Felician University’s Center for Personal & Professional Development (CPPD) kicked off its Business and Industry Leadership Series on Wednesday, March 9. The virtual discussion, Listen to Learn – Learn to Succeed Effectively Through Change, Purpose, and Teamwork featured two women who have achieved success in both the corporate and higher education worlds.

Sally Nadler was Assistant Dean/Director of the Douglass Project for Women in STEM, at Rutgers University, as well as Manager of Workforce Development for Public Service Electric & Gas Co. (PSE&G) where she started as a meter reader. She told the 35 attendees that her career path was neither traditional nor linear instead encouraging participants to turn disappointments into opportunities. Thanks to PSE&G’s benefits program Ms. Nadler was able to pursue higher education, eventually earning a master’s degree. She moved from meter reader to customer service, eventually making the leap into management through union leadership. It was a pathway she observed and took advantage of through a series of thoughtful maneuvers and education. She ran for union office, became a shop steward, and then chairperson of her location. When the time came to be ready to apply for a management position she had another tool in her toolkit, which was knowledge of how a collective bargaining unit and a collective bargaining agreement worked.

The event also featured Eneri Gonzalez-Matias, Global Change Manager for Ernst & Young (EY) who spoke of the importance of purpose in an ever-changing world. She told participants that according to research, leading with personal purpose has a positive impact on fulfillment, motivation, and performance, urging attendees to and it will keep you going.” Ms. Gonzalez-Matias, who has been with EY for 25- years also told participants to expect and plan for change and be ready to pivot when necessary. She shared statistics with the group showing that purpose-driven individuals report feeling more satisfaction, are less likely to have serious health problems, and are more likely to have meaningful relationships. Regarding teamwork, she noted that, “a team harnesses the skill sets of the different individuals to achieve a common goal. The ability to work well in a team environment is crucial for your success and the success of your organization.” Ms. Gonzalez-Matias encouraged the group to invest in themselves by being life-long learners, honing their skills along the way.

The second Virtual Leadership Series event: Crafting & Navigating Your Career Pathway, It’s Never a Straight Line, will be held via zoon on Thursday, March 24. The Presentation will feature two leading healthcare leaders, including John Martins, President and incoming CEO of Delivery Cross Country Healthcare group, and Jeffrey W. Chapman, MS, Associate Principal Scientist of Merck.

The event is open to all staff, students, faculty, and leadership.

To access a recording of Listen to Learn – Learn to Succeed Effectively Through Change, Purpose, and Teamwork, click this zoom link (Passcode: jveq8=P^)