Harriet Sharrard has never been one to shy away from intellectual challenges. In her own words: "I can't work for someone I don't think is more clever than me. I just can't do it."

Harriet's first Admin job taught her an invaluable lesson: in order to truly thrive, she would need to support leaders whose intellect surpassed her own. This early realization set the stage for what would become a fascinating 40-year career in the Administrative Profession, supporting some of the brightest minds in the world—from a Lord and Member of the European Parliament in London to the Editor-in-Chief of Good Housekeeping in New York City, and today as the EA to the President & COO of Hess Corporation in the energy capital of the world, Houston.

What began as a career stepping stone to get her to London, where she intended to pursue a career in journalism, turned into a lifelong career in the Admin Profession where Harriet found her true calling. “I initially took my first Admin job because it was a way to get where I wanted to be geographically,” Harriet will explain. “But it wasn’t long before I realized I was happier in Admin work than trying to make it in journalism. I was good at it, and more importantly, I was making a real difference.”

In this interview, Harriet will bring her career path to life for attendees while discussing the common misconceptions about Administrative Professionals, what it means to take the Admin career seriously, and why she believes that executives should be trained early in their careers on how to fully leverage their Admin partners. Harriet will reflect on her proudest moments—guiding teams and influencing executive success—as well as candidly discussing a sleepless weekend caused by an error and what she learned from that experience.

Today, Harriet serves as the Executive Assistant to the President of an oil and gas company in Houston, TX, continuing her career-long commitment to strategic partnership. She remains dedicated to learning, growing, and honing her skills even after four decades, proving that lifelong professional development is key to thriving in the ever-evolving Administrative field.