While we celebrate the women at our PR agency year-round, we were pleased to highlight our Senior Leadership Team, comprised entirely of women, for Women’s History Month. Throughout March, they each shared their insights into what it means to be a woman in leadership. We have learned that to be a woman in leadership means being a force for change, maintaining balance, lifting others, breaking molds, and setting the stage for future generations of female empowerment. We are fortunate to be led by this team of hardworking, open-minded women. Read their full thoughts below.
Tiffany Guarnaccia, Founder & CEO
"While women in leadership roles are a minority now, I am proud of the work that we are doing to drive change. As I look toward the future, I am inspired and encouraged by groups like The Mom Project, which aims to elevate women and get highly skilled women back into the workforce. Simply put, having women in leadership roles is good for business."
Rachel Hadley, COO
"I believe the pandemic has forced us all to take a step back and think about what it means to have balance. I was raised by a single mom who always worked overtime to make ends meet and went back to graduate school to further her career aspirations. While work-life balance has been a hot topic for decades, historically men were responsible for finances while women were responsible for the home. As the entire workforce has taken the last two years to reclaim their lives, we have seen that everyone needs balance. What I've seen through my career is that female leaders are far more experienced when it comes to balance and prioritization in the workplace. As we focus on the "future of work" and what it means to have balance in all aspects of your life, all great leaders will need to understand and prioritize what that means to everyone on their teams."
Jeanne Meyer, CCO
"My leadership in the workplace takes a cue from my love of sports. I'm inspired by civil rights and suffrage activist Mary Church Terrell, who said, 'Lift while you climb,' meaning, it's not enough to achieve personally; one must help others ascend to truly succeed. I describe myself as a player/coach because I'm competitive and love to be in the action, but to me, a real 'win' is helping others score. That's true whether I'm guiding teams to drive our clients' businesses forward or coaxing my 6-year-old out on skates."
Gina Preoteasa, SVP
"To me, leading like a woman is all about reflecting on why there is this focus in the first place, and ensuring that if you are a woman in a position of power, you do what you can to address the inherent biases that affect women. For example, we are not tough enough or are not up for the task because we have other priorities such as our families. The business community is becoming enlightened when it comes to these topics, but there is still more work to do. I believe as female leaders, we must continue to focus on these areas and make impactful changes within our workplaces and communities."
Emma Wolfe, VP
"Over the last year, I've focused on developing my personal leadership style and identifying ways to strengthen the skills that come naturally to me but aren't necessarily the first qualities we think of when we think of impactful leaders. For example, I don't have to be the most vocal person in the room to establish myself as a leader. I can effectively lead by implementing thoughtful listening and collaboration skills, as well as demonstrating flexibility and empathy. Today, identifying and investing in natural talents, versus trying to fit an antiquated mold, is essential when striving to be an authentic and effective leader."
Laura Cameron, UK Managing Director
"I have always surrounded myself with confident, fierce individuals who know what’s important to them, where their boundaries lie, and what they want out of life. This started early on in my life with my parents - they taught me the meaning of being open-minded, fair, honest and kind. For me, these are the foundations for leading in the right way, whether that be with our teamwork day to day or raising two children and managing family life. I know we women play an extremely important role in the future of work - we’re at a pivotal point where leadership will depend on more open-minded individuals who can lead with heart and head in a way that really instills an appetite for fairness and kindness across the working world for our children and newer generations."
– Holly Rust, Account Associate