Mentorship and Supportive Networks: On Site and On the Mind
By Deirdre C. Hopkins, Strategic Communications Manager, Pennsylvania Convention Center
The Pennsylvania Conference for Women doesn’t just inspire attendees. It has also inspired the staff members of the Pennsylvania Convention Center (PCC), which has hosted the Conference for 11 years. Here, reflections about mentoring and supportive networks from several PCC women employees:
On Mentoring
“With the guidance of a colleague at a former job— I am still very close to her—I learned the beauty of skilled listening and doing my best to always be in a place of honesty and authenticity and to demonstrate what integrity really means.”—Dominique Bonds, guest experience director
“As Pablo Picasso once said, ‘Action is the foundational key to all success.’ One such action is serving as a mentor—the act of having face-to-face interactions, offering a brain to pick, lending an ear to listen and pushing someone in the right direction. Mentorship is an important part of success for professionals, especially women who tend to be underrepresented in many professions including the law.”—Shamyune Jones, vice president & general counsel
“The leaders who inspired me the most have always been passionate about their work and very approachable. I have applied the same principles to working with my staff, coworkers and professional network.”—Janet Mitrocsak, director of facilities and regional director of operations for SMG Northeast, the nation’s leader in public facilities management
On Supportive Networks and Caring
“My support system has been essential to my career trajectory. SMG’s operations directors throughout the company have a multitude of backgrounds and expertise, and because of our diverse backgrounds and experience, we can call upon one another for advice and ideas while utilizing SMG’s best practices within our buildings.”— Mitrocsak
“My mentor told me to always ‘care’ because apathy is a cancer. Almost 30 years later, I am still guided by that advice daily. I care about my colleagues, the mission of the PCC and the tens of thousands of guests that choose our facility and our city to host their event. I want these women and men to know I care and that I appreciate the fact that they placed their trust in us to help make their event a success.”—Bonds
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