Reviewed by: Selah Vetter
She’s making a big difference at Protective, one of Birmingham’s largest companies—find out how
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Back in 2019, Brooke Wright was looking for a job where she didn’t have to work nights, weekends and overnights. After working for 10 years as a bilingual 911 dispatcher, she was ready for a change. A temp assignment led her to Protective, and she hasn’t looked back. Keep reading to learn more about how her career has progressed in just three years, while she continues to serve our community in multiple ways.
Meet Brooke Wright
The daughter of a Methodist minister, Brooke Wright counts change as one of the constants in her life. She welcomes any opportunity to adapt to new cultures, take on unique opportunities and collaborate with people who are different from her.
Birmingham-Southern College, Latin American Studies and a work-study job at the Southern Environmental Center set her up to have many opportunities to do all of those things.
Since graduating almost 15 years ago, she’s put down roots in Pelham and is the proud mama of five fur babies.
Serving the community
In addition to serving as President of the Darter Junior Board of the Southern Environmental Center, Brooke teaches English as a Second Language and Spanish on the side.
The Darter Junior Board hosts Darter Fest, an annual fundraiser that supports educational efforts at Turkey Creek Nature Preserve, in Pinson.
Getting connected with Protective
Before the pandemic upended life as we knew it, Brooke had already decided she was ready for a change. Longing for a more predictable schedule, she took a job as an office manager. Unfortunately, she was laid off unexpectedly.
To make ends meet, she reached out to a number of temp agencies, and one called her with a four-month contract position in human resources at Protective.
When her contract expired, her manager helped her get an interview for a permanent position as a new business case manager.
She got that position, and after a while, her new manager asked if she’d be interested in managing people, since she’d been a supervisor in her previous position with 911 dispatch. Always up for a challenge, Brooke said yes.
Two years later, she manages two teams: the Submit/Exception Team and a TeleLife Team that includes Spanish-speaking call center employees.
Are you looking for a change? Protective is hiring.
Making a difference at Protective
When I talked with Brooke about what she loves at Protective, she spoke again and again of opportunities to collaborate, build relationships, learn and grow, particularly within three key areas:
- Having a role in diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, by participating in Protective’s Uncomfortable Conversations series. This allowed deeper conversations between teammates to foster greater empathy and belonging for all. She facilitated the panel with Hispanic and Latina women during Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month, and has loved building relationships with others outside her division by attending panels during other diversity months.
- Starting a Spanish Club, which gives participants the chance to speak and learn Spanish while building cross-departmental relationships.
- Leading and learning from diverse teams:
“As a manager, I have very diverse teams. It’s important to stop talking, be mindful of where they are and just listen. That’s when I have the best opportunity to grow.”
Brooke Wright, Protective
Are you looking for an environment where you can learn, grow and make a difference while building your career? Protective is hiring.
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Disclosure: Protective refers to Protective Life Insurance Company, Nashville, TN. Protective is a registered trademark of Protective Life Insurance Company. The Protective trademarks, logos and service marks are property of Protective Life Insurance Company and are protected by copyright, trademark, and/or other proprietary rights and laws.
