A thank you to those who have impacted and encouraged a few of our M&S Consulting female leaders:

I have two men, and one woman to thank. Growth in being a woman in STEM does not always come from just female leaders, but also from male leaders who believe in you regardless of gender.  

1.) Thank you to Steve Humphreys, President of Kraft General Foods: Steve was my ultimate mentor to push me to handle things well beyond what I thought were my capabilities. He saw in me what I didn’t see in myself, and he placed me in very large, strategic initiatives. He also made sure to set an example of how you can lead, get a ton accomplished, but have fun along the way. He was the perfect mix of professional rigor and personal fulfillment.

2.) Thank you to Renee Weaver, Sr. Director of US LEC: Renee became my boss when I first moved to Charlotte. We handled large technology initiatives for a telecom/CLEC company, and she pushed me to learn, grow, and take on new and challenging roles. She was also a colleague and friend – someone who I could brainstorm with, gripe, and laugh with.

3.) Thank you to Anil Kochar, CIO of US LEC:  I was never supposed to work for Anil. On my first day at the office in a new job, he saw me sitting in the lobby and asked me if I was analytical and organized. I said ‘yes’ and he said, ‘Come with me.’ He placed me as the lead on a Siebel CRM implementation project of which I had zero idea about and trusted me to figure it out. I never did work for the manager that I was hired for in a completely different department and role. I immediately started in the technology team reporting to the CIO.

Daidre Fanis, M&S Consulting Associate Partner

Women in STEM – Thank you for paving the way for those of us who may not have ever thought STEM was in our future. Your determination and dedication helped to make sure we could step into areas that may not have always been open to us.  Thank you, also, for being willing to take a chance on individuals who didn’t have traditional STEM backgrounds and helping us to see possibilities outside of our then-current situations.

Alison McGeary, M&S Consulting

Women in STEM – Thank you for continuing to grow the STEM fields with your contributions. It encourages other women and men to continue to value those capabilities and skills, which ultimately provide a stronger community and economy for us all.

Sanu Chadha, M&S Consulting Managing Partner

Thank you for helping me to build confidence and learn new skills. I have been able to go beyond my comfort zone and show my true ability in a career path I am passionate about.

Bre Zito, M&S Consulting

Thank you for seeing the potential in me and challenging me do my best and to be my best self. Thank you for giving me guidance, but letting me fail fast and learn from my mistakes. Thank you for setting the standard high for what women in technology and leadership can achieve!

Casey Zaitz, M&S Consulting’s Project Management & Organizational Transformation Leader

My letter is to one person. She ignited the spark for me, and helped to burn when I doubted myself.

Dear Madame Curie,

I write to you 121 years after your first Nobel Prize and 113 years after your second to thank you for the inspiration to pursue science. When most people think about a famous scientist, they think of Galileo, Darwin, Newton, or Einsten. But as a young girl in the 1970’s, I thought of you. You, who discovered the mystery of x-rays in a converted shed. You, who went to battlefield in WW I,  learning auto mechanics and anatomy so that you could save the lives of soldiers. You, who worked tirelessly and at the cost of your own life to find answers. Your legacy resides in the hearts of all those who dare to buck convention and who dream of unraveling the mysteries of the universe.

Tracie Ivy, M&S Consulting

Thank you, women of STEM, for paving the way forward for myself and maybe one day my two daughters, so that when we sit for interviews and speak up in a meeting, we will be judged for the knowledge we have and the value we bring, not for our gender.

Hannah Lahmeyer, M&S Consulting

Dear Mentor, because of your passion, knowledge, and work ethic you are an ICON in a typically male-dominated world. Compared to your male counterparts you worked harder, longer, and louder in order to make your mark. You became THE SME, THE Supervisor, THE Leader, The GOAT. In all that time you brought the rest of us on the journey with you, giving us the opportunities and encouragement to forge our own paths and reminding us to always lift and encourage the next woman. 

Thank you for helping to build the bridge for others to cross.

Theresa L. Roberts, M&S Consulting

I will be forever grateful to Daidre Fanis for taking a chance on me. Daidre has mentored me for years,  she has taught me how to be a Business Analyst.  She has taught me how to listen to our clients.  She has taught me to lean into opportunities,  she has taught me how to collaborate, create, design,  and how to think outside the box.  She has taught me how to be a servant leader and a mentor to others.  She has taught me that relationships with people are the key to everything that we do.  People will always remember how they were treated and how you made them feel.

Candace Definis, M&S Consulting

Dear Dr. Holly Wichman and Mrs. Linda Carlisle, thank you for modeling a drive for discovery and an excitement about looking for answers. Thank you for being matter-of-fact about being a scientist, as if there weren’t obstacles in your way because you weren’t a man. You saw the obstacles and you pursued your path anyway. You didn’t laugh at me for asking questions, the way the male Biology teacher did when I was a senior in high school. You didn’t look down your nose at me like the male Organic Chemistry teacher did when I was an undergrad. Funny, I forget their names. Instead, you opened doors and welcomed me in. I won’t forget your names.

Barbara Walker, M&S Consulting

To my female Mentors and Colleagues at NASA Johnson Space Center: thank you for your time, dedication, encouragement, and continued support to my professional career as an Aerospace Engineer. You always pushed me to be my very best, to continue to learn and grow with every Space Shuttle flight, and to be true, dedicated, and support the mission. We always had each other’s backs from day one. You were not only shining stars in the cosmos but true friends and leaders who wanted nothing but success for us all!

Tina Mascaro, M&S Consulting Associate Partner

I would like to thank one of the managers in the computer company I was working at. If it was not for her, I would not have had the career I have today. Although my college degree was in Art History, she saw I was a quick learner and not afraid to work with computers. She encouraged me to join the company full-time and hired me as a Jr Unix Systems Administrator.Thanks to her, I have enjoyed a 30+ year career in technology.

Maria Pelaez, M&S Consulting