Women's History Month 2019 Profile: Dr. Jen Welter

Dr. Jen Welter, Defensive Specialist for Atlanta Legends

How would your peers describe your personality?

High energy, high impact. Quick witted. Outgoing.

When did you consider yourself a success? How did this make you feel?

I hope my greatest success will always be my next one. To me, success should not be static, no one should be defined by one accomplishment! I want to be better every day, and I focus on each challenge and look to thrive in those moments.

What is the biggest challenge you have come across in your career and how did you handle this?

The toughest situations I have been in have centered around overcoming perceived differences or the awkward moments associated with being the one who is different. My go to move tends to be humor. Especially in situations where I have to confront perception challenges or outdated mindsets, I like to give people the benefit of the doubt and assume statements were a disconnect between brain and mouth. With a smile and a laugh, I am known for several key phrases like, "you do realize you said that out loud, right?" Now, this may not seem like the biggest challenge of one's career, but when you are first, everything is new. So you are setting the tone for everyone, so you face challenges daily, and humor is a way better way to set the tone than anger.

What do you do to keep yourself motivated and interested in your work?

I thrive on the big picture and the intimate moments. For me, my philosophy is that being the first is great, but what's more important is ensuring that I am not the last. Meaning, not only do I have to do a good job, but I need to push for bigger picture societal change in order to create opportunities for others. The big picture is tough though, there are lots of roadblocks and no's. So in the moments when things feel too big or I feel like I am not enough, the intimate moments become my biggest motivators. Those intimate moments come in many forms, from a young girl doing a school project on me, or a mom sending me a photo of her daughter playing football, to a player telling me I made him better or helped him. Individuals matter, and ultimately each moment of one on one impact is priceless to me.

What are you most proud of?

Getting my PhD while playing football. It's the ultimate crazy combination of things that make me unique and special.

What inspired you when you were younger?

Actually, it was always being told what I couldn't, shouldn't, and wouldn't do. Thankfully, the one thing I didn't do was let them be right.

What nail color makes you feel most confident?

I'm currently crushing on ORLY No Regrets. No coincidence that is the color of the fingernails in my LOGO!

What is a piece of advice you would give to young women?

What makes you different is what makes you special. Why work to fit in when you can stand up and stand out.