Gender equality advances when we choose to build it - deliberately, consistently, and together. Over the course of my career, I've committed to that work in many forms: leading employee resource groups, running WILD (Women Inspiring Leadership Development), mentoring women at CU Leeds, and engaging in mentoring relationships from both sides of the table. Each of these experiences has reinforced something I deeply believe: advancing gender equality doesn't happen by accident; it happens through intentional connection.
The International Women's Day theme this year, Give to Gain, resonates strongly with me because it reflects what I have seen firsthand. When we give time, advocacy, and opportunity to others, we gain perspective, growth, and stronger communities in return. Of all the ways I have seen this play out, two passions stand out above the rest: mentorship and networking, particularly women learning from other women.
Early in my career, mentorship changed everything for me. One of my first mentors, Lorna, recognized something I couldn't yet articulate – that I wasn't being nurtured. She listened, truly listened, and helped me see my own value at a time when I wasn't sure how to advocate for myself. More importantly, she acted. She championed an internal move that put me in an environment where I could grow. That act of advocacy altered my trajectory.
Later, another mentor, Mike, supported me through a very different transition. He helped me make a career move out of the organization we both worked for. Not because it benefited him, but because he recognized I had outgrown the role. That kind of mentorship requires generosity and selflessness. Both experiences taught me that great mentors don't try to hold talent in place; they help it move forward.
Another defining mentorship in my career has been my relationship with my current manager, Molly. I first interviewed with her in 2005, when she asked me a question I'll never forget: how I would calculate the amount of water needed to fill a pool drawn as a squiggly shape on a piece of paper. My answer was imperfect and tentative, but what mattered to her wasn't precision; it was that I thought it through, applied logic, and tried. That moment set the tone for everything that followed. Over the years working for her, then alongside her in the industry, and now again with her, I've seen how consistently she creates environments where people feel inspired to step up and safe to take risks. She builds teams that work, communities that last, and alliances that elevate entire industries. Most importantly, she has modeled what it looks like to lead with confidence, generosity, and a belief in win-win outcomes. Through her mentorship, I gained not just skills and opportunities but also a blueprint for empowering others, especially women.
As my career progressed, I found myself stepping into mentoring roles of my own. Some of that mentoring has been traditional, such as offering advice, sharing lessons learned, and helping navigate career decisions. Some of it has been less formal: being a sounding board, a trusted friend, or someone willing to open a door and give another person a chance. Through my work with CU Leeds, I've also had the privilege of mentoring women at an early stage in their professional journeys, when guidance and encouragement can have an outsized impact.
What continues to surprise me is how much I've gained from being a mentor. Mentorship forces self-reflection. It makes you examine how you navigate your own career and why. It exposes you to new perspectives and new ways of working. Watching the women I've mentored grow into confident, capable, and inspirational leaders has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my professional life. It has also reinforced an important truth: you don't need to be at the peak of your career to be a mentor. You can be a mentor at any stage, often simply by sharing what you've learned so far.
Networking plays a similarly powerful role. For women especially, access to networks isn't just about career advancement; it's about visibility, confidence, and belonging. With WILD, I've seen how creating intentional spaces for women to connect builds shared language around growth, leadership, and opportunity. When women learn from others who have navigated similar challenges, the impact is immediate and deeply personal.
While many discussions around leadership focus on strategy, policy, and representation, all of which are important, mentorship and networking are the mechanisms that make progress tangible. I have seen how doing this well can transform individual success into collective momentum.
For me, Give to Gain is not an abstract idea; it's a lived experience. Every time I've given time, perspective, or advocacy to another woman, I've gained clarity, purpose, and inspiration in return. Gender equality advances not through isolated efforts, but through connection, through women choosing to lift one another as they climb.
That is where real progress begins