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Simran Sethi
EVP, Programming & Content
Strategy
ABC Entertainment and Freeform
ABC's " Abbott Elementary " is a
cultural phenomenon and Sethi
has served as a guiding force for
the series. She added Freeform
back to her purview in February
and helped " Cruel Summer " make a splash with its
second season. Sethi's a mentor to many and recently
launched Freeform's official Greenlight Committee,
designed to provide access and opportunity to employees
who would not typically have a seat at the table.
It's not strictly a leadership book, but I
recommend 'Mary and Lou and Rhoda and
Ted' by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong. 'The Mary
Tyler Moore Show' still contains unbelievably relevant
lessons for contemporary women leaders. "
Stacey Slaughter
CEO
NCTI
Renewing NCTI's partnership with
NCTC in late 2022 and joining the
ACA Connects board of directors
are impressive feats, but what really
separates Slaughter from other
executives is her willingness to dive
in to help whenever and however needed. Whether
that means filling in for a sales team member who's on
medical leave or assuming marketing duties after one
employee leaves and before the next is hired, everyone
at NCTI knows she literally has their backs.
I am particularly inspired by the college-age
women I meet within my volunteer roles. I see
in them an unparalleled belief they really can
be the change they want to see in the world. I can't help
but take that to heart and want to do better myself. "
MENTOR OF THE YEAR
Hines would never have entered into the world of PR if
it hadn't been for a mentor who believed in her from the
start and eventually had enough faith in her to recommend
her as his successor despite her having no experience
in the field and a background solely in marketing.
It was during her time at Nissan North
America that she encountered him, and
her curiosity and his willingness to take
her under his wing led to her shadowing
him for a five-month period. At the end
of the stint, her mentor ensured she was
introduced to an executive who would
later hire her into her first job in PR.
" When I talk about mentoring being a
part of the fabric of who I am, it's because
of that experience, " she says. " It's
because someone opened a door for me
that he didn't have to. He saw something
in me that I probably didn't see in myself
at the time... and it just opened the door
for so many things. "
Since then, Hines has opened her
door and welcomed in a multitude of
mentees from across industries and
her wards have gone on to become executives
at companies like Mattel and
Amazon. Not all of them have come
across her path from traditional conversations
or even chance meetings in an
elevator. In recent years, folks have begun reaching out
on LinkedIn asking for informational interviews around
her career journey, and those have just as often turned
into mentor-mentee relationships.
Terri Hines
EVP, Communications
Fox Sports
strikes a chord with me, and then I know how to tailor
my advice for that person, " she says.
But she doesn't stop there. For those who are interested
in pursuing a career outside Hines' expertise, she tries
to connect mentees to at least one or two other people
who could push them on to the next
step of their journey. " I'm always thinking
forward because you just never
know who is going to be that person
that can help you open a door or
whose advice is going to land squarely
between the eyes and really assist you
in your journey. "
Within Fox Sports, it is hard to find a
program Hines isn't involved in. She is
a co-founder of the Fox Sports Inclusion
Council, which is on the frontlines
of shaping culture within the Fox
Sports community and celebrating
diversity through panels, mentorship
opportunities and the celebration of
moments throughout the year, like
Black History Month. Hines backed the
creation of Fox Sports Voices, an episodic
series spotlighting diverse sports
stories. She serves as executive sponsor
of the BLK+ employee resource
group and has taken a deep interest
in the company's summer internship
program.
In her mind, the best mentor-mentee relationships are
those that are built on authenticity and genuine interest.
" I usually get very excited when I see something in
someone's background or something in their journey that
38
" What I love so much about talking to young people [is]
their curiosity... I'm always asking people questions, and
curiosity, I think, keeps you fresh and keeps you on the
forefront. For me, that's meant keeping me on the forefront
of trends, culture, what's happening in the social
space. What are young people watching as it relates to
sports, and what gets them excited? " she asks. " I get
excited when a mentee can inspire me. "
December 2023
CablefaxWomen.com
http://www.CablefaxWomen.com
cfx_december-2023

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