Ever since I became a member of ASEA in 2012 (then ACOPA), I have been struck by the willingness of members to help each other navigate problems—in particular, how so many of the recognized experts go out of their way to help the newer actuaries.
I remember a time shortly after I became enrolled when I was going through the slides from one of Mary Ann Rocco’s required minimum distribution (RMD) presentations with my boss. We had a question on it, and he said, “Why don’t you just email her and ask?” I thought, “Why would she answer my questions; she doesn’t know me.” But not only was Mary Ann quick to respond, she even sent me an RMD spreadsheet!
It is not uncommon for ASEA members to offer their guidance, advice, and/or encouragement. I have spoken to at least a few ASEA committee members who got involved through the direct encouragement of Lynn Young. And while offering help, answering a question, or giving encouragement alone may not constitute mentorship, there is quite a bit of informal mentorship that happens within ASEA. But did you know that ASEA co-sponsors a formal mentorship program for women through the ARA: The Thrive Mentoring Program? The Thrive Mentoring Program serves all five ARA sister organizations: ASPPA, ASEA, NAPA, NTSA, and PSCA.
The Thrive Mentoring Program Committee pairs each mentee with a mentor that has had success in the specific areas in which the mentee is seeking growth. Mentors and mentees are typically encouraged to meet roughly once a month for about an hour for at least a year, although the program is flexible based on individual needs and availability of the mentor and mentee. Pairs can meet virtually, speak over the phone, or meet in-person (when it is practical).
Lynn Young, who served as the ASEA representative on the Committee and was heavily involved in the formation of the program, pointed out that mentors and mentees do not necessarily have to be from the same sister organization. She explained, “It has been amazing to see the relationships that have been formed through the mentoring program. I initially thought it would mainly be mentors and mentees within their own sister organization. The committee spent an immense amount of time on developing the program and what has happened is you are starting to see mentor and mentee matches between members of different sister organizations, based on what the mentees objectives are.”
I requested a mentor through Thrive recently when I moved into a managerial role for the first time and was paired with Lorraine Dorsa, who has extensive management experience and has succeeded in many of the other endeavors I aspire to. I have already learned so much from her, and always look forward to our meetings.
Although mentorship can be helpful to anyone, the Thrive program is geared towards helping women navigate the unique challenges we face—from balancing family responsibilities and career, to dealing with the frustration and insecurities that can sometimes come from being part of an underrepresented group in a technical field. Not only is the relationship valuable to the mentee, it can also be very rewarding to the mentor.
I reached out to ASEA member and Thrive Mentor Kathy Tompkins to get her perspective on the program. She said “I would recommend it. I feel like I am getting just as much out of it as Zhihua (my mentee) is. Zhihua recently became a business owner, so I am helping her with business operations and managing her workforce as her firm grows. Zhihua loves technology, which I confess is not my strength, so she has been a great resource when I want to compare different industry technology or even just business tools that are available. It’s wonderful having a friend in the business who you can bounce ideas off! We are looking forward to meeting for the first time at ASPPA Annual this year!”
Zhihua Liu had this to say regarding her experience as a mentee: “I'm truly happy to be a part of this mentoring program, and I've benefited immensely. I highly recommend everyone to participate; it's an enriching experience that can truly make a difference in the professional journey.”
Thrive Committee cochair Beth Scheffey noted that ASEA members are “uniquely positioned to have lots to offer as mentors. Pairings are made across all five ARA sister organizations, so it's easy for an ASEA member to mentor an ASPPA member. Also, ARA has recently opened up the program to those who aren't currently affiliated with any ARA sister organization so the program is positioned to help connect our membership with aspiring actuaries.” She added, “I hope to see many more ASEA mentor applications!”
If you are interested in being mentored or volunteering as a mentor, or if you would like to find out more, you can visit the program’s website here: https://womeninretirement.org/thrive-program/.
Tiffany Myers, FSA, EA, MSEA, is Manager, Actuarial Services, at the Cash Balance Center of Excellence.
- Log in to post comments