by Gini Dupasquier, Lee Smith and Karolina Wrobel

It’s a wrap! We just finished the last and sixth month of the PWA Mentoring Program. Accordingly, all Mentors and Mentees, should by now have revised their goal lists, ideally leaving a fat check-mark by each one of them.
Now we would like to test whether this is actually the case through the recently launched on-line Feedback Survey. The main outcomes of this survey will be shared with all PWA Members early in 2012.

Let us give you some insights into the current state of the project. There have been some significant changes in the organizational set-up of the program. As already mentioned in previous communications, Valerie Ryder is stepping down from the Program Leader role.
Her shoes will be filled by Gini Dupasquier, a mentee in the 2010 program and a mentor in this year’s edition, who, through her consulting business, is engaged professionally in helping companies achieve better gender balance. Gini will lead the 2012 PWA Mentoring Program supported by Lee Smith, whom you already know from this year’s Program, and Karolina Wrobel, another new entry in the team.

We would like to take the opportunity to thank Valerie for her commitment and the amazing job done so far. We will do our best to keep up with the high standards she set.

The 2012 Edition of the PWA Mentoring Program kick-off is scheduled for March 2012. We will keep you updated as the new application deadlines and all relevant details firm up.
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email us

by Lee Smith, PWA Milan Mentoring Program Coordinator

PWA Milan is pleased to announce that the second edition of its successful Mentoring Program is now underway.

We originally expected to match 12-15 mentoring pairs. However, we soon realized the amount of women interested in being mentors and mentees far exceeded those numbers. We received a total of 35 mentee applications and 22 for mentors. As some mentors were able to work with more than one mentee, we were able to match 26 pairs, nearly twice our original goal. Overall, there are 45 women taking part in this program – which amounts to about 25% of PWA membership.

It’s worth pointing out that of the 22 mentors:
• 6 are returning mentors, after participating last year as well: Rosanna Cella, Giovanna D’Alessio, Nicoletta Scannavini, Lee Smith, Monique Svazlian, and Valerie Ryder
• 5 are on the list of Ready-for-Board Women: Joyce Bigio, Donatella Ceccarelli, Grazia Francolini, Paola Mercante, and Patrizia Misciattelli

The program launched May 21 with the Mentoring Skills Workshop for all program participants which was full of energy and enthusiasm – especially considering it started at 9am on a Saturday morning! We would like to thank board member Maria Lassila for joining us and providing organizational and moral support before and during the workshop.

The Mentoring Program will last 6 months; mentoring pairs meet an hour a month, hopefully getting together twice before summer vacations start. It’s inspiring to see how much women can help each other, dedicating just an hour a month!

We look forward to sharing this year’s program results with you at the end of the year, and in the meantime, we wish all of our Mentoring pairs successful and productive sessions.

by Silvia Siliprandi and Valerie Ryder

PWA launches the second edition of the Mentoring Program

Valerie Ryder, Professional Development Director, and Lee K. Smith, Program Coordinator, opened the event “Moving Mountains through Mentoring” by reviewing details of the current program. This year PWA is going to select between 12 and 15 pairs. Aspiring mentors and mentees were able to submit their application through May 4th, 2011 (application period is now closed). A number of Mentors from the 2010 program have confirmed their willingness to serve again in this year’s edition (attesting to the satisfaction and other benefits they gained), as have several PWA members who have been named as Ready-for-Board Women. Criteria for matching are based on the correspondence between Mentee objectives and Mentor profiles. Once those criteria are met, priority will be given to applicants with a longer membership period with PWA. Results will be communicated within the first half of May and selected participants will be required to attend the free Mentoring Skills Workshop on Saturday morning, May 21st.

In order to illustrate the effectiveness of mentoring, PWA invited four of the 2010 Mentees to share their experience with the audience. Stella Hodkin, Communication Manager at Arancho Doc and Lee K. Smith’s Mentee, told the participants how helpful it was to count on her Mentors’ guidance while going through a time of major changes both on a personal and a professional level. She found it to be truly a privilege to be listened to very attentively and by an experienced professional willing to find time to talk only about her mentee and her goals.

The second testimonial was from Sonia Parise, Relationship Manager at Vontobel Asset Management and Nicoletta Zappatini’s Mentee, who started the Mentoring program wishing to grow as a senior sales manager. Coming from the (still) male-dominated finance world, Sonia felt the need to draw upon the know-how of a more experienced woman dealing with the same challenges she faced every day. Sonia had in mind clearly which areas she wanted to improve upon: sales, negotiation and networking – which she did indeed strengthen. There was more. Her mentor’s valuable feedback allowed her the confidence and ability to express her own management style.

Cristina del Rey, sales programs manager and Monica Giordani’s Mentee, also shared her positive mentoring experience. Cristina chose to take part to the Mentoring program during her maternity leave, when her life was changing in many ways and she wanted to invest time in focusing on her next steps. She treasured the insights she gained thanks to her Mentor, a major one being the discovery of her vocation, which she is actively pursuing.

The final Mentee account was heard from Gini Dupasquier, founder of DonnaLab, who took part in a special Mentoring group session with Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, CEO of 20-First and founder of the European Professional Women’s Network. Even if her Mentoring experience lasted a few hours, Gini was able to truly benefit from it. She sought advice on how to promote her own start-up consulting firm, a business inspired by Avivah’s work on gender balance within companies. Gini was surprised to see how carefully her Mentor listened to her, putting aside her own success story and giving excellent marketing suggestions to the Mentees who participated in that morning’s session. Start simple; become a voice for your area of specialty; use insightful and proven data to approach potential customers, rather than merely introducing yourself. These are only a few of the suggestions that Gini applied immediately and successfully in the following months within her own company.

This is just a small selection of the positive experiences of the 2010 edition. Many more have been collected in PWA’s publication “Women Leading Women”, named after the program. Download the publication here

One of the questions that then arose was on what it takes to be a good Mentor or Mentee. In order to be a good Mentor it is necessary to have strong professional experience and the willingness to share it for someone else’s benefit. She needs to be a good listener and confident in giving valuable feedback, keeping the exchange with her Mentee strictly confidential. Finally, a good Mentor must commit time and continuity to the program, minimum one hour every month for six months. In order to be a good Mentee, it is necessary to set clear and realistic goals to achieve through the program; be honest and proactive; be open to suggestions and constructive feedback; and not be afraid of asking the right questions to herself and her Mentor.

by Silvia Siliprandi and Valerie Ryder

Workshop “How to find your own Mentor”

PWA realizes that there is a significant gap between supply and demand of Mentoring programs in Italy, which is why the PWA Mentoring program was first conceived and is now continuing with its second edition. PWA is also aware that it will likely be difficult to fulfill all requests to take part in the 2011 program.

This is why Valerie Ryder, program leader, facilitated a Workshop on finding your own Mentor. In her presentation Valerie clarified that anybody can find a Mentor. No one’s professional and/or life situation is too “unusual” to start looking for one (or even several!). But where to look? It’s better to avoid close friends, family and significant others, who may not have the right experience and be too emotionally involved to be objective. Also avoid your direct boss and colleagues, as this could be tricky, possibly overexposing you, your uncertainties and your future intentions. Do not approach acquaintances with no significant ties with you and people with good intentions…but no time!

Do however consider approaching an industry leader of the sector you are interested in, a higher-up in the organization you work for, a mutual connection who has taken an interest in you, a peer at a professional association, or a community leader. Identify at least three potential Mentors and approach them by telling them why you would like to have them as your Mentors, being honest, informal and specific about your needs. Be flexible about time availability and basic logistics, but do set an appointment to get the relationship going once you are accepted as a Mentee.

Persevere if you can’t find one immediately. If you are unsure about a potential Mentor, ask a question and check if you’re satisfied with the answer. Look for a Mentor with the right experience and who is a role model for you, and also who has the right chemistry that can allow you to cultivate a strong and long-lasting professional connection or even a friendship. Do not postpone your search. If you think you need a Mentor, the time to get moving is NOW!

Valerie Ryder, Executive Coach & Consultant at Ryder & Associates, served as Mentor in the 2010 edition and invited her own Mentee, Chiara Cappelletti, Chemical Engineer and Development Technologist at BP Technology Centre near London, to share her experience on finding a Mentor after moving to the UK and subsequent to completing the PWA program. Chiara approached a successful young manager working in her company, several levels above her, asking candidly if she would become her Mentee. The much sought-after manager she selected agreed (!), stipulating that Chiara’s immediate manager be aware of the Mentoring relationship (standard practice). Chiara has effectively started her Mentorship within her own company, and is well-prepared to take on her ambitious professional challenges.

Please share with PWA your own success story on finding a Mentor by writing to professional@pwa-milan.org

View photos from the 27 April event here

Read La Carriera Rosa’s interview of Valerie Ryder on the PWA Mentoring Program here

Download the “Women Leading Women” 2010 mentoring publication here

Valerie Ryder, PWA Professional Development Director and Executive Coach at Ryder & Associates, facilitated a mini-workshop, ”Self-Managing your Career”, during PWA’s April 6 Networking Aperitivo. Valerie asked those present to share their best proactive professional move. She shares the results of this live survey here along with her tips for proactively managing your career.

In today’s world it is increasingly important that women be responsible for their professional progress. On the one hand, the career options presented to women are exponentially higher than just a few decades ago. My mother’s generation, for example, had the broad choice between being a nurse, a stewardess, a secretary, a housewife or a nun. Mom was a perfect example: since she was too tall to work on a plane and too disorganized to work in an office, she decided to go into a convent, then changed her plans when she met my father, and became a housewife. Now she’s a nurse (although there is some continuity in that she’s still tall, disorganized and religious).

On the other hand, nowadays changing employers and even careers regularly is commonplace and well-accepted. Some employers and hiring professionals have even come to expect to see a variety of qualified experiences. (Mind you, job-hoppers are still frowned upon).

Too often, however, women’s careers are shaped by chance events, suggestions from friends and family who mean well but who may not be best placed to give professional advice, and occasionally, benevolent bosses.

From reactive to proactive
What can you, as a working woman, do to shift from being reactive about your career, to managing it proactively? You can start by making the following reiterative process a conscious part of your life.

1. Define and refine your career objectives for a rolling 2-4 year period. Think big. Be ambitious. Fight off any self-limiting beliefs (often manifested by nagging, pessimistic inner voices) or negative external influences that may hold you back from realizing your potential. Be aware that you can be the best planner on earth, yet there are always unforeseen circumstances. It’s worth keeping that in mind in order not to be discouraged or surprised about unexpected events which may prevent you from reaching some of your original goals.

2. Just do it. Dare to pursue your goals, with assertiveness, self-confidence and creativity. For a variety of reasons, this area tends to pose many challenges to women. Read on for plenty of examples and tips on how to accomplish this.

3. Evaluate your progress. Periodically assess the situation – are you on track? Have new variables emerged? When they do appear, it’s time to revisit your objectives while taking the new factors into account. Setting your goals is not a one-time, static occurrence; rather, it is an ongoing requirement to getting where you want to go.

No woman is an island
This process is simple to comprehend on a rational level. But for many, it’s easier said than done. How do you set your goals, when you’re not sure about what you want to do or are able to accomplish? How do you communicate more assertively and increase your self-esteem? How do you give free reign to your creativity, without fearing possible unwanted consequences? Getting help and support along the way is essential – there are very few stories of women (and even fewer of men, I would contend) who have succeeded on their own.

Building your personal support team can be done in a number of different ways, starting with enlisting the support of your spouse and/or family. Make your boss or business partner a sponsor of your success. Find a mentor who is willing to guide you. Take advantage of your company’s HR department, in areas such as training, career planning, and organizational development. Work with a professional coach. Reach out to peers and other people in your network who can help you in some way.

Real-life examples
At a Mini-Workshop I facilitated recently for PWA Milan during a Networking Aperitivo, I asked the dozens of women present to answer the question: What is the best proactive action you have taken in terms of your career? Following are the word-for-word answers, compiled into five different categories:

1. Assertiveness: Daring, Asking, Negotiating
Changing companies every 5/7 years – Wanting my boss’ job! – Sending out cold emails – Leave my (old!) job – Focused search in new country – Reinventing my career in a new country – Take risks – Negotiate better conditions – Maternity is not an obstacle: let me try and I will demonstrate I can also work – Applying for my current position in the company, getting more money – Proposed myself for a job I had never done before and succeed in it – Ask my boss for a new position – Being honest about what I could offer from the beginning of a new contract – Get husband and grandparents trained properly to support us and give relief from children and house responsibilities

2. International experience & travel
Working for an international law firm – Having gained international experience in my job – Being ready to travel a lot – Having travelled everywhere to learn and to teach

3. Launch own activity
Establish my srl – Starting my own business – Create an independent activity (Iva) – Being an entrepreneur of your own life – Starting a project

4. Life-long learning
Attend coaching school – Going back to b school – Learn new skills (language, computer, business, self-organization) – Discovering my core values and life purpose – Being gender bilingual

5. Networking & politics
Being a member of a professional association – New contacts – Enter politics

There’s something to say for women from the previous generations – they may not have had many career options, but they sure did have common sense. Some of my mother’s favorite sayings, still applicable to women today, are: Ask and you shall receive. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. God helps those who help themselves. Knowledge is power. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. In short, assertiveness, perseverance, initiative, education, creativity…sound familiar?

PWA Professional Development Director Valerie Ryder was interviewed by La Carriera Rosa on the PWA Mentoring program.

PWA Milan ha lanciato la seconda edizione del programma di Mentoring, diretto da Valerie Ryder – Professional Development Director di PWA Milan e ideatrice dell’iniziativa, e coordinato da Lee K. Smith – Mentoring Program Coordinator, quest’anno denominato “Moving Mountains Through Mentoring”, letteralmente “Smuovere le montagne con il Mentoring”. Tra le Mentor già confermate per l’edizione 2011, anche nomi della lista di donne “Ready-for- Board”. La Carriera Rosa ha chiesto a Valerie Ryder di illustrare l’iniziativa.

Read the full article here

by Valerie Ryder and Lee Kirkpatrick Smith

Following its successful first edition, the PWA Milan Mentoring Program is going into round two and opening the application process to mentors in mid-April 2011. Curious about becoming a mentor and what it means? Perhaps you are wondering if you have what it takes. Most likely, you do!

If you are reading this, you probably already have the three characteristics of a good mentor: relevant experience or knowledge, communication skills and willingness to contribute to the success of others.

Don’t be afraid of being a mentor: you will be surprised at how much you are able to offer your mentee by listening and talking. While a commitment, mentoring takes only 1-2 hours per month and can be done at your office, over lunch or even during an aperitivo after work.

Mentoring is not only an act of generosity: being a mentor is rewarding and beneficial for the mentor as well as the mentee. Proof of this is that more than ¾ of the mentors from last year’s program who responded to a follow-up survey are willing to serve as mentors again!

A common theme among mentors is the satisfaction they gain from the experience. There is much gratification to be had from helping someone make good career decisions: “It gave me great pleasure and fulfillment to see someone blooming and developing as my mentee did.” Many women also enjoy giving back to a system from which they themselves have benefitted, while others want their mentee to “benefit from my mistakes”.

And while personal satisfaction and developing relationships are a great motivator for many, some mentors take an even broader point-of-view: “we are contributing to making the world a better (work)place for our daughters”. Recent research has shown that advancing women at all levels contributes to making businesses more profitable.

Finally, mentoring offers tangible benefits to the mentor’s career as well:*

- Mentors gain respect and recognition from others as individuals who are able to identify, encourage and promote talent
- Mentoring a future leader can extend the mentor’s network by providing access not only to the current connections of the mentee, but also to the connections the mentee will develop in the future
- In cross-generational pairs, mentees provide mentors with insights to another generation

An effective mentor in a network mentoring program such as PWA’s is somewhat different from a traditional corporate mentor. To clarify this distinction, we have identified the ideal characteristics of mentors in the PWA program, as well as the roles they may fulfill.

Characteristics of PWA Milan Mentors
1. Relevant experience and/or knowledge. Potential mentors need to have knowledge — general, technical, or skill-related — or experience in a certain area which could be useful to an aspiring mentee. The first part is easy – we all have experience and knowledge. The second part – is it useful to someone else — is where there may be uncertainty. The answer is: it is very likely that it would be beneficial. To be sure, apply as a mentor – you never know who may be in need of the experience you’ve got!
2. Communication skills. Effective mentors are skilled in a certain number of key communication areas, such as active listening, providing constructive feedback, and demonstrating empathy. The training workshop we will be holding for all participants will cover a number of these competencies.
3. Willingness and availability to contribute to the success of others. PWA mentors need to want to help fellow women in their professional advancement, and commit to the availability requirements of the program, knowing that they in turn will surely derive worthwhile benefits in the process.

Reminder: There is no minimum age, seniority, professional level, or educational qualifications in the PWA Mentoring Program.

Various Roles of Mentors
In the PWA program, we anticipate that mentors will play one or two of the roles described here*, but certainly not all of them. In fact, it is widely recommended that women develop a panel of mentors – both women and men – with diverse backgrounds, skills and connections, in order to receive the different types of guidance and support they may need.

Counselor. In this role, fundamental in a network mentoring program such as PWA’s, the mentor is supportive and acts as a sounding board to help her mentee successfully move forward professionally.
- Offers suggestions based on her own professional experience and helps mentee avoid any mistakes she may have made.
- Candidly shares issues related to gender in the workplace.
- Helps the mentee strategize to achieve career goals and weigh the pros and cons of career choices.
- Explains the unwritten rules in the mentee’s environment.
- Assists with strategies for time management essential to balancing work and personal life.

Coach/Advisor. The mentor may serve as a coach/advisor in giving candid feedback, providing assistance with career development, and advising on how to accomplish objectives. Although coaching and mentoring are overall quite different, this is one area where there is some overlap.
- Helps the mentee clarify her performance objectives and areas she would like to develop.
- Offers the mentee candid feedback and provides specific recommendations on areas in which the mentee would like to improve.

Role Model. In certain cases, the mentor may be an inspiring role model. Observing how others conduct themselves and interact with others is often cited by successful individuals as one of their key strategies.
- Leads by example.
- Demonstrates knowledge and insight into applicable informal political processes.
- Exhibits components of an effective leadership style.

Advocate. The mentor may, from time to time, act as a sponsor for the mentee.
- Opens doors and introduces the mentee to select members of the mentor’s network of contacts.
- Informs her mentee about any appropriate professional or educational opportunities she may be aware of.
Note to mentees: Please do not expect this of your mentors – this is a potential added benefit!

As you can see, Mentoring is a terrific way to benefit another woman’s professional development and gain personal and professional rewards for yourself. Giving truly is better than receiving, and we hope you will join our ranks!

For more information on the PWA Milan Mentoring Program, contact us at professional@pwa-milan.org.
• Valerie Ryder, 2010-11 Mentoring Program Leader and Professional Development Director
• Lee Kirkpatrick Smith, 2011 Mentoring Program Coordinator

* Adapted from “Creating Successful Mentoring Programs: A Catalyst Guide”.

As announced, we are pleased to initiate the second edition of the PWA Milan Mentoring Program, with our annual Mentoring event on Wednesday, 27 April 2011 . As we prepare for the roll-out of this year’s program, we are already receiving requests from women interested in participating. In order to make applying as clear-cut as possible, we would like to use this document to clearly communicate how to apply, what the steps are, and what you should expect from the process.

Step 1) Consult the PWA website
We are striving to be diligent in providing informative and interesting articles on the Mentoring program, and on Mentoring in general. Visit the “PWA Mentoring Program” page on our site to download the 2011 Mentoring brochure, find about participation requirements, read about coaching vs. mentoring, and more.

Step 2) Attend the Networking Aperitivo “Self-Managing Your Career” – 6 April
This optional networking event is open to all PWA Milan members and guests. A mini-workshop will be held on the subject of self-managing your career, increasingly important in today’s world. Mentoring is clearly one of the ways in which you can proactively shape your professional progress. The program organizers will be available to answer any related questions you may have.

Step 3) Submit the PWA Mentoring Program Application Form – 13 April to 4 May
The 2011 application forms are now available on the PWA website. Submitting a completed form during the application period, open from Wed. 13 April through Wed. 4 May, is the only way for eligible members to apply for the program. Depending on the role you are applying for, you should fill out a Mentor or Mentee Profile (or both), which will help us endeavor to find you the right match.

Step 4) Attend the PWA Mentoring Event – “Moving Mountains through Mentoring” – 27 April
Our second annual Mentoring event is open to all women who are interested in furthering their careers through mentoring, whether PWA members or guests. The evening will have two parts: 1) testimony from Mentees of the 2010 program on how their lives were impacted, along with distribution of our “Women Leading Women” mentoring publication, and 2) a presentation on How to Find a Mentor. In this mini-course, we will learn proven tips and techniques for making mentoring happen outside the PWA Milan program as well. Attendance at this event is not a prerequisite for participating in the mentoring program, although it is highly recommended.

Step 5) Receive email notification on the success of being matched – 14 May
After the close of the application period (4 May), we will evaluate all applications received. Pairs will be matched based on the level of relevance between objectives stated by the Mentee and available Mentor experience and skills. All applicants will be notified via email by 14 May of our level of success in identifying an appropriate match.

Note about Participation: Based on last year’s program and in order to ensure a high-quality experience to participants, we are limiting the Mentor/Mentee pairs to 12-15 in total. Given the level of interest expressed in the program so far, we may receive more applications than we can fulfill. Applicants who are not successfully matched will receive priority during the matching process of next year’s edition of the Mentoring program, after re-application.

Step 6) Attend the Mentoring Skills Workshop – Saturday, 21 May
At this half-day workshop, you officially meet your Mentor/Mentee partner. In addition to getting your relationship started, it is designed to impart some of the skills needed to ensure the success of your mentoring partnership. These include: do’s and don’ts of good mentoring, active listening and other communication skills, topics to bring to mentoring sessions, and how to get the most out of being a Mentor or a Mentee. Participation in this event is mandatory for all first-time participants in the Mentoring program.

Step 6) Have Your Mentoring Sessions – May to November
The actual Mentoring sessions will begin anytime after the Mentoring workshop and last for six months. Mentoring pairs will meet for one hour or more per month, in person or via phone/video-conference. In order to ensure a good start to your Mentoring relationship, we strongly encourage you meet twice before leaving for your summer vacations.

Step 7) Check-ins and feedback requests – June to December
We will be checking-in with each Mentoring pair at the end of June and at various times during the program as needed to make sure the Mentoring relationships are running smoothly. Coaching and guidance on the mentoring process is available to those interested. We will be asking for participant feedback at the end of the program to hear about your takeaways, experiences, and benefits as well as recommendations for improvement.

If you have further questions about the application process or about the program itself, please don’t hesitate to contact us at professional@pwa-milan.org

• Valerie Ryder, 2010-11 Mentoring Program Leader and Professional Development Director
• Lee K. Smith, 2011 Mentoring Program Coordinator

Wednesday, 27 April 2011 Speaker Event: Moving Mountains through Mentoring

Do you need to decide your next step in your current job and wish you could consult with somebody with experience to give you unbiased advice? Are running your own business and wishing you had some guidance from someone who’s done it before? Would it help you to have someone to turn to for advice on a regular basis to keep you on track?

“Building your career without mentors is like climbing Mt. Everest without a guide and a Sherpa. Sure, you can attempt it, but why would you?” – Patty Azzarello

Having a mentor is vital to your career success, no matter what point you are at: junior or more seasoned, a small-business owner or in the corporate world, on maternity leave or in transition. Mentoring is valuable for women at every stage of their careers, from university students all the way up to the board room.

In this interactive evening led by Valerie Ryder and Lee K. Smith, you will:

• learn firsthand from mentees in the 2010 edition of the PWA Mentoring Program how their professional and personal lives were impacted by their mentoring relationships
• hear about the details of the 2011 edition that is beginning now if you’re considering applying
• participate in a workshop explaining how anyone can find a mentor and learn proven tips and techniques on identifying and approaching a mentor on your own

PWA recognizes the acute need for mentoring and its proven ability to ‘move mountains’. That is why our second annual mentoring event is aimed at all women who are interested in professional advancement – whether they choose to participate in our program, pursue a mentoring relationship by themselves, or both.

Mentees and mentors alike benefited from last year’s program, sometimes in surprising ways. Their experiences and our initial conclusions have been documented in a PWA Mentoring publication which will be distributed for the first time to all event attendees (both PWA members and guests).

Read more about the mentoring program here, or contact professional@pwa-milan.org

About Valerie Ryder, PWA Milan Professional development Director and 2010-11 Mentoring Program Leader: Mentor, executive coach, facilitator, and leadership development expert, Valerie’s focus is on leading women toward professional fulfillment. Read more about her at www.ryderassociates.com.

About Lee K. Smith, 2011 Mentoring Program Coordinator: Global Director of Retail & Shopper at the market research firm TNS, Lee transitioned from being a small business owner to life in the multi-national corporate world last year. Having a PWA mentor from a large corporation was invaluable for many stages of the change. At the same time, Lee was able to share some of her own experience with her PWA mentee, who was then starting her own business.

NH Hotel President, Largo Augusto 10 (MM San Babila, Duomo)
Networking Cocktail: 7 – 8 pm
Presentation 8 – 9:30 pm

Entrance free for members, 25 euro for guests, payable in cash at the event.

Members, please register in the calendar section of EPWN

Guests please register here.

For more information, email speakers@pwa-milan.org

All professional women welcome whether members or guests

by Valerie Ryder, PWA Professional Development Director

The Mentor and Mentee application forms for the 2011 PWA Milan Mentoring Program are now available. To apply, download the appropriate form(s) here and follow the instructions therein.

Please note that applicants must be current members of PWA, and that attendance at the Mentoring Skills Workshop to be held on Saturday, 21 May 2011 is mandatory for all first-time program participants.

The application period for this first edition of the Mentoring Program runs from 13 April to 4 May 2011.

Questions? Visit the Mentoring Program page of the PWA Milan web site or contact the Mentoring Team members – Valerie Ryder and Lee K. Smith – at professional@pwa-milan.org