“A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.” — Oprah Winfrey

Fueled by a passion for mentoring and anticipation, AMADC’s 2016-2017 Mentor Program kicked-off this week on Wednesday, Oct. 5 with 36 participants. Held at the OpenGov Hub (made courtesy of the program’s exclusive sponsor, General Assembly), AMADC President Regan Lamb opened up the 9-month program by talking about how important mentoring is and underscoring the board’s commitment to the program. Shanaz Chowdery, General Assembly’s Regional Director, Washington, DC, followed and reinforced Regan’s message by acknowledging how the Mentor Program’s mission aligns with General Assembly, which influenced their decision to sponsor the program. Great mentoring doesn’t just happen, so everyone participated in an interactive training led by Linda Keller, Instructional Design and OD. Protégés revealed what a successful mentoring relationship looks from their perspective and mentors had a chance to share their vision of an “ideal” protégé.

The program is supported by three mentor advisors. In addition to Linda Keller, Mike Gardner, AMADC’s Immediate-Past President and founder of ThinkingHire, and Daniela Gilardelli, a small business consultant and past mentor, serve as program advisors and have been brought on to counsel the program as it develops over the year and to ensure that participants get the most out of it.

The program runs until June 2017 and mentors-protégés meet on their own on a monthly basis. Mid-point check-ins will be held in January to ensure participants are on track. A dedicated LinkedIn group serves as the program’s virtual platform and ensures ongoing communications and support throughout the year. To ensure that networking continues throughout the year, two special program events will held in the fall and spring.

“We have revamped the mentor program this year, so we are excited to see how the program will evolve and relationships develop,” says Angela Long, VP Mentor Program, at AMADC. “Networking is a goal for everyone, so we have built in opportunities for mentors to get to know each other, as well as protégés with other protégés. We are looking forward to some great relationships coming out of this program.”

The Mentor Program is part of the AMADC’s mission to provide career resources and programs to marketing professionals throughout the region. The program is also intended to act as a gateway to connecting marketers across industries, which is also an integral part of AMADC’s mission. Learn more about the program here.