Pub. 60 2019-2020 Issue 1

37 FALL 2019 Q&A with Whitney Brewster INCOMING AAMVA CHAIROF THE BOARD SHARES HER OBJECTIVES FOR THE FUTURE OF THE ASSOCIATION Previously published in MOVE, the flagship publication of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) Y ou’ve had a long career in leadership. What is the secret to your continued success or your leadership philosophy? Adaptability is imperative in today’s changing environment. It’s important to have an end goal or vision, but the path to get there can’t always be set in stone. Being able to deal with change, particularly through di¦cult times, has allowed me to be successful throughout my career. What are your top priorities as incoming Chair of the Board? Finding opportunities to engage all facets of our community is a key goal. The strength of AAMVA lies in the engagement of its membership. Data security and privacy are also at the top of the list. Customers entrust us with their data not because they want to, but because they are legally required to do so. It is imperative that we, as a community, share ideas and develop best practices around how to comprehensively protect the valuable data we are entrusted with. What are your current goals for AAMVA? With Hurricane Harvey still very fresh and as we head into another storm season, sharing information on emergency preparedness and responsiveness with colleagues is a top priority. Helping other jurisdictions develop processes to prepare themselves for a disaster —whether it be forest ‚res or ªoods —before they are in the eye of the storm is crucial. Another primary goal is engaging our community in conversations around how we can all better leverage technology as we deal with increased demands and fewer resources to serve our customers. What accomplishments are you most proud of? Hands down, my children. How do you inspire your sta™? I believe in them. I hire members of my team based on their skill set, but also — more importantly — their vision for success in their areas of expertise. Oftentimes, the best thing I can do is help them achieve that vision for success by providing resources, removing obstacles and staying out of their way. I am extremely grateful for the dedicated and talented team at the TxDMV. What do you enjoy doing in your free time? Any hobbies? I enjoy playing golf, traveling and time on the lake with family and friends. Director Brewster with TxDMV employees Mimi Williams and Brandye McGuire.