Dayna Vaclav is today’s #RealLifeWonderWoman. By day, she works as a Patient Success Center operations manager for a rapidly growing, multi-site medical clinic. But her superpowers don’t stop there! Dayna is a proud military wife and mom to three active kids. It is with great pleasure that I get to introduce you to real-life Wonder Woman, Dayna Vaclav!
KR: Can you tell us about your family?
DV: I started this crazy journey of being a badass military wife with my husband of 11 years, Rob Vaclav. We have 3 awesome kids, Robert 13, Vivian 9, and Evelyn 2. Rob serves in the world’s finest US NAVY, as a First Class Petty Officer, or better known as a Corpsman. He is my rock, my love, and biggest supporter. Home is where is he is!
KR: Please tell us about what brings you joy and fulfillment.
DV: Relationships fill my heart and bring me the most joy. I had a very strong bond with my mother who taught me how to love others by the love I received from her. I always felt that I was her number one, but also saw her give that same attention to her other children and her husband. I strive to support, listen, and give action to all relationships in my life from my boss, employees, my children, and my husband. When she passed away 2 years ago, this is the legacy I want to continue in her memory.
KR: We all have inner superpowers. What are some of yours?
DV: Flexible! As a Navy wife, I knew marrying Robert would have its challenges. We move every three years, we move to areas that have little to no industry for employment, and with each move costs thousands of dollars from up-rooting our life. I tend to take this on as a challenge, not as a negative. The Law of Attraction states that positive or negative thoughts bring positive or negative experiences into a person’s life. I try to live by this theory to stabilize the stress it brings to my kids, myself, and my husband.
Competitive! I strive to WIN at everything. It can be pretty exhausting for everyone, but I want to be my best self and want YOU to be your best self. I become the “motivator” of our household, pushing my husband to be a better leader and my kids to look to their future and have big dreams. What can I do to get you there? What can I do to make our team better? At my job, I seek to understand people, work on my relationships, and strive to be that “go to” person for my employees. If I have accomplished all of that, I have won!
FUN! I want to make you laugh! I want to see you smile, and if you are not, I will work hard to get you there. I want to see the lighter side of life, and that one smile might get me there.
KR: Can you tell us about an influential woman in your life and how she inspired you?
DV: Hands down, my mother. Before any interview I ever had, my mom would tell me, “Remember, you are worth more. Don’t take their first offer.” It became a joke between us when it came to my pay because she would become so excited over the negotiation process. She always told me I was worth more than I gave myself credit for. Even when it came to my school grades, sports teams, and friendships. Her message to me was to fight for what I wanted like a man would. Her generation of female leaders really didn’t exist in the work force in the 1960s and 70s. She didn’t know career driven women, just women who were motivated by putting food on the table and paying rent. The vision she had for me was to be motivated by “choice”, not necessity. She never backed off, continuously pushing me to strive for more. Her influence to break the norms as a woman, a mother, and a Leader, made me who I am today.
KR: If you could have one super-human power, what would it be?
DV: Telekinesis. It would be amazing to have coffee made, brought to my bed, all in a thought.
KR: What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies?
DV: I play slow pitch softball at least twice a week. I have been playing since I was a little girl and I will play until I am an old lady! I also love to golf (not good at all), go to the beach with my kids, and drink wine!
KR: Knowing what you know at this stage of your life, what words of wisdom would you give to your 20-year-old self?
DV: STAY IN SCHOOL!!!