On the leading edge

Networking and mentoring the focus of leadership conference

Robert Nesmith
Communications
& Marketing

On Nov. 7, 49 women staff members from across campus gathered to network and to hear about the dynamics of women in the workplace.

The focus of the inaugural Women Leading @ Tech conference—which coincided with the Institute’s annual Women’s Leadership Conference, sponsored by Student Affairs—is to help women in staff leadership positions network with one another and create mentor/mentee relationships.

According to recent surveys of women in leadership roles, Georgia Tech Human Resources Senior Director Pearl Alexander says respondents listed having mentors and networking as the most important aids in a successful career.

“Many times, women can come into leadership positions and tend to feel isolated, as there are not too many other women at the same level in that person’s unit,” Alexander said. “With this group, these women’s paths can cross, and they will be enriched through the networking opportunities.”

Women Leading @ Tech was the result of the Institute’s ongoing efforts to reach its diversity goals. While she says there is still a ways to go in this regard, Alexander has been turning her efforts toward the Institute’s female employees.

“For the last few years, the steering committed noticed that a majority of the classified staff is female and currently represent 54 percent of this segment of our workforce,” Alexander said. Women also represent 38 percent of the targeted population for the initiative. “In Human Resources, we are designing a new comprehensive performance management process. As a part of this process, we want all employees to be [planning]their careers here at Tech. Are they where they want to be? Are there systemic or programmatic changes we need to undertake? We need to give them options. When you have options, you have hope.”

In advance of the conference, invitations were sent to female senior professionals of specific pay grades. Sponsored by the Institute Steering Committee on Diversity, the conference is the first activity of a planned long-term initiative.

Alexander conferred with both the Institute Steering Committee on Diversity and the new vice provost of Academic Diversity (VPAD), Biomedical Engineering Professor Gilda Barabino, in executing the event. Although primarily for women in staff leadership positions, Alexander sought the vice provost’s involvement because “we are one Georgia Tech. We need to make sure we link diversity and inclusion initiatives for faculty and staff. It takes more than one person, more than one office.”

Chaired by Monique Tavares, director of Faculty Career Development Services, the planning committee included Alexander, Mollie Mayfield, associate director of Athletics in the Athletic Association; Marita Sullivan, senior director in Human Resources; Nicole Stephens, manager of Campus Communications in Human Resources; and Yvette Upton, director of the Women’s Resource Center.

“Planning your career is a continuous process,” Tavares said. “Making contacts, knowing who’s who is important. There are many proactive things we can do to be happy, enjoy our work and be engaged in what we do. For me, getting involved in events such as this is invaluable in making those connections. Working with the planning committee is a laudable example.”

While networking and mentoring were the focus, speakers included professional women from and outside of Tech. Helene Gassen Lollis, president of PATHBUILDERS Inc., and Judy Agerton, executive director of External Affairs at AT&T Georgia and president and CEO of the Women of AT&T, joined former College of Management Dean Terry Blum, General Manager of Georgia Tech Research Corporation Jilda Garton, Tech alumna Mary McElroy and Tech’s Senior Director of Talent Acquisition Susan McKoin.

	Jilda Garton	Mary McElroy	Susan McKoin

“Keynote speaker Helene Lollis was outstanding,” Alexander said. “She presented an empowering framework for women to assess their development needs at various stages in their careers. She also discussed the impactful role that mentoring plays in career development. Our panelists—Jilda, Mary and Susan—who discussed integrating work and life options, received high marks, as did the inspirational closing remarks from Dr. Barabino.

“If everyone could leave the forum having met one other female leader they can get in touch with, it will be a success,” Alexander said. “And if they can successfully mentor someone from the next tier, [the conference] will have been an even greater success. We need to make sure we are growing our next generation of women leaders at Tech.”

And in the present economic crush, Human Resources’ goals include helping position both employees and the Institute to work from a place of strength in managing talent. “We could lose the gains we made because we may lose staff,” she said. “Employees are your best source for talent. How a company or employer treats people in good and bad times is how prospective employees see the organization.”

Alexander, who came to Tech 21 years ago, knows how much Human Resources and her personal focus has changed over the years. “When I started working in Human Resources the office was very ‘compliance-oriented,’” she said. “Now we see that as just the beginning. Simply following compliance guidelines will not position you to compete for talent.” She credits the support of Associate Vice President of Human Resources Chuck Donbaugh in evolving the institute’s diversity management strategy.

For the future, Alexander said the Women Leading @ Tech activities may be expanded to include students and alumni via an Affinity Group with the Alumni Association. “Women in leadership roles today tend to have other responsibilities, from caring for children to caring for parents,” she said. “Many times if an opportunity for enrichment and training doesn’t happen in the work day, it won’t happen at all.

“It’s a perfect time for this. We’ve come so far, but how much farther can we go?”