Lezlee Westine

Position: President and chief executive of Personal Care Products Council.

Career Highlights: President and chief executive, Technet; deputy assistant to the president and director of public liaison, White House; special assistant to the governor of California.

Age: 48

Education: BS, marketing, University of Florida; MBA, UCLA Graduate School of Management; JD, Georgetown Law Center.

Personal: Resides in McLean with her daughter.

How did you get to where you are?

I began my career practicing political and election law in California. It was really exciting to help companies, campaigns and activists who are interested in certain ballot measures to be able to engage in the political process.

After having my baby and needing a more flexible schedule, the governor, who was one of my clients at the time, offered me to run his Northern California office.

One of my key constituencies was the high-tech industry. A high-tech group wanted me to help them create an organization, called Technet. We built Technet from two high-tech executives to 150 in a short period of time and threw hundreds of events. It was like drinking water from a fire hydrant.

I learned how to be an entrepreneur and be creative in a short amount of time. We walked into nothing -- not even an office -- and six months later we passed a key securities litigation issue here in the District.

Eventually I received a call from the White House asking if I wanted to run the Office of Public Liaison, which acts as the liaison to the trade associations and nonprofits. It was a "wow" experience. I had never worked on a campaign, so working at the White House wasn't something I would've had on my career path. The first thing I did was pick up the phone and call some of the Clinton folks, asking how I could be as effective as they were.

I had to be very resourceful. All the years as an entrepreneur working with chief executives gave me the confidence to jump in and do it.

After four years, Technet called to see if I wanted to come back, and I opened up their office here in the District. We were very vocal about getting pieces of legislation passed in the state government dealing with education initiatives.

Eventually I was contacted to head the Personal Care Products Council. Ever since I was introduced to the position while at the White House, I always thought it would be the perfect job. So I can't believe I'm sitting here now.

--Vanessa Mizell

Please send nominations for New at the Top to newatthetop@washpost.com.