Nov 15
Career Talk With The Next Generation
One of the best decisions I’ve ever made was to go to Mount Holyoke College. In addition to providing a liberal arts education, my alma mater gave me the opportunity to learn in a setting where I was surrounded by smart, inspiring and compassionate women–several of whom remain dear friends to this day.
Building upon the solid foundation I was given by my late, beloved parents, MHC reinforced that no dream or goal is impossible if you’re willing to work hard and stay open to learning. And when you attend a women’s college, you also see that gender doesn’t have to determine how far you go–a lesson I cherish even more now as the floodgates have opened about sexual harassment and toxic environments in multiple industries.
Mount Holyoke Women: Ahu and me
There is a feeling of sisterhood that bonds you with fellow MHC alums–even if you didn’t connect on campus. I had the pleasure of rediscovering this recently, when I was invited by class of 96’er Ahu to participate in a career panel at Meredith Publishing for visiting MHC juniors and seniors.
I said yes immediately–then found myself feeling more than a little anxious. Put me in front of a camera or on a karaoke stage, no problem. Public speaking? Cue the nerves, intensified by this being my first such engagement and wanting to impart something of value to these future grads.
Fortunately, I relaxed as soon as I felt the positive, inquisitive energy from the 20+ women before me. Given how circuitous my professional path has been, I wanted them to know that there is more than one way to get to where you want to go. In an era when hyper specialized majors are common and millennials tend to think they need to have their entire future mapped out, it felt good to share a different perspective. And to reflect on my varied career.
I graduated from college with dreams of TV news stardom. The winding road of that part of my career took me to places glamorous (Sydney, Australia) and places…less so (Bangor, Maine, Southern Illinois, Dover, Delaware). After seven years in the business, a freelance writing gig for fellow J-school alum and highly-regarded travel journalist Valarie D’Elia led to my next chapter—hospitality PR and marketing. Thirteen years later, I am blessed to still love my job and look forward to work every day.
As I told the MHC students, at graduation I never imagined doing what I do. But now I can’t imagine doing anything else. So thankful to my alma mater for preparing me well for the zig zag trajectory my career has taken. And, of course, for connecting me with amazing women I’m proud to call friends.
Aug 24
Two Girls Nights Out To Remember
This week, I enjoyed two delightful girls nights out.
Wednesday, I enjoyed a much-needed reunion with my beloved cousin Alexandra at Trattoria Bolognese in Midtown.
Trattoria Bolognese in Midtown (photo courtesy: Zagat.com)
Trattoria Bolognese is one of those rare and wonderful NYC restaurants that has been around for awhile. I remember eating there often in my twenties, as it was located right around the corner from my parents’ building. Serving delicious old school Italian fare in a casual, warm setting, Trattoria remains one of my favorites – and a perfect setting for lingering conversation.
Alexandra and I hadn’t seen each other since she glammed me up for my photo shoot back in June, so we had a lot to catch up on. We talked about summer getaways, the ebb and flow of professional contentment and coping when life throws you a curveball.
Alex has been my rock through so many trials and tribulations, a soul sister whom I have cherished since childhood. We already have our next bonding session scheduled and I can’t wait.
Speaking of wonderful women, I also had the pleasure of catching up with my dear friend Lauren. A fellow hospitality marketing pro, Lauren was the first person I connected with in the industry a decade ago. I remember thinking when we met that if everyone in the biz was as awesome as she is, I was going to love being part of it. I was right.
Lauren invited me to join her at a fantastic networking event hosted by the Adventure Travel Trade Association and Colombia Tourism. Held at Barraca in the West Village, the night offered great opportunities to mingle along with delicious Latin cuisine and beverages. Among the interesting folks we chatted with — a freelance writer who has ridden halfway across the country on a bicycle and a twentysomething finance rep by day/travel blogger by night.
The finance gal asked lots of questions about parlaying her passion for travel into a career change. Happy to share my experiences as a career changer, I found myself thinking how fortunate I am to love what I do. The varied work I did before couldn’t have been a better preamble for it had I planned it to be.
And I couldn’t be more blessed to have amazing women like Lauren and Alexandra to remind me of all I have to be grateful for.
