Call Your Mom: Seven Takeaways from Women Changing the City Women Changing the City

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On Wednesday, September 21, our “Women Changing the City” event was held at the Academy of Music, where attendees began their morning by enjoying a light breakfast, networking, and hearing from five remarkable women: 

  • Valerie Camillo, President & CEO, Spectacor Sports & Entertainment

  • Dr. Jayatri Das, Director of Science Content and Chief Bioscientist, The Franklin Institute

  • Romana Lee-Akiyama, Executive Director, Mayor’s Office of Public Engagement

  • Mia Mendoza, President and CEO, Mendoza Group, Inc.

  • Leslie Patterson-Tyler, Vice President of Program Communications and Partnerships, The Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center, Inc.

The panel discussion was moderated by Dr. Brandi Baldwin, CEO, Millennial Ventures Holdings.

While the panelists each have different careers, backgrounds, and perspectives – they also share a number of perspectives.  Check out seven of the commonalities that emerged from the panel discussion. 

Call your mother.  When asked what a typical day looks like for them, there was one commonality in all of their schedules: calling their mothers!  For each of the women, they found that turning to their mothers provided them strength, support, assurance, and guidance.   

Establish a good rapport with everyone – from executives to interns.  Dr. Jayatri noted that everyone has a perspective to learn from.  Leslie added that it’s “important to be interested in who people are – it’s kind, it’s human, and it’s necessary”.  Romana agreed, saying, “When I look at my team, I recognize the multiple elements that we each bring. So our physical being, our mental being, our emotional being and our spiritual and cultural being. And all of that is really important to be able to have a balance.”  For all of the leaders, getting to know and learning from colleagues of all levels of leadership is crucial towards becoming a successful leader.

Overcoming challenges through hard work.   As the daughter of political refugees who came to the country with nothing, Romana had the importance of hard work ingrained in her at a young age as she learned from them and their work ethic.  According to Valerie, “some people don’t see the value in hard work anymore, but you have to keep learning, educating yourself on subject matter, and serving as a model for others in the organization.”

Hold others – and yourself – accountable.  As leaders, how do we go about holding others accountable in the workplace?  According to Romana, “start with yourself.”  All of the panelists agreed that in order to hold others accountable for their actions, you need to first serve as an example and truly represent the values of the organization.  Valerie emphasized the importance of building a team of close individuals who are equally committed to organizational goals, missions, and values.  “It’s about what you chose to tolerate,” she added.

Overcome setbacks by focusing on the good and not taking things personally.  As leaders and as women, all of the panelists have faced their share of setbacks and challenges.  But keeping a good outlook and perspective is essential.  According to Mia,  “I don't believe in good and bad days. I believe in lessons and blessings.”  Dr. Jayatri emphasized the importance of self-confidence, saying that during difficult times, it’s “important to remind yourself that you’re good at your job...to celebrate the good things, and build confidence from there.”  Valerie added that in the professional world, you can’t take criticism personally.  Rather, “use criticism to learn and to grow.”

Take risks – and learn from the “no’s”.  The panelists discussed how sometimes, women may shy away from making bold professional moves and taking risks.  Leslie encouraged people to pursue new opportunities anyway.  “Apply for the job you think you may not get,” she said.  “There are so many opportunities – even if you don’t feel qualified, you can learn on the job.  And if you’re told no – that’s okay.  All of my ‘no’s’ have been lessons so far.”  For Valerie, being told “no” isn’t something to get upset about – “I always say, ‘Count me out at your peril’”, she added.

Empower and support other women.  The panelists agreed that supporting other women is not just important – it’s necessary.  In order to succeed in a society where women are often pitted up against one another, it’s vital to stand up for one another, or even do small things like saying something positive. 

We thank all of these women for sharing their insightful and inspiring stories, and we also thank our sponsors who make these events possible including Republic Bank, ITDATA, PIDC, Rivers Casino, and Temple University School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management.