BAILEY Gokey
Company: Fab-Tech Inc
Title: Sales Operations
Age: 24
Favorite Part of Job: I’m really fortunate to work for a company that seeks to challenge me, offering opportunities for me to grow into roles and responsibilities beyond those for which I have formal education. Most recently, I’ve been able to expand my technical 
capabilities by learning how to read and take-off blueprints.
Tell us something fun about yourself that few people know: I learned how to operate an excavator before I knew how to drive a car.
What three words best describe you: Passionate, curious, and detail-oriented.
Favorite Vermont Escape: My grandfather’s cabin up in Montgomery. It’s in the woods, and there are always deer or foxes wandering about--just such a peaceful spot.
Favorite Downtime Activity: During the summer and fall I am an avid hiker and an occasional runner. My winters are spent cuddling with my dog, playing board games with friends, and catching up on my reading list.
If you had unlimited access to funds, which causes would you support: I would work for criminal justice and educational reform to address the structural inequities within each system.
Where do you see yourself professionally in ten years: I’m looking forward to working into a high-level leadership role where I can oversee operations of a non-profit or perform large-scale project, or program, management.
What motivated you to live and work in Vermont: I was born and raised in Vermont so it will always be my home. Every time I leave, whether for work or a weekend, I remember why I’ve stayed. I continue to fall more in love with our culture of kindness, our ethic of environmental stewardship, and our tradition of delicious food and beer.
Career Highlights: When I was 20, I spend the better part of a year on an international project in the middle east. Working alongside colleagues from such a different background, I learned so much about team collaboration, effective communication, and how to with individuals with whom you may not always agree with. At 22, I was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. That recognition of my commitment and development as a soldier was a huge source of personal pride. As a medic in the Vermont Army National Guard I’ve worked to continually hone my leadership and delegation skills while being able to do cool exercises like mountain rescues and helicopter medevacs.
Community Involvement: In high school I volunteered for the South Burlington Community Justice Center on their Youth Reparative Board. More recently, I’ve started volunteering with the Burlington Youth Restorative Justice Panels. The panels are an alternative to traditional criminal justice, with the goal of holding offenders accountable for their actions and repairing harm to victims and the community. I am also hoping to get involved with the Everybody Wins! program that recently started at the Winooski Elementary School, which pairs volunteers with individual students for weekly one-on-one reading sessions.
