Tracey Rizzuto is a professor of human resource and leadership development at Louisiana State University and one of the 12 local speakers you can come see speak on Feb. 28 at TEDxLSU 2015. She has a Ph.D. in industrial and organizational psychology from Pennsylvania State University, and outside the classroom she uses her training to help Baton Rouge community organizations focused on violence prevention, disaster relief and economic development lead the charge toward building a stronger and safer Baton Rouge.
A Gueydan, Louisiana, native, Tracey’s TEDxLSU talk will focus on how she uses social network analysis to help community groups understand the forces that can break a community and those that have the power to build one up.
I connected with her recently to learn a little more about her life and background. Here are the highlights of our conversation.
What brought you to Baton Rouge?
In 2004 I was offered the amazing opportunity of a tenure-track faculty position at my undergraduate alma mater — LSU — and the opportunity to serve my home state in a professional capacity.
“Connect” is the theme for TEDxLSU 2015. What does “connect” mean to you?
My first reaction to “connect” is that it is an imperative — a charge to connect to people, places and issues we hold as important. But I also hear it as a reminder that all people are interconnected, each of us more similar and related to each other than we are different.
TEDxLSU has a mission of creating innovative dialogue within our community. What are we not talking about that we should be?
Private citizens, political leaders and organizations alike aim to make lives, communities and the world “better.” Despite striving for the same goal, the means are so varied, conflicting and, at times, wrought with unintended consequence for future generations. I’d enjoy dialogue about what we are doing to make our world better, and whether our actions reflect the legacy we wish to leave behind.
If “X” is the thing that drives you, connects you, and/or inspires you, what is your “X”?
I am inspired by belief in the power and implication of universal connectedness — plants animals, people, those who are here now, who’ve come before and who’ll come after. We are essentially connected.
Imagine you have a time machine right now. What would you do with it?
I would fast forward 100 years to get a heads-up on issues and problems I might be able to troubleshoot. And investment tips, of course!
Describe your life at age 19. Where were you? What were you doing? What were your priorities? What were your future plans?
In 1995, at 19, I moved to Nevada, Missouri, to attend a small women’s college, Cottey College. I’d never attended a same-sex school before, or lived in a place where I didn’t know a soul, or been to Missouri, so it all sounded like an exotic adventure. At the time I was absorbed with reading about philosophy and religion, and preoccupied with learning to play the pipe organ. My priority was finding a spiritual understanding of myself, and listening to as much eclectic and diverse music as my cassette player could play.
When did you realize you had grown up?
Have I?
If you were a spy, what would your spy name be?
Incogni-Toe. Toe has been my nickname from birth (and, yes, I have all 10 toes).
What’s your personal theme song? Why?
It’s not really a theme song, but a set of lyrics that always pops into my head when I need a boost is Matthew Wilder’s “Ain’t nothin’ gonna break my stride. Ain’t nothin’ gonna slow me down. I’ve got to keep on movin’.” It’s always the right message at the right time.
As you are prepping for TEDxLSU 2015, what TED talks are inspiring you?
As an organizational psychologist, I’m fascinated by the experience, pathways, motivations and obstacles associated with work. I greatly enjoyed Mike Rowe’s, “Learning from Dirty Jobs.” His discussion about the dignity of dirty work is eye-opening and powerful. I’ve shared clips of it in several of my graduate and undergraduate courses.
If you could ask a question to one of the other TEDxLSU 2015 speakers, what would you ask?
Rashaud Red is such an inspiring young man. He gives me hope for the future. I would ask: “Rashaud, what’s your greatest hope for the future?”
To learn more about Tracey and TEDxLSU 2015, follow TEDxLSU on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Connect with Tracey and her fellow speakers on Feb. 28.
