Get to know CSA Education’s Senior Vice President of Shared Services, Teresa Roberts, with our updated staff Q&A!
Interviewer: What is your name and role at CSA?
Teresa: Teresa Roberts; Senior Vice President, Shared Services
Interviewer: If you had to describe the “vibe” of the CSA team in three words, what would they be?
Teresa: When we initially created our core values, we brought the whole team together to identify what we loved about CSA and wanted to keep, what we wanted to leave behind, and what we wanted to add to make it an even better place to be. That collaborative, company-wide effort eventually led to distilling our culture down into our five core values. I honestly can’t think of a better way to describe our vibe than by using those value statements: We support. We care. We welcome. We lead. We strive. I think that sums us up pretty nicely! (And I know that’s 10 words and not 3, but we’re also the kind of team that goes above and beyond. 🙂 )
Interviewer: What’s the most helpful piece of professional advice you’ve ever received?
Teresa: “Show up.” One of my most valued mentors taught me the simple power of being present. People notice and respond to your level of engagement. I am not always as successful at this as I would like to be, but when I am focused on what’s in front of me, I find over and over again that dedicated awareness and attention is the key to building strong relationships. That can be as simple as when I am in a meeting, doing my best to remain focused on the person facilitating or speaking rather than work on something off to the side. It can be reflecting back what I heard to someone I am having a conversation with in order to promote understanding and respect. It can be following through on my commitments because I value my colleague’s time. I believe energy flows where attention goes, and I want my energy to be supportive.
Interviewer: When you aren’t at your desk, where are we most likely to find you?
Teresa: There is nothing I love more than collaborative creativity—particularly when it comes to storytelling and clever, lateral thinking. So, you will often find me playing (or running!) tabletop roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons. Anytime I can get invested in a story with my friends, I leap at the opportunity. I also participate in competitive puzzling events (think logic and word puzzles you solve with a team). I have a few solo activities that I enjoy, such as cross stitch and writing music. But, I feel the most in the zone when I am with people doing what they love and collaborating with each other.
Interviewer: Which CSA core value resonates the most with you and why?
Teresa: While I have a strong attachment to all of our values, the CSA core value that resonates with me the most is probably “We welcome.” While it absolutely is a value about ensuring that everyone has a seat at the table and has the opportunity to thrive, it’s also about how we welcome. The team is so good at making people feel comfortable—whether it’s providing clear guidelines for a project or process, or communicating in a warm and collaborative way. Our goal is to provide a work environment that is easy enough to step into and supportive enough to stay.
Interviewer: What was your first-ever job, and what did it teach you?
Teresa: My first job was as a receptionist/greeter at a nature center just outside my hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. I think I was 15 when I started. I learned a lot of things working there, like while cleaning out snake cages, it’s probably best not to bring the snake with me to the front desk to check a guest in. (Related: I learned how to assist someone who has fainted.) I learned how to handle money and how a business operates. But, most importantly, I learned how to be the representative of an organization, the value of making people feel welcome, and the art of customer service.
Click here to learn more about Teresa!
Page last updated May 2026
