In this episode of “Humble Beginnings,” we chat with Anna Sever, president and CEO of Magellan Federal, about her upbringing in North Carolina, and how losing her father at a young age changed her family dynamic and outlook on life. Her mom now working to support the family, Sever decided at the age of 14 that she could, too. She shares stories about her first job teaching swim lessons to police officers in a public swimming system that still had vestiges of segregated pools, and how this experience taught her the meaning of participatory leadership.

Later, Sever became a supervisor for child welfare ⏤ a state job in Idaho ⏤ in an office that had never had a female supervisor before. She was quickly identified as a leader and was promoted almost every 18 months. Tune in to learn how Sever takes her over 20 years of health care and social services experience to spearhead growth and new business initiatives with federal contractors, and the lessons and values she continues to lead with today.