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Announcing Upward Alumnae Council

Posted on by April Benetollo

Momentum is pleased to announce the formation of our inaugural Upward Alumnae Council. The Upward Alumnae Council is the managing body of the Upward Alumnae program and was created to further support the Momentum mission by engaging its membership in three main areas:

  1. Community service
  2. Mentoring
  3. Professional and leadership development

Council members will work together in building the Upward alumnae network, providing educational opportunities for members, and hosting community service and impact initiatives.

Yolanda Johnson, UAC Chair

Meetings for the Council will be held bi-monthly during its inaugural year and is chaired by Yolanda Johnson, Upward Class 1 Alumna and National Director, HR Strategy and Org Development for Encompass Health.  In her role as chair, Yolanda will be an ex-officio member of the Momentum Leaders board of directors. Yolanda says she is “excited to serve her Upward Alumnae peers in this capacity and looks forward to opportunities to continue to strengthen women leadership within Birmingham.”

Other Upward Alumnae Council members, serving a two year term, include:

  • Sam Knight
  • Lauren Leach
  • Jamie Lewis
  • Melissa Mann
  • Kate McCombs
  • Denise McFadden
  • Carson Phillips
  • Alaina Ploski
  • Amelia Ricks
  • Mo Shorts
  • Lee Thrash O’Neil
  • Nan Wagner

Welcome, Katie Hannah!

Posted on by April Benetollo

Momentum is thrilled to welcome Katie Hannah as our New Director of Development. Katie Hannah brings years of diverse and innovative nonprofit marketing and fundraising experience to Momentum. She is responsible for cultivating financial support of our programs and ongoing statewide expansion. She will work diligently alongside our individual donors and corporate sponsors to advance our mission and impact the women in our state.

In her previous roles with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama, Katie created and expanded giving programs, executed record-breaking fundraising events, and strategically led donor communications. Most recently as Director of Marketing and Fund Development at Alabama Goodwill, she led communications, public relations, and development efforts in a 38-county territory. Simultaneously, she also planned and executed the in-store marketing and openings of six new locations across the state.

Katie has experienced Momentum’s impact firsthand as a member of Upward Class 4. She is a Cum Laude graduate of the University of Alabama with a B.A. in Communication and Information Sciences and is also a member of AFP Alabama.

She is a native of Birmingham, and lives with her husband Tyler, their two-legged children – JT and Drew, and their four-legged children – Mulli and Arnie. She is a podcast aficionado and enjoys golf and travel.

FUN FACT: Katie was first runner-up to Miss Alabama in 2014.

ENNEAGRAM NUMBER:  8 (loves a challenge and strong advocate for others!)

THOUGHTS ON UPWARD: “Upward has been a true gift! The experience has provided me with tangible tools and knowledge to become a better leader – both personally and professionally. I have connected with a diverse group of women who have already become lifelong friends who are supportive, motivating, and inspiring to be around.”

OPPORTUNITY AT MOMENTUM: “I know that the sky is the limit here at Momentum, especially being surrounded by such smart, compassionate, and accomplished women! I am honored to have this opportunity and look forward to the growth I’ll experience through getting to work alongside our team, supporters, and classes.

I am excited to roll up my sleeves and connect our supporters and sponsors with the incredible impact they’re making. It cannot be overstated just how important our programs are in shaping the lives of women, and in re-shaping societal norms. I look forward to providing new philanthropic opportunities for everyone to become engaged in the Momentum movement!”

 

The Future of Work and Women

Posted on by Intern

In the ever-evolving business world, it is important for women to ask themselves, “How can my skills today be leveraged in a completely different business vertical?”

Martha Underwood is no stranger to adapting to new verticals. She was recruited to work for IBM as an EDI Analyst out of college. There Underwood was able to explore different roles and learn about her strengths and interests. She learned first-hand the importance of learning how technology can be used in various industries and how to adapt to different business verticals successfully. In 2016, Underwood founded the organization ExecutivEstrogen, which coaches women on utilizing their unique perspectives into practical leadership tools.

These skills became beneficial when the world adapted to the Coronavirus-19 pandemic. Martha Underwood successfully transitioned her coaching services to online, but she did see a decline in bookings as women grew overwhelmed with work, children, and regular stress during the pandemic. Now that businesses are opening back up and individuals are returning to the office, more women see the need for coaching and are actively seeking help to gain clarity on how they fit and thrive in their careers.

That is why Martha Underwood is thrilled to be hosting the breakout session, “The Future of Work and Women,” at Momentum Leadership Conference this March. Women who attend will walk away with actionable insights on how to position themselves for the jobs of the future. Underwood will walk through examples of how they can leverage their existing talents and map them to the job market of tomorrow.

Register to attend Momentum Leadership Conference 2022 today: https://avolio.swapcard.com/momentumleaders/registrations/Start

Co-mentoring Through the Decades

Posted on by Allie Haynes

Each Executive and Upward class is split into co-mentoring groups, which consist of a diverse selection of women leaders in Birmingham. If you are interested in finding a mentor, Momentum has a free matching program.

Some of our groups have been connected for over a decade.  Tricia Kirk, Katherine Bland, Connie Pruett, Rusha Smith, all from class 6, and Katherine’s wife Peggy Vandergrift. According to Katherine, “We are family. We celebrate life’s blessings and we lift each other up through difficult times. My Momentum family has supported me and inspired me, especially when I was diagnosed with Ovarian cancer.”

Alumnae with similar profiles will not be put together. For example, there will never be a group with 5 lawyers or accountants. What’s surprising about the group?

“You would never put this group together. We come from different walks of life, career paths, rural and urban upbringing, ideologies, and so much more. But, we respect and embrace our differences,” Katherine Bland.

Others are newer but just as engaged. Mo Shorts, Alaina Ploski, Carly Miller, Danielle Hines, Efstathia Andrikopoulou, and Felicia Pike are in a group from the Upward class. Their advice?

“Be intentional. It is worth it.”

“All members need to be equally invested for this to work.”

“These women are unbiased third parties and they can give you great perspective on the challenges you face. Even if you are nervous, you will feel better putting it out there for consideration.”

Both of these groups remained consistent throughout the pandemic. How was this possible? The Upward group stayed connected through a daily group text. They also had virtual meet ups until it was safe to meet in person. One participant shared, “I am geographically far from my family and friends, so having this group has been a true gift – knowing I have friends close by and people to reach out to if I need. Simply by existing, the women who make up my group have supported me through what has been a very strange time.”

Having a strong group of supportive women means you can call someone up for a drink or a walk at any time. “What seemed so big, with them, is now so small. They have a way of putting things in perspective.” Momentum’s mentoring program pairs mentees and mentors who share a specific goal or skill they want to work on together. Although you are only required to have a six month relationship, many pairs stayed connected beyond that time period.

The Executive group had even more ideas for connecting through COVID. “We continued our gatherings through Zoom. We even bought the same appetizer tray from the grocery store so we were still ‘sharing’ our appetizers. When it was safe, we had a gathering outdoors and recently moved to outdoor dining in restaurants,” Katherine Bland.

Despite a bizarre year, we are thrilled to hear of moments of support and encouragement. Women need true connection now more than ever. Reach out to Mindy Santo, Mentor Coordinator, for more information. Here’s to a better 2021!

Be S.M.A.R.T.

Posted on by Allie Haynes

What are your goals for your career?  For your life? We like to use the S.M.A.R.T. method to break down large goals into smaller pieces. As you check off each shorter goal, they begin to snowball and eventually you have attained the larger one!

Here’s a great example from Mindy Santo, our Mentoring Coordinator, who wants to promote our mentoring program.  Her goal:  Increase awareness of Momentum’s mentoring program by featuring topics on our social media platforms reaching readers within and outside our network to help women progress toward their goals of skills development, like; leadership, professional presence, or entrepreneurship within their organizations.

 

Mindy’s SMART goal breakdown:

S-pecific increase awareness of Momentum’s Mentoring program through our social media platforms

M-easurable reach goal by end of Q1

A-ttainable increase our Mentor and Mentee pool of candidates by 20%

R-elevant reach readers within and outside our network to help women progress toward their goals of skills development, like; leadership, professional presence, or entrepreneurship within their organizations

T-ime-bound feature one topic every Thursday on the benefits of mentoring

 

By defining Mindy’s mission, she is able to tackle her goal one piece at a time and hit her target.

 

“Mentoring has touched me in so many ways. From the gift of personally being mentored so I could do my thing, to connecting with courageous women who want to be mentored because they want to do their thing — no matter if they’re moving up, out, or laterally — and finally to the exceptional Mentors who are willing to help their Mentees accomplish those things (who may surprisingly get something in return!). All of these people have special meaning.”

 

Mindy Santo, Mentor Coordinator

Mentoring is:

A gift

Up-leveling

The courage to show up, open up, and give yourselves grace during the moments of discomfort

Setting expectations AND meeting them

An unexpected mutual exchange between Mentee AND Mentor

Bringing you’re A-game to serve AND be served

A selfless act of generosity

Fulfilling and SO worthwhile

Paying it forward

Rewarding

Realizing you are a step ahead of someone with your life experience, and that you all have skills and talents in certain areas that can be beneficial to someone else

 

Have you challenged yourself to reach a goal?  Do you need a little guidance?  Momentum’s Mentoring Program may be a perfect fit for you to help you climb to your highest potential.  Check out our website or reach out for more information!

Momentum February Webinar – “Ignite Your Spark”

Posted on by Nikita Udayakumar

On February 23, 2021, Momentum hosted a Webinar with Jeannine Bailey, the Talent and Employee Management Manager at Alabama Power. Along with Momentum’s Katherine Thrower, Manager of Logistics and Events, she guided a conversation with Birmingham women about finding purpose and passion outside the office.

 

About Jeannine Bailey, MBA, SHRM-SCP

We are happy to highlight Jeannine who was part of our Executive Class 15 (from 2015). Jeannine is a seasoned Human Resources, Public Relations, and Communications professional. She began her career with a rich 10 year background in Broadcasting, working for stations across cities such as: Salisbury (MD), Colorado Springs, Boston, Hartford (CT), and recently for iHeart Radio in Birmingham. She carried this experience into positions involving PR and Fundraising. Then, joined Alabama Power (Southern Nuclear) in 2013 as Communications Director. She moved up to a Human Resources Director (in 2017) and to her current position in March 2020. In this role, she leads the talent management team to grow internal and external resources,  employee engagement strategies, and employee development opportunities.

 

To view the recording video, please visit this link:

http://https://youtu.be/elcsWIMEIWw

Birmingham’s Moving Upward

Posted on by Allie Haynes

It can be difficult to stay motivated as we push on toward a world without COVID. We may be biased, but we’re pretty proud of how our leaders are making a difference in our city. Our Upward program was created specifically for women in the beginning of their career to develop the next generation of talented leadership. Here’s just a few of our Upward alumnae who work diligently to create dynamic change.

  • Lauren Leach, Associate Vice President of Planning & Population Health, UAB Medicine
    • Leach has been working to coordinate unique solutions for working parents during the pandemic. After recognizing the need for childcare assistance for over 1,000 UAB employees, she helped strategize short-term relief.
  • Lee Thrash, Donor Relations Manager, United Ability
    • When United Ability closed due to COVID, she had to adapt quickly to continue promoting their cause. “…everyone had to change the way they operated. It really showed us all how amazing the participants in United Ability’s programs, the staff, and families really are – how much we all care for each other.”
  • Monica Aswani, Assistant Professor, School of Heath Professions, UAB
    • Dr. Aswani joined COVID taskforce UAB United on the Incident Command Committee to help flatten the curve of COVID cases.
  • Brenessa Lindeman, Associate Designated Institutional Official for the Clinical Learning Environment, UAB
    • Medical care is a valuable resource during the pandemic, and efficiency is of the utmost importance. Lindeman worked to introduce new technology at UAB that adds apps to patients’ electronic records so clinicians can provide improved patient care.
  • Britney Summerville, Vice President of Community Engagement, Shipt
    • Summerville founded Birmingham Bound, a program aimed at growing Birmingham’s tech community. “The organization is also ‘spreading the word across the nation that Birmingham is a tech ecosystem that should be on their radar,'” according to Summerville.

Meet Alumna LaKisha Mack

Posted on by Anna Benetollo

Momentum would like to congratulate LaKisha on her recent promotion to Senior Associate Dean for Finance and Administration in the School of Medicine.

LaKisha joined the School of Medicine (SOM) Dean’s office in 2014 as the Associate Dean for Finance and Administration to ensure organizational alignment in the areas of Finance, Human Resources and Facilities. Since then, she has worked with countless faculty and staff across the SOM, allocating and approving budgets, conducting financial forecasting, interpreting policies, and managing federal regulations regarding funded research. She collaborates with our health system colleagues and SOM department administrators and plays an integral role in SOM leadership recruitments and retentions.

In her new role as Senior Associate Dean for Finance and Administration she will ensure policy compliance for the SOM and the university, participate in strategic planning and collaborate with the university and health system on all administrative and financial activities. She will continue to oversee the development of the SOM Dean’s Office budget, and will also lead implementation of the University’s Resource Centered Management (RCM) budget allocation model within the SOM and coordinate the Academic Enrichment Fund (AEF) funding and approval process

LaKisha’s UAB career began more than 20 years ago, in the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, where she was a financial assistant in the Center’s clinical studies unit.  Following that, she spent more than 10 years working in various roles across Central Administration, the School of Health Professions, and the Department of Medicine, both in the Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology and the Chair’s office.

In the Department of Medicine, LaKisha was the Division Administrator and Director of Operations, building an infrastructure to support faculty growth and operational leadership across all three-mission areas – clinical, research and education.

A native of Long Beach, California, LaKisha attended Samford University where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business. She and her husband Donald have one daughter, Morgan.

What made you move to Birmingham?

I grew up and spent all of my time in California. I never really had the opportunity to travel much so when it was time for me to select a college I wanted to go out of state. At the time my grandparents lived in Birmingham, so I decided to migrate there for college. I always had the intent of going back home to California after I finished my degree, but then I met my husband and have been in Birmingham since. 

Why did you want to go through Momentum?

I actually did not know that I wanted to go through Momentum — it was recommended to me by my immediate supervisor and I really didn’t know what to expect. Therefore, while I did not originally seek out Momentum, I am glad I agreed to the recommendation because it certainly has offered me the opportunity to become much more self-aware of my areas of strengths and development both professionally and personally. 

What stood out to you the most about your Momentum experience?

The camaraderie amongst all of the women really stood out to me. We were a group of 30 women who started the program without knowing each other at all. Throughout the process, we really got close as a cohort. It was very profound for me to be in a room with women who were all going through similar situations as me both personally and professionally. 

How do you think your experience with Momentum prepared you for your new role?

First and foremost, it helped me build the self-confidence needed to know my self-worth. I now I know that I am just as capable, qualified, experienced and knowledgeable  to seek opportunities for which I would not have gone after before. I am just as competitive as anyone else with the same level of experience. Going through the Momentum experience has put me in the position to know my self-worth and that I have the ability to be able to speak and toot my own horn which I would not have done before. 

What advice would you like to give to women aspiring for leadership roles?

Go after what you want and do not let anything hold you back. If you feel like you have the tools for leadership positions, don’t let anything get in the way of accomplishing your goals. If there are areas of development within yourself then work on those and be self-aware, but know that you as a woman are just as capable to go after leadership positions as anyone.

A New Way to Network

Posted on by Allie Haynes

The term, “Zoom etiquette,” would make no sense just a few months ago, but now, connecting appropriately in virtual meetings is a must. Momentum fortunately got to host its biennial conference just before COVID-19 hit Alabama, but many organizations have had to forgo their usual in-person gatherings. However, Birminghamians are still finding ways to network despite an international pandemic. Here are some upcoming (and fun) events geared toward professionals in our community:

Rebound Bham: created by a host of nonprofit and government organizations, this series shows small business owners how to persevere and grow during this time next event Roadmap Goal Setting Workshop, August 27  at 9 am

Virtual Cocktails & Conversations: Join after work and connect with “social go-getters” in Birmingham, September 1 from 6-8 pm

CTRL + SHIFT: A Virtual Conference for Dreamers and Doers: “take control and shift the paradigm on the outcomes in our community,” August 28 from 12-6 pm 

Connect with Birmingham leaders in marketing, graphic design, and anything artsy through Creative Mornings, an international program with speakers and networking opportunities

Birmingham at the Wine Loft: connect in a casual space and get started on your next great idea! November 10, 6-8 pm

The Women’s Network of Birmingham: get to know a diverse group of women professionals in the city through their networking event on September 10 at 11:45 am through Zoom

Mixtroz: this Birmingham startup expertly features a myriad of opportunities to connect and grow your network. Ashlee Ammons, co-founder, attended our conference in March!

Finding Financial Confidence

Posted on by Allie Haynes

As COVID continues and stimulus checks remain unpredictable, it is more important than ever to find financial stability and security. DeLynn Zell, CEO of Bridgeworth Financial, gave a detailed presentation last month on how to control personal finances during the COVID crisis. Some of her suggestions include creating a budget, establishing savings, and making a financial plan. 

Unfortunately, women have historically earned less than men. “Women are three times as likely as men to say they can’t afford to save for retirement and have significantly lower rates of financial literacy. Women also make up the majority of caregivers, and are three times more likely than men to quit their jobs to care for a family member.” Despite men spending more time working from home, women are still bearing the brunt of the labor. According to Forbes, mother’s work hours fell four times as much as father’s in April, widening the already existing gender gap. Most men worked the same amount of hours, but women were expected to take on additional caregiving and homeschooling responsibilities. The future remains uncertain, but women across the country are finding unique ways to support each other. 

Here are some ways women are gaining strength:

  1. Being vulnerable. “Talking about and sharing more stories about the success of women who took chances, made missteps and still ended up on top are vital to helping more women go after their dreams and not be so focused on seeking perfection,” said Sarah Kauss, Founder & CEO of S’Well. Mentoring relationships are a great way to swap stories and bring encouragement.
  2. Improving emotional intelligence. According to the US Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship, “Investors ask men about opportunity and the potential for gains while women are questioned about the potential for losses.” Reframing challenges and gaining confidence can help narrow the gap. Jean Ann Larson, Chief Leadership Development Officer at UAB, gave an insightful presentation on the role of emotions in the workplace.
  3. Speaking up. “College-educated women make about 90% as much as men at age 25, but only 55% as much at age 45.” Of Momentum’s Alumni, 79% agreed or strongly agreed that Momentum had a positive influence on their attitude to negotiate in the workplace. Delphine Carter, Founder of Boulo Solutions, works every day to help women find new careers. Her advice on achieving professional goals is for women to proudly share their accomplishments in a comfortable way, allow themselves to be whomever they want and, as importantly, learn to support each other on that journey.