Category: Updates

We have an exciting event planned for January 18th @ 12pm EST!
Special guests from WOMEN Unlimited, a world-renowned organization focusing
on developing women leaders in major corporations – Dr. Rosina Racioppi and
Amy Gonzales – will present The Art of the Ask.

“I really love self-promotion”…. Said no one we’ve ever met!

While we know that positive self-promotion is necessary, there is a real and
difficult double bind for women.

If we don’t speak up and showcase our work, we are overlooked. However,
women who do self-promote are often labeled as too arrogant or self-serving.

In this session, Rosina and Amy will identify the key practices that will enable you
to be recognized as strong contributors, advocate for opportunities, and increase
confidence and effectiveness in asking for – and getting – what you want.
Focus includes:

• Articulate your value and contributions, in a positive way;
• Increase confidence in effectively asking for opportunities;
• Practical strategies to overcome the “double-bind” for women who self-
  advocate; and,
• Tips for remote visibility.

Speaker Bios:

Rosina L. Racioppi, Ed.D.
President and Chief Executive Officer

As President and Chief Executive Officer of WOMEN Unlimited, Inc., Dr. Rosina Racioppi spearheads her organization’s initiatives to help Fortune 1000 companies cultivate the talent they need for ongoing growth and profitability. Under her leadership, WOMEN Unlimited, Inc. successfully partners with organizations across a wide range of industries to develop their high-potential women and to build a pipeline of diverse and talented leaders.

By overseeing the management of programs and services nationwide, Dr. Racioppi is actively involved in helping organizations meet the challenges of a continually changing global economy. Additionally, she analyzes and develops new business opportunities; works with current Fortune 1000 partners to assess and update offerings to their high-potential women; and ensures that WOMEN Unlimited, Inc. is in sync with the needs of its present and potential partners.

Dr. Racioppi’s past experience makes her singularly qualified to understand the needs of partner organizations. Prior to joining WOMEN Unlimited, Inc., she held executive management positions in human resources at Degussa Corporation, Nextran (a division of Baxter Corporation) and Beechwood Data Systems. She has over 25 years’ experience in Organization Planning and Development,
Compensation and Benefits, Training and Development, Safety, Quality Management, Staffing and Employee Relations.

Dr. Racioppi earned her doctorate in education from the University of Pennsylvania. Her dissertation, “Women’s Mentoring Wisdom” focuses on how women use and fail to use mentoring at the all-important mid-career level. She earned a Master of Science in Education from the University of Pennsylvania, a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University and is certified in the Hay Job
Evaluation Process and the Crosby Total Management System.

Additionally, Dr. Racioppi serves on the Advisory Council for the University of
Pennsylvania CLO Alumni Network and the Advisory Board of the New Historia.

Amy Gonzales
Vice President of Global Learning and Development

Amy Gonzales is Vice President of Global Learning and Development for WOMEN Unlimited, where she oversees the development and management of programs globally to ensure they align with and support the corporate partners’ strategies to advance women in a continually changing environment. In addition to her work with WOMEN Unlimited, Amy runs a consulting practice, AG Leadership, which focuses on executive presence, leadership effectiveness and communication, challenging leaders to have broader impact and build stronger relationships.

Amy has worked with thousands of individuals and dozens of global companies and organizations in the United States, Europe and Asia Pacific. She has a special interest in women’s leadership, which includes research studies on the glass ceiling, mentoring, and career advancement for women. She has been honored by Lifetime Television for Women in recognition of her commitment to achieving parity in the workplace, and serves as a board member for Mercy Beyond Borders.

Worth Noting: Amy possesses the ability to build rapport and powerful dialogue with both new managers and senior executives, quickly creating an environment for real growth. Her coaching style is direct, perceptive, and always practical. She holds degrees in Organizational Behavior and Management from Lasell College and the University of San Francisco.

Join Us For a Fun Event of Axe Throwing and Networking!

Who?	Active Members of SWE
When?	December 14th 6pm
Where?	BATL CHARLOTTE PLAZA MIDWOOD 933 Louise Ave, Charlotte, NC 28205

Admission will be covered by SWE, please RSVP to [email protected]
to reserve your spot by Dec. 10th!

Looking forward to see you!

Join our November meeting to hear from our very own Christine Cathcart about the benefits of being a SWE member.

Register here!

Topic: SWE Membership Benefits

This session will focus on the benefits of SWE but will also include some information on the structure of SWE as well as the opportunities available within SWE for members.

Date and Time: November 15th @ 5.30pm EST via Zoom

Speaker Bio:

Ms. Cathcart is a registered professional mechanical engineer with over 30 years of experience in design and test, systems engineering, and program management. Chris holds a BSME from Kansas State University and an MBA from Maryville University St. Louis. She currently works as a Technology Senior Project Leader for Corning, Inc. Her career has consisted of work in the aerospace industry including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Gulfstream Aerospace.

Chris is a Fellow of SWE and has held many different leadership positions within SWE. She is currently the local Section Treasurer and is serving on the Finance Committee. Her SWE interests focus on outreach and professional development. She has been a SWE member for over 25 years.

Chris has served for several years as a Leadership Committee Coach for SWE. Through this position she helped assemble various presentation about SWE, Leadership, Management, and other learning areas for SWE members. The focus of these presentations was the Section Leadership and Membership.

In our September meeting we featured Tom Clark, Manager, Global Learning and Leadership Development and Program Manager, Global Emerging Leaders (GEL) Program, Corning Optical Communications.

 Register here: Registration Form

Date and Time: Tuesday, September 26th @ 5 pm via Zoom

Speaker Bio:

Tom Clark has served as the Corning Optical Communications Global Learning and Leadership Development Manager since November 2013. In this role, Tom is responsible for developing and executing the L&LD strategy across COC which includes the design, development, and implementation of professional skill development solutions as well as leadership development opportunities. Tom is also responsible for the
Optical Commercial Operations learning function that includes role-based skill development,
product knowledge, orientation, and new hire training.

In 2015 he implemented the GEL program in COC and in 2018 he became the program manager for the enterprise program. Currently, he is part of team that is partnering with Harvard Executive Education to redesign the program which will be implemented in September of 2022.

Tom is part of the Diversity in Action team that is responsible for developing the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategy for COC. His responsibilities include leading specific projects and initiatives in the DEI program portfolio, advising the COC Diversity Council, and facilitating global Cultural Conversations that address social issues that are impacting employees in their daily lives.

Tom is also responsible for facilitating the development and execution of the COC HR strategy which includes tracking key success metrics for the function’s scorecard. He is also part of the team that has been charged with driving change in the corporate HR function by creating content and initiatives for the Moments That Matter project.

Prior to joining Corning, Tom served as the Consumer Technology Learning Manager at Bank of America where he was employed for 13 years.

A Connecticut native, Tom earned a B.S. degree in Special Education from Southern Connecticut State University and he holds certifications in Situational Leadership, Emotional Intelligence, Crucial Conversations and 5 Conversations and he serves on the Board of Advisors for University of North Carolina Charlotte Belk College of Business. He has over 25 years of experience in corporate education and leadership development.

 Register here: Registration Form

In April 2023, our meeting featured Felicia J. Murrill, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Program Manager for Corning Optical Communications (COC).

Topic:  Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Engineering

Date and Time: Monday, April 17th @ 6 pm via Zoom

Speaker Bio:

Felicia J. Murrill is the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Program Manager for Corning Optical Communications (COC).  In this role, she is responsible for the strategic direction of the DEI efforts of Corning’s largest sector.

Previous to this role, Felicia held several progressive Finance and Accounting roles within COC, Ernst & Young, and the Central Intelligence Agency.  Her audit and controllership experiences have included driving cost understanding, implementing strategic business processes, financial reporting, forecasting, and developing the next generation of talent. 

Felicia is actively involved within both her professional and personal community, serving her alumni association, company affinity groups, and other civic, social, non-profit, and professional organizations.  She is a passionate DEI champion supporting efforts that create inclusion, equity, and overall quality of life for individuals and communities. 

Felicia is wife to Brian and mother to Bryce-Alexander.  She enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, and playing kickball.  She is a graduate of Clark Atlanta University, a Harvard Business School Alumni, and is also a North Carolina Certified Public Accountant.