Drive Career Success Through Sponsorship

You’ve probably heard about the value of having a mentor, and likely even have one. Many women find that mentoring, while valuable and meaningful, has not necessarily removed the barriers that exist for advancement to roles at the top of organizations. Catalyst research has demonstrated that mentoring is “essential for development, yet insufficient for advancing to the senior-most levels.” What then is the key to professional advancement? Research points to a more influential professional relationship: sponsorship.

Sponsorship goes far beyond sharing professional development strategies and advice, a sponsor is an individual with significant power and influence. This is someone who has the reputation and power to recommend high-performers for critical assignments, opportunities and promotions. While a mentor talks with you, a sponsor talks about you. A sponsor is an advocate who provides access to the most influential networks within an organization and has the power to propel you forward.

Who has opened doors for you in your career? Do you have the ability to create opportunities for others? Learn more about the importance of sponsorship and how to develop these key relationships to accelerate your career on Tuesday, March 28. The Office of Alumnae Relations, the Office of Career Planning, and Catalyst are excited to present: Sponsoring Strong Women to Success. Join us to network with fellow alumnae, students, and business leaders from across the Triangle, hear from three Meredith alumnae about how sponsorship has influenced their career trajectories, and discover strategies to move women forward in the workplace.

Sponsoring Strong Women to Success
Tuesday, March 28, 2017 | 5:30 p.m.
Meredith College, Johnson Hall Rotunda
Register by March 24

Meet the Panelists:

Josephine Cooper, ’67
Josephine Cooper is the CEO of Josephine Cooper LLC, a public affairs consulting firm that provides crisis management, public policy, and communications services to companies, associations, and individuals. Prior to founding the firm in 2011, she served for almost seven years as group vice president for public policy and government/industry affairs for Toyota North America and previously as CEO of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers. Cooper led the public policy initiatives of Toyota and the auto industry.

Kate Breen, ’01
After earning a B.S. in business administration from Meredith, Kate Breen graduated from UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School with her MBA. Breen currently lives in Atlanta, where she is a manager at ScottMadden, Inc. Her clients have spanned industries from government contractors to entertainment and within management consulting. Breen’s areas of focus include: change management strategy, service design and implementation, and operations improvement.

Angie Ramkellawan Kondub, ’14
Angie Kondub is a Senior Analyst at ScottMadden, Inc., a management consulting firm. She graduated from Meredith in 2014 with a BS in Business Administration and minors in Marketing, Human Resources and International business.

Read more about sponsorship in Catalyst’s full report, Sponsoring Women to Success. Catalyst is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization with a mission to accelerate progress for women through workplace inclusion.

Take advantage of your lifetime services in the Office of Career Planning and meet with a career counselor to develop a plan to accelerate your career. Contact the Office of Career Planning to schedule an appointment with a counselor at 919-760-8341.