Racing for a Cure® and a Fulfilling Career

Natasha Milby is a B.S. in Accounting student who works full-time as a Director of Finance and Operations for Susan G. Komen® in Lexington, Kentucky. The Susan G. Komen® Foundation is one of the largest nonprofit funders of breast cancer research in the United States. They have affiliate offices across the United States who plan events in their local service areas. 

Natasha first started working for the Komen Lexington, KY affiliate as an intern during her undergraduate years at the University of Kentucky. Natasha’s grandmother suffered from breast cancer so it has always been a cause that is near and dear to her heart and what initially sparked her interest in the job. After graduating with her first undergraduate degree in communications, Natasha began working for them full time as an Affiliate Coordinator.

“Outside of work I absolutely love to go running, do anything outdoors, and travel. Honestly though, I spend most of my time working at this large fight against breast cancer that takes way too many lives.”

Natasha is a very adventurous and passionate person. She has been bungee jumping, swam with stingrays in the Cayman Islands, and at the end of this month she is headed to Guatemala City to volunteer and explore the culture.  Adventure and travel are huge parts of her life, but working on the fight against breast cancer is her true passion and what drives her every day.

Becoming a Numbers Girl

After graduating from UK, Natasha wanted to pursue a career in event planning, so working for Susan G. Komen® was a great fit.  As part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Natasha has worked to plan events such as Race for the Cure®, the Pink Tie Ball, and Couture for the Cure in Lexington – learn more about how you can participate in these events in your area here.

As a non-profit, they try to make the most of every dollar, so this has allowed Natasha to wear many hats, including completing tasks within the fields of accounting and finance. This sparked her interest and she was able to train with finance professionals and CPAs within the organization; she has since grown into her role as Director of Finance and Operations. To complement her on the job training, she decided to pursue her B.S. in Accounting from CSU Global.

While she has found finance and accounting to be her career interest, her passion still lies in what the Susan G. Komen® stands for and the greater impact she is making with her job.

Back to School

During certain seasons such as October for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Natasha finds herself working 60-70 hours a week to keep up with the demands of her job, let alone balance continuing her education.

“CSU Global has been fantastic and has really allowed me to wear many hats, not only at work, but in all aspects of my life. I am a Director of Finance & Operations, a volunteer, a student, a babysitter, a friend, a family member, and CSU Global lets me do all of that at once.”

Both of Natasha’s parents have worked in higher education, so the value and importance of education has been instilled in her from a young age. She wanted to go back to school to better herself, but to also to add value to her team at work.  The skills she is learning at CSU Global will allow her organization to improve their processes and become more efficient so they can continue to do the amazing work that they do.

“Going back to school is time consuming, requires dedication, and can be costly—but I’m a finance girl, and investing in yourself is the best thing a person can do for their future.  There is likely never an ideal time to go back to school, but take Tina Fey’s advice as I did, ‘Just say yes! And figure the rest out afterwards.’”