFINE SUCCESS?
I’ve always loved Ralph Waldo Emerson’s definition which goes something like this: “To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and to endure the betrayal of false friends. To appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”
