# Sabrina Wilson and the Power of Perseverance: Part 1 of 2

By Mike McCalley · Published 2023-08-07 · Updated 2026-05-19 · Education Technology on MarketScale
Canonical: https://www.marketscale.com/industries/education-technology/sabrina-wilson-part-1-of-2
Creator hub: Get Vertical with Mike McCalley

> A first-generation leader reveals how her father's resilience and unconventional upbringing shaped her path to the executive suite

## Key points

- Sabrina Wilson credits her father's resilience and the absence of gender roles in her upbringing as key influences on her executive career path.
- As a first-generation college student at Purdue University, Wilson first encountered gender disparities that shaped her professional perspective.
- Studying Taekwondo reinforced Wilson's can-do mentality, which she carried into her human resources leadership career at dormakaba Americas.

Block Field

In the first part of a two-part [Get Vertical!](https://marketscale.com/shows/get-vertical-with-mike-mccalley/) episode, host [Mike McCalley](https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelmccalley/) welcomes **Sabrina Wilson**, Senior Vice President of Human Resources at [dormakaba Americas](https://www.dormakaba.com/us-en/about-us/dormakaba-americas). Wilson shares her unique journey and career, from her upbringing as the daughter of teenage pregnancy to becoming a first-generation college student. Wilson discusses the influence of her father's resilience, the power of perseverance, and the absence of gender roles in her early life, which shaped her outlook and career. Wilson also shares her experiences at **Purdue University**, where she first noticed gender disparities and began studying Taekwondo, reinforcing her 'can-do' mentality. This episode provides an inspiring look into Wilson's path to a successful career in human resources.

Tags: dormakaba Americas, Get Vertical podcast, Mike McCalley, perseverance, Sabrina Wilson, workforce insights

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