Sexton said that St. Thomas gave her more than just foundational HR knowledge. “I learned problem- solving, how to organize my thoughts and make a point, and learned critical thinking that really prepared me for my career.” In her current position, Sexton works on programs that provide opportunities to mentor and lead other women coming up the ladder. “I had strong female mentors who could be an excellent sounding board, a source of confidence-building and support,” she said. “But I recognize that’s not everybody’s experience, so I do feel that we all have an obligation to help (other women) along.” Sexton’s Words of Advice To those in human resources, “take steps to understand the business that you’re supporting,” Sexton said. “We don’t do HR for ourselves. We’re doing it for the employees and the leaders who are out there, so we need to understand (their) context.” Network outside your comfort zone. “Think about who you’re having coffee with,” Sexton said. “Are you with peers at your level or are you having coffee with a variety of individuals across an organization?” What might seem like just a coffee break can become a networking opportunity that can open doors in your career, she said. She learned the importance of networking during her days at St. Thomas but says the approach is different for everyone. “Figure out a way to network that makes sense for you,” she said. “For me, networking is not walking into a conference with 500 people, but instead it’s having lunch or coffee with one or two people – that is much more suited to my style.” n I had strong female mentors who could be an excellent sounding board, a source of confidence- building and support. - Julie Sexton
Julie Sexton
when she left for college: “The only way something is going to happen is if I make it happen,” she said. So, while working toward her Bachelor of Arts in business administration at St. Thomas, she completed three internships. One of them she found by networking through the association for students interested in human resources. At a club meeting, she met someone who was hiring for Mercy Hospital. At Mercy Hospital, she realized she enjoyed working in human resources, which led her to obtain her Master of Business Administration in human resources from St. Thomas. “I had a good experience as an undergrad and St. Thomas made it really easy to come back as a graduate student,” said Sexton, who added that one of her fondest memories at St. Thomas was her time spent as a flutist in the band. “I am a pretty introverted person, and it was always a place where I felt just very welcome,” she said. Now Sexton has nearly 30 years of human resources experience, most of them at the 9,000-employee Land O’Lakes. Her work spans several company industries, including animal feed, dairy foods, crop inputs and a growing international sustainability business called Truterra. “People think we are just butter and cheese, but we’re so much more,” she said.
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