Courtesy Photo | Brig. Gen. Janeen Birckhead, Assistant Adjutant General, Maryland National Guard,...... read more read more
In 2014, U.S. Army Aberdeen Test Center (ATC) created a speaker’s series as a way to ensure women felt included and supported in the organization, never realizing the impact the series would have five years later.
Today, the Women in Leadership sessions, ranging from speakers to panel discussions, have grown to include the total Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) workforce and focus on providing mentorship and guidance from a female perspective.
“The goal of the Women in Leadership series is to expose the workforce to senior female leaders,” said Reygan Freeney, Chief, Signatures and Soldiers Performance Division, Warfighter Directorate, and lead planner for the series. “It gives us an opportunity to learn from other women who may have faced similar obstacles.”
The speakers have ranged from general officers and members of the Senior Executive Service to political leaders, each providing mentorship and their personal insights on leadership. For Col. John Hall, Commander, ATC, these personal insights are the most valuable aspect of the sessions.
“I very much appreciate understanding the road others have traveled to get where they are,” said Hall. “Every Women in Leadership session has given me new perspectives on leadership that I can throw in my rucksack.”
Designed to be short and informative, the sessions are held during the lunch hour to make attendance easier for the work force.
“I’m really energized by each of these sessions,” said Stacy Matassa, a program analyst at ATC and a member of the Women in Leadership planning team. “I can take a break from my desk during the lunch hour and come back to the office motivated by the lessons each speaker brings.”
Ultimately, the Women in Leadership sessions are about more than professional development and leadership, says Freeney.
“Words alone are not enough to make changes,” said Freeney. “Perhaps this can serve as a catalyst to facilitate women's leadership through the action by others for the betterment of all.”
The next Women in Leadership session will feature Ms. Carol Burton, Director, Civilian Human Resources Agency (CHRA) on Wednesday, October 23, at 12 p.m. in the Bldg. 5014 auditorium. The event is open to all APG personnel and residents. The Women in Leadership sessions will kick off 2020 with a panel discussion on the topic “Becoming the AGILE Catalyst” held on Wednesday, January 22. For updates on future Women in Leadership sessions, follow @usarmyatc on Facebook.
| Date Taken: | 10.17.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 10.17.2019 16:54 |
| Story ID: | 348091 |
| Location: | ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 30 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Women in Leadership Sessions provide leadership insight from the female perspective, by Heather Roelker, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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