Latest / Executive Alliance Podcast / Learn more about Executive Alliance's Mentoring Program with Rebecca Snyder
Transcript
- Rebecca Snyder: Hi, I'm Rebecca Snyder, Executive Director of Executive Alliance, and I'm here to share more information about the Effective Impact Mentoring Program. We have a rolling deadline for this program. Our next one is coming, our next deadline is coming up June 30th, and the program will start August 27th. I have a slide deck which I'll bring up right now, and we can write in and share more information about the program. And let's jump in, talk about what Executive Alliance is as well as our program. So the Effective Impact Mentoring Program is a program of Executive Alliance, and Executive Alliance is a women's membership organization that's focused on women taking their leadership roles to the highest levels in business, government. And nonprofit organizations in the state of Maryland. We recognize that women don't just pop out of the world saying, okay, I'm a senior-level executive. Everyone is on a continuum, and Executive Alliance strives to have programs that fit the needs of women at every stage of their career. So the mentoring program is a nine-month program running August through June that focuses on women at the mid-level of their careers. ⁓ across all sectors, ⁓ all industries in a small format group cohort. So we provide some of those professional development skills, those those soft skills, oftentimes women at the mid-level of their career are tactically very skilled. They've they've risen through the ranks by being really good at their jobs and now need some wraparound support And some some different soft skills to achieve that next level. And so our membership has felt very strongly that this is an area in which we can really contribute to women in leadership. So let's talk a minute about why this is so important. In our annual census report of women board directors in Maryland, we find that Maryland continues to lag behind the national statistics. In corporate board seat and C suite representation. And Executive Alliance, as I said, is focused on women taking leadership roles at the highest level. And one of the ways we measure that is women's representation at the C suite and on corporate boards. It's a very specific, measurable way to analyze progress. And so we recognize women at the mid level of the career of their careers. are also pulled in many different directions. And so it's a vulnerable time for those women because they may think, gosh, my prospects aren't good. I'm not going to get to that next level. I may as well do something different. Or or there are other situations that are that are coming coming about. So the program is meant to help you articulate what you want and then help you put the skills in place to reach the next level. ⁓ All information about the program is at executivealliance.org forward slash mentorship. And the program details are ⁓ they're all on the website, but we meet every month for a half-day professional development session. And then we also match each individual with a ⁓ a mentor from our own membership. For a one-on-one mentoring relationship that is very reward rewarding. And we match those mentors and mentees with the idea that we need to that the mentees are looking for some specific things out of their mentoring relationship. And then we look at our membership and think: who is gonna be the best person to help move that mentee forward? And that's how we make those matches. ⁓ and so we'll go through The sessions and the ⁓ and some of the ⁓ results from our most recent mentee class. And so we start off in August with a program kickoff, call it Getting Centered. And so we obviously we get to know one another. The cohort is limited to 15 women. ⁓ they usually draw from the Greater Baltimore area because we meet in person. This is an in-person program, and we meet throughout the greater Baltimore area. So we talk about the program flow, the expectations, but then we really start digging into part of the spiral learning, which I think makes executive executive alliance programs so valuable. First, we recognize in all of our programs that there is this spiral in how we learn and how we get to whatever the next level means for each of us. And it all starts with discerning. First. So looking deep within yourself and understanding what's important, why you want whatever you want. ⁓ and then we move into looking at the gap. So if you have aspirational goals, taking a clear-eyed, loving perspective on where you are right now and what you need to do to get to your aspirational goal. So the bridging the gap idea, and then helping you close that gap, figuring out, all right, well, what do I need to do to get there? Making that happen, raising your visibility so that others know that you're on track to meet those goals, succeeding, meeting that goal, giving back, and then starting all over again. And that's the spiral that at Executive Alliance we really believe infuses every step of of a personal or a career process. So We in our first session we look at our core values, getting to your why, and each individual writes a letter to herself to share what she wants in the coming year. Umri Chester was one of our mentees that graduated in 2026. Her mentor was Brandi Stevens, a fellow, and we always ask, What's the benefit of having a mentor ⁓ work with you? and Audrey. felt hands down it was confidence. And what we find often with our with our mentee cohort is not that they lack hard skills or technical skills, but really they're not sure w how to navigate. You know, and and bringing in ⁓ getting rid of that imposter system imposter syndrome and showing up with confidence is something that is so important for women at all levels, but certainly women at the mid-level. And through this program, ⁓ Audrey felt like the program helped her find a professional voice she didn't know she had. In September, we have a s a strength finders dinner. So every person in the program ⁓ and it's women in the program, ⁓ take the strength finders ⁓ tool. And really that's again a way to really discern where your talents lie. There's a lot of of different models that we could use. We choose the strength finders because it comes from a place of positivity and and ⁓ really ⁓ sort of leans into another core belief of executive alliance where we want to build on your strengths rather than focusing on your weakness. So ⁓ we have A half day session from two to five about strength finders and how you can use it in your teams and your work. And then our mentees meet up with their mentors. Sometimes for the first time, we're making those matches between August and September, meeting those mentors and having a dinner at the center club. Our Strength Finders session is followed up with one-on-one coaching by our Strength Finders expert to really make sure that our mentees understand how to build on their strengths. Caitlin Clarkson, who's a now a partner at Offit Kerman, account excuse me, council at Offit Kerman, was one of our mentees. And she is really encouraging women to take the leap into the program because she learned from accomplished leaders, she gained valuable insights, and she built meaningful professional relationships in a supportive community of women. So that was especially important to her. Her mentor was Suzanne Huttner of the Daily Record. Linnea Cornish was another of our mentees in the 2026 graduating program, and she's the principal at Mother Mary Lang Catholic School. And her mentor was Maria Darby of Dwyer Workforce Development. And Linnea felt like it was really important to be part of a program from that that included women of diverse professions. ⁓ because it expanded the way she thought about leadership and success. So, you know, acknowledging that careers are different, many of the challenges and growth opportunities were similar or shared. And so it really helped her to hear different perspectives within the program. In October, now it'll be November this year. We also have our Women of Excellence program. So Executive Alliance has three signature events. And in those in those events, we also like to highlight our mentees. Our Women of Excellence event is a fireside conversation with an accomplished woman leader with a that's in a ⁓ cocktail setting of over 400 influential business leaders. And our mentees always help with registration with that. So they have and they're invited to all of our signature events throughout the year. Rhonda Huffman was another of our mentees in the program and she ⁓ works at the Montgomery Housing County Housing Opportunities Commission. She also just won her primary for District 8 for the Baltimore County County Council. So we're excited about that. Sharonda's takeaway from the mentee session that she's going to bring into her professional life is how to market herself through social media and through her elevator pitch. We take an iterative process throughout the program because we know that, you know, you're you're shaping and discerning throughout the course of the program. And we want our mentees to come away with a really solid sense of their accomplishments and theirs and themselves. as professionals that they can bring out into the marketplace. And so we ⁓ we really work on how to raise visibility throughout the program. In November, we also really focus on that second aspect, which is bridging the gap. So understanding where you are right now and where you want to be. And we also team that with a panel discussion. And each each ⁓ we provide opportunities throughout the program for each of our mentees ⁓ as they feel called to be highlighted. So ⁓ this past year, Linnea Cornish was part of our part of our panel really talking about career journeys and how women are go from here to there. So that was a really powerful program. And then we work together in small groups and using an AI tool that we've built to really look at people's blind spots and where and create a roadmap about what they need to bridge the gap between Their reality and their goals. Betsy Jones was another of our mentees in the 2026 class. And her mentor was Tony St. John of Baltimore College Town Network. ⁓ And Betsy ⁓ shared that one of the real benefits of having a mentor work one-on-one with her for the year is just the advice and the support. Having that focused attention, we ask each of our ⁓ mentors and mentees to connect at least once a month. That often turns into ⁓ much more often, depending on what's needed, ⁓ to help make sense of what they're learning in the program and provide real practical advice going forward during their mentoring year. Oftentimes those relationships last far beyond the program and really turn into these symbiotic, very rewarding relationships. Because we boot we believe at Executive Alliance that everyone has something to teach and everyone has something to learn. And that follows through in our mentoring program as well. January, we take off December and all have and all mentees are invited to our holiday party, which is a lot of fun, so that they can start to interact more and more with our members. But in January, we move on to negotiating and advocating for your worth. And so Kim Davis, who's a longtime Executive Alliance member, is administers that program, which really kind of looks at how you can tell your career stories. both for internal and external audiences and negotiate and advocate for your worth. And that doesn't always mean money, sometimes it's time, sometimes it's it is ⁓ other opportunities. But we really want to make sure that we're equipping our mentees with the tools that they need to move forward. Throughout the year, there are special sessions during our mentee year that we open up to all executive alliance members. And this is one of them. Tiffany Jones was one of our mentees from CQ, graduating in 2026. And her mentor was Damita McDonald of Notre Dame. And Tiffany is going to take away from the mentee sessions the importance of advocating for herself and recognizing her own value. So we believe that once you understand yourself and your value, you can articulate it and it gives you that boost of confidence. To really power your voice in the workplace. So I'm so excited that Tiffany is gonna implement that in her professional life. Monica Lawrence of PNC was another of our mentees ⁓ in graduating in 2026. Her mentor is Kim Davis of Versant Health. And she felt like the one of the most valuable things about being part of the program with women from diverse professions is just getting that broader perspective and insight. with open dialogue. When you're working with women who are not necessarily in your industry, it creates a safer space to seek advice and more impartial advice. And it gives you a greater appreciation of what everyone else is bringing to the table. So I'm glad she had that opportunity to to meet with others. We also in February's ⁓ session really deals with strategic presence. ⁓ and how to build networks and navigating interviews. And so Kimberly Prescott ⁓ of of Prescott HR Solutions was one of our lead ⁓ presenters for this session on how to build your network. And so oftentimes we find ⁓ when our network is built organically, which is wonderful, it's not always strategic and and you realize, gosh, I don't No, or I am not interacting with the people that I need to be interacting with to get to the next level that I want. And so we build in some very practical tools on how to consciously grow your network, how to use networking events to your favor without seeming slimy. Bea Lawson was one of our mentees from the 2026 year, and she had a message for women that she wanted to share who are considering the program. And she says, All your fears and uncertainties are normal, but do not prevent success in any field. What you learn will be unique but invaluable. And I think this speaks to something ⁓ that I consider one of the most powerful emotions, and that's fear. We always wish it were love. But fear, I think, is one of those emotions that really drives drives people ⁓ in certain ways, but also holds them back. And the supportive and safe environment of a small cohort ⁓ with women who are in the same headspace is a really powerful force to help allay those fears and discern what's important to you. In March, we have a freestyle program in 2026. It was we called it Bring Your Mess. We always ask our mentees what they want to focus on and then develop a session around that. And what we found, or or what ⁓ our mentees told us this year, is that they had some sticky situations that they wanted to to help, they wanted help navigating. And so we ⁓ created a framework Where that could be used not only for sort of your internal discernment, but when you're working with others to help ⁓ navigate those conversations and help workshop solutions in a way that ⁓ is authentic and provides a framework where people can really share. ⁓ So that was that was our March session. Indrea Obaceri from the United Way of Central Maryland was another of our mentees. ⁓ graduating in 2026. Her mentor was Kimberly Prescott of ⁓ Prescott HR Solutions. And Indira wanted to share the following message with people who are considering the program. She says, join. There's always more to learn. The ability for your network to grow and the encouragement and guidance provided is worth more than anything a typical leadership program could provide. Honor roll is our second ⁓ signature event in Executive Alliance, and there we celebrate ⁓ organizations that have at least 30% of their C-suite and 30% of their board seats. ⁓ the people in those seats identify as women. ⁓ and so it's a really it's it's a strong vote for women's leadership, and we always have a panel discussion in this ⁓ in this session. Monica Whitemark, one of our mentees, was on the panel. We were excited to have Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller as our featured speaker. So it was a wonderful way to celebrate women's leadership. Christy Ryan of the Y in Central Maryland was one of our honorees, excuse me, one of our mentees graduating in 2026. And her mentor was Candase Osansade ⁓ of Planned Parenthood. And Christy felt like diverse professionals ⁓ within the program was a really valuable aspect because hearing how others approached those challenges in different environments really helped her get a fresh perspective on some of those those situations and innovative ideas that she might not have encountered in her own field. So learning, finding those commonalities, but also understanding that the world is different was was especially important to Christy. April session is all about amplifying your voice and your executive presence. And so we learn and interact and actually work on how to speak, act, and look like a leader, how to create speaking engagements to grow your brand, and how to enhance your executive presence. And so we do just a real-world practicum. We develop ways or extemporaneous ways to speak. And understand how to enhance the visibility in the professional world. Juliana Sigler of Whiting Turner was one of our mentees that just graduated. Her mentor is Greta Kessler of ⁓ Marsh McLennan Agency. And Juliana felt like it was valuable to be part of the mentee program hearing that people outside her own industry have the same worries and issues and goals. I think oftentimes when you're working in a in a group like this within your own industry, sometimes you get caught up in the minutiae of your own industry. And this ⁓ program pulled Juliana out of the ⁓ out of the the minutiae and allowed her to get to know people across ⁓ across different professions and opened her eyes to all the different ways women step up and lead. Our capstone, ⁓ or actually our in-the-room mentoring ⁓ session in May is the third of our three signature events for Executive Alliance. That is an opportunity for Executive Alliance members and mentees to act as speed mentors for the morning. ⁓ and that program is open to ambitious women of all levels to gain advice and insight ⁓ in that speed mentoring paradigm. We also have a panel discussion. This was we were joined by our celebrity mentor, Secretary Molly Byron of the government, ⁓ Governor Moore's appointments office. and Indira Obaceri was was the mentee that sat on the panel. And so we really are trying to raise the visibility and ⁓ comfort level of our mentees through by speaking ⁓ at some of our events. Monica Whitemark. was one of our mentees that graduated in 2026. She's with the Rossi group and she ⁓ was mentored by Lynn Durbin of Inline LLC. Lynn has had a mentee for the past probably 12 years. And I think it's really important to note that many of our mentors do stay in touch long term with their their mentees and their mentees begin to know one another and kind of create their own cohort across the years. And it's beautiful to see. And so Monica feels that ⁓ the mentoring program changed a couple things for her. It reinforced that her potential extends beyond her technical area of expertise and encouraged her to recognize the value of her experience and perspectives. So realizing that you have a voice that's worth sharing and the confidence to contribute in spaces beyond her professional, professional and traditional role. was really important to Monica. And then May is the end of our professional development sessions, and we really focus on how to bring the learning forward into ⁓ beyond the program. And so our capstone session is Becoming Your Own Mentor, where we focus on how to advocate for yourself and how to overcome internal obstacles. Sometimes the voice in our head is is sadly the most powerful one and the the harshest ⁓ voice. And so breaking that down, what's going on within those obstacles and creating an action plan often helps ⁓ keep the learnings ⁓ alive through through the end of the program. Rose Whitney is the final mentee of the 2026 program. And she is with CQ. Her mentor is Lynn Sanders of Wells Fargo. And ⁓ she wanted to share a message with someone who's considering the program. And she says Executive Alliance is a great organization that helps foster women in leadership and provide them the tools and resources to achieve their goals. It's a great network of women helping women succeed. Think that's a great way to to end our program. We are open to applications. ⁓ again, we have a rolling application deadline. And I think Rose said it said it well. We are women helping other women succeed. If this sounds like something that is right for you, I encourage you to apply to the program. You can go to executivealliance.org forward slash mentorship to apply to the program. We do have a rolling deadline. Spots are limited and we do fill up quickly. You will need a letter of recommendation from ⁓ from ⁓ a a woman or someone in your field. ⁓ for the program. So keep that in mind. If you have other questions or need anything about if you'd like to learn more about the program, please feel free to reach out to me, Rebecca Snyder, ⁓ at Rebecca at executivealliance.org. And I hope to see you achieving your goals and working towards your success soon. Thank you.