After graduating, Curran moved to Los Angeles, where she worked for several Fortune 500 companies, including Automatic Data Processing Inc. and Kimberly-Clark Corp. “But there comes a point in everyone’s life, and I realized I wasn’t going to make a million dollars a year and knew it was time to come back to Iowa,” she said. “I’m so glad I did.” After returning to Iowa, Curran worked for the Daily Tribune in Ames and Associations Inc., an advertising broker where she helped clients place advertisements in publications across the Midwest. She was also the executive director of Winefest Des Moines for six years and was involved with the revitalization of the East Village.

Were you ever involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters growing up?

You know, no, I wasn’t. I had several friends that were involved in it, and I’ve had very strong advocates come to me and say, ‘You should be a big sister.’ I always said I don’t have enough time. But it’s funny, because now that I know more about it, I don’t know why I didn’t make time – I think most of us can find time, and the end product is really changing the lives of kids. But, no, I haven’t been and now I will be, as will most of my friends and family going forward.

What was it about Big Brothers Big Sisters that made you want to work here?

I felt that this was a place for me that I could really make a difference. If I look back on some of the talents that I have and what was needed here, it was just a great fit. And learning more and more about the organization, about the amazing things it’s done to change kids’ lives, you know, it just tugged my heartstrings.

I really think this organization can be taken to the next level. One thing that is interesting is that the Boys and Girls Club of Iowa is run by an amazing board of directors, and as I went through the interviewing process here, people kept saying, ‘Oh, I know so-and-so who is on the board over there,’ and I said, ‘No that’s Boys and Girls Club, this is Big Brothers Big Sisters.’ One of the things I want to do, while I salute the Boys and Girls Club and everything they do, but I want people to understand that there is a difference between the organizations.

There are a lot of kids that need help and that need mentors, but a lot of people have the mentality that I used to have. We have hundreds of kids waiting for bigs, as we call them, and I need to get the word out there about who we are.

You’ve had a lot of involvement downtown; what’s your favorite change that you’ve seen over the years?

My favorite thing, and it’s because of how close it is in my heart, is the change to the East Village. When I worked down there, there wasn’t anywhere you could eat, there were no restaurants, you couldn’t get a cup of coffee anywhere. Now it’s a vibrant, fabulous, amazing, electric place.

My hat goes off to those individuals who took a chance on an unproved area and had the guts to do that so others would follow suit. I would have to say that’s my favorite thing, but I so look forward to what they’re going to do with the Walnut Street pedestrian mall, I think that’s going to be exciting. Court Avenue has made such great strides, and I’ll be anxious when the (Principal) Riverwalk is completed. But there are so many great things downtown that I just love. That is the only thing I can find as a disadvantage with my new position – that I no longer work downtown. I miss the action and excitement.

Do you have any hobbies?

I am crazy passionate about my yard. And anybody that knows me knows that. I was always so stressed because I couldn’t spend time working on it before Winefest, which is in June, so I’m looking forward to playing in the yard in May and June. I also love to entertain, which is probably why I like Winefest so much. I’ve got friends that are chefs and I have them come try out new dishes.

What was it like living in Los Angeles?

It was the greatest experience that anyone in their 20s could ever have. Living by the ocean is the greatest thing. Every day that I was there I would say, “I know that I’m not going to live here forever, so I need to appreciate this,” because when it was time to buckle down, I knew that I wanted to come back home. The best thing, though, is hearing the ocean at night; lying in bed with the windows open and hearing the waves crash.