Getting Personal at "Women Changing the City"
/As Philadelphia works to build an economically powerful, inclusive, diverse, and equitable city, it is critical that our city is safe, welcoming, and a place where economic prosperity is available for all, including women from all walks of life.
On May 17th at Rivers Casino, we hosted, “Women Changing the City”, featuring four remarkable leaders who each bring their own talents to the city of Philadelphia. Attendees enjoyed refreshments and a lot of coffee and networking before hearing from four panelists:
Dr. Reetika Kumar, Vice President Strategic Clinical Solutions and Market Medical Executive, Independence Blue Cross
Devi Ramkissoon, Executive Director, The Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia
Cornelia Samara, Regional Vice President & General Manager, Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center
Dawn Summerville, Deputy Commerce Director, City of Philadelphia
From the corporate world to the public sector, these women have found their seats at the table as executive-level leaders who inspire and enact change in Philadelphia and beyond. Despite their different career paths and backgrounds, common themes emerged from questions asked by the audience and moderator Jamie Cooperstein, CEO, J. Cooperstein Hospitality Consulting, LLC.
Experiencing and facing inequalities
As women in the workplace, the path to success has not always been easy. Summerville noted that throughout her professional career, she often worked with predominantly white men, prompting her to “deliver, and overdeliver, to gain trust and to gain respect” among her colleagues and the business community. When asked about how she has handled any discrimination in the workforce, Dr. Kumar said, “I’ve left jobs before. I’d encourage everyone to make sure that you find a place where your talents are appreciated. I hope that injustices in the workplace improve, but until then, we can either complain, or we can learn to work the system, speak up when we can, support each other as women, and keep working hard.”
Prioritizing mental health
When asked about how they tend to their mental health, the four panelists agreed that prioritizing mental health is essential to succeed personally and professionally. Dr. Kumar noted, “If someone has diabetes, they can take medication and make changes to treat it. Mental health should be the same. My seven-year-old sees a therapist and I recently started seeing one, and it’s made a big difference”. When Ramkissoon was called to assist with the humanitarian crisis of Afghan evacuees coming to Philadelphia, she recalled that every day, she would hear the traumatic stories of hundreds of people who had to flee Afghanistan, and that it affected her greatly. “I realized I needed to take a step back and make sure my own mental health was on track if I wanted to help other people,” she said.
Speaking up
Perhaps one of the most significant commonalities among these four leaders was their emphasis on “speaking up” and not being afraid to use their voices to enact change. Whether it’s bringing new ideas to the table, admitting to those close to you that you’re struggling with your mental health, addressing microaggressions and injustices in the workplace, or raising awareness about important social causes, all of the panelists agreed that it’s important to speak up, even if it feels uncomfortable.
Overcoming cultural pressures
Their roads to success were not without trials and challenges. For Dr. Kumar and Samara, who came from India and Israel respectively, they broke free of certain cultural and societal expectations. Samara explained, “I grew up in a culture where women may or may not get an education; they’re expected to get married, to have and raise kids. For me to leave Israel, travel the world, live in different cities… I came a long way from what was expected of me.”
Staying involved in, and improving, our communities
Professionally, all four women have proven their dedication to improving lives of others in their respective career paths. When asked about what they would like to see happen in Philadelphia, they raised a number of issues that they’re passionate about: building a greener, more sustainable city, recognizing certain disadvantages in Black, Brown, and immigrant communities, improving schools and educational systems, supporting small and local businesses, fighting for women’s rights, pushing for affordable housing, among others.
Growing as leaders
All of the panelists agreed that as leaders, it’s paramount to never stop learning. “We should never stop learning from others, evolving, or educating ourselves,” Samara noted. Ramkissoon agreed, adding that she wants “to be the one who did the homework, is prepared and stays informed.” Summerville, who described herself as a results-driven leader, said “I believe in getting used to feeling uncomfortable in different roles and situations,” adding that as a leader, she wants to make sure that everyone has a seat at the table and has room to grow.
“Women Changing the City” is a series of events where accomplished women from the business community reveal the inner strength, vision and imagination that leads to motivation, influence and positive change. Events include time for Q&A and plenty of networking.
Thank you to our sponsors for making this event possible: Republic Bank, Rivers Casino, ITData, Temple University School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management (STHM) , and PIDC.
Don’t miss another exciting Center City Business Association event - check out the upcoming schedule here.