What drives a person to thrive in the face of adversity while rising to the top of their profession? 

It turns out that the line between personal survival and professional success is thinner than we might imagine—both require resilience, courage, and the strength to make tough decisions, even when the path is unclear.

Meet Christine Hamman, a Colleen Barrett Award-winning Executive Assistant at Iron Mountain who truly understands what it means to overcome adversity. As a single parent, breast cancer survivor, and someone who walked away from both an abusive boss and a toxic personal relationship, Christine has risen through it all to become a top strategic partner.

Christine’s story challenges conventional ideas about success, resilience, and thriving in both personal and professional arenas. From entering the Admin profession at 25 while raising her two daughters alone, to finding the courage to walk away from years of mistreatment, to surviving breast cancer, Christine is no stranger to adversity.

Her journey shows that sometimes survival means making the hardest choices—walking away from what no longer serves you, even after years of enduring it. It’s a decision that requires deep self-respect and the realization that your worth is far greater than any situation that tries to diminish it.

And that worth was crystallized for Christine when she won the Colleen Barrett Award for Administrative Excellence which changed her life and became the catalyst for a new way of living it – seeking ways to become more comfortable being uncomfortable. She’ll share what she’s learned along the way about resilience and why that real strength lies not just in overcoming challenges but in the decisions you make to move past what holds you back and with grace, determination and a positive outlook.

Discover how Christine emerged from her experiences stronger, more determined, and more committed to her role as a top strategic partner in the Administrative Profession. She's a survivor.