In this episode, we welcome Lee Ann Kline, the President and Founder of STEM Advantage. STEM Advantage is a non-profit that mentors, prepares and inspires women and underserved communities to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

STEM’s overarching vision is “Advancing Equity Through Education” by providing economic and social mobility to underserved groups, supplying a vetted pipeline of diverse talent to businesses, and subsequently helping address components of the racial wealth gap.

In this episode, we welcome Kevin Laird. Kevin is the Director of Advisory Services for the Oracle Governance, Risk, and Compliance Practice at KPMG. Kevin discusses mentoring, his involvement with STEM Advantage and THRIVE, two organizations focused on mentoring college students and the newly hired in the workforce. 

Kevin’s focus with both STEM Advantage and THRIVE is to help college students navigate college, and also help students get their first role right out of college. A lot of what Kevin talks about is applicable to employees of any age or length of time in their career.  Kevin talks about the mentoring process, focusing specifically on the responsibility of the mentor and the mentee.  Finally, Kevin provides examples of the effectiveness of the mentoring process.  

In this episode, we welcome Kevin Laird. Kevin is the Director of Advisory Services for the Oracle Governance, Risk, and Compliance Practice at KPMG. Kevin discusses the people side of management by offering insight and wisdom for hiring and promoting, as well as challenges he sees today and what a person should already be doing today to earn that next level of responsibility. 

In discussing "hiring" and "promoting" people, Kevin talks about having the "can do attitude and skill set" and how staying relevant in your field of discipline is critical.  Kevin also talks about the hard truth that you should already be doing work at the next level up to be considered for a promotion.  Kevin touches on being the consummate professional and team player, and how knowing your own skill set, strengths and weaknesses mix with the organization and your specific teammates. Kevin talks about what it means to be the best team member and asks "what are you doing to take the initiative to be the best team player and teammate you can for others."  Kevin discusses key challenges he sees in today's workplace, how failure can be a good thing and a great learning opportunity, and how you need to know precisely what you do and how it affects the organization.