From Nonprofit to COO: Angela Quinn on Leadership, Mentorship and 25 Years at Husch Blackwell

Biz: Many professionals struggle with taking career risks. What gave you the confidence to pivot from practicing law to a leadership role? 
A.Q.: Looking back, it was really trusting my instincts. I did enjoy being a lawyer, but I’ve always been drawn to learning and trying new things. When the opportunity to transition into a leadership role arose, I felt ready to explore a different path. Of course, I had a couple of mentors at the time who were very influential and encouraged me to try this—try being on the leadership side as opposed to the lawyer side. That support made a big difference and gave me confidence to trust my own instinct. By the time I made the transition, I saw the importance of lawyers and business professionals, how much our lives intersect between personal and professional. Success in one area helps you have success in the other area, and vice versa. That realization motivated me to pursue leadership roles where I could help others build fulfilling careers, which in turn enhances their overall well-being.

Biz: You mentioned mentorship. Can you dive deeper into that? How has that impacted your journey, and how do you mentor others now?
A.Q.: When I think of the best mentors I’ve had, they have all encouraged me to be myself. Early in my career, I thought I had to emulate others to succeed. I thought to get to a certain place, I had to be that type of person. I had to emulate whoever that leader was, which was uncomfortable for me. I am so grateful the mentors that I had pushed me to embrace my individuality. They helped me see the value of my unique perspective and experiences and encouraged me to confidently share my voice at the table. I can’t overstate how transformative that was for me. That’s what I try to do for other people as much as I possibly can. 

Biz: What advice would you give to women looking to transition into leadership roles within their industry? 
A.Q.: I would say to believe in yourself. You have to believe in yourself and then you hopefully surround yourself with people who support you—mentors, allies, anyone who has your back. Having those relationships can make all the difference. I can think of many times where I was ready to throw in the towel, and I had a mentor who said, ‘You’re not doing that, that's just noise, right?’ That's incredibly, incredibly important because it’s challenging to lead. The other thing I would say is raising your hand for opportunities, and again, it comes down to confidence in yourself, trusting yourself that you do know what to do and that you can do it, and you can do it your way. It doesn't have to be the way that somebody else did it. It can be just as effective and even more sometimes by being true to who you are and what drives you. 

Biz: What do you think is the most overlooked skill in leadership? 
A.Q.: Vulnerability. In my opinion, it’s a superpower. You have to have confidence, decisiveness, vision and all the things that people talk about, but I don't know that people talk much about how incredibly effective it is to just be yourself and be vulnerable with your teams and your colleagues. Being open, honest and sharing your life’s ups and downs, both personal and professional, has helped me tremendously in my career. I think that is my superpower—if I have one. It comes naturally to me, but I do think it's an incredibly effective leadership skill that is often overlooked. 

Biz: You’ve been at Husch Blackwell for over 25 years now. What keeps you engaged and excited about your work? 
A.Q.: The opportunity that the firm has given me to continuously grow. There’s never a shortage of new opportunities. I’ve been fortunate to continuously evolve in my roles. Husch Blackwell has a culture that embraces creativity and openness, and that’s what has kept me energized throughout my career. It’s been an incredible place to grow both personally and professionally.