Lunch & Learn - In Her Shoes with Dress for Success

150 Fayetteville Street,Raleigh NC 27601

08 March, 2023

Description

On International Women's Day, it is fitting to hear from women whose life experience, both locally and globally, has shaped their stories. From heels to construction boots, these women have navigated career mazes rather than straight paths. They will talk about the pivotal moments, the unexpected twists and turns, and the sisterhood that sustains them through it all. Hear from Sonal Patel, Tarkisha Poole, Judith Street and Sophie McMillian! 11:30am-12pm: Networking 12-1pm: Lunch and Learn 1-1:30pm: Q&A $65 | Includes luncheon panel with four speakers, two-course plated lunch Introduction of our speakers/panelists: Sophie McMillian, Senior Community and Diversity Program Manager, BCBS At age 23, without a college degree or experience, Sophie McMillian was managing a team of men in a fish processing plant in Sitka, Alaska. Upon her return to her native NC, she attended UNC and, after graduating, pursued a purpose-driven path. She led programs for Rebuilding Together of the Triangle, helping improve hundreds of homes for vulnerable Triangle residents. After leaving that role, Sophie had three very different career opportunities that would provide interesting but different paths. When tough decisions need to be made, it helps to have a team. Sophie reached out to her mentors, who offered her compelling reasons to consider the path she is now on at Blue Cross Blue Shield. Sonal Patel, Owner of Woodhouse Day Spa From Gujarat, India, to Cary, North Carolina, Sonal Patel’s journey has led her step by step to become a successful entrepreneur who never turns away from a challenge and who knows the merit of female empowerment. Sonal, who has resided in Cary for over 20 years, found herself in an interesting position when her husband walked in one day and said that he had bought a Dunkin' Donuts Franchise and wanted her to run it. A degree in Chemistry, a desire to work in physical therapy and a lack of business experience did not seem to be a good fit, but she dug in head first and ended up running six stores and managing 105 employees. There is so much more to this story that you will not want to miss as Sonal presses on with her newest business venture, the opening of Woodhouse Spa in North Hills. Tarkisha Poole, Community Impact Manager, Coastal Credit Union Tarkisha Poole has been in the banking industry for 16 years in various roles. While her love for community partnerships is evident in the work she does professionally and personally, she is always open to taking the next step in her career. Tarkisha is driven to elevate others and in the process her leadership skills shine. Moving to the next level in one's career seems easy with the right skills. Tarkisha has learned that it takes more than just skills though. When she pursued a role that was "a perfect fit" for her skills, roadblocks surfaced that she didn't see coming and she will talk about the very personal and real challenges of facing career disappointments or setbacks. Judith Street, Broker, Keller Williams Realty, Inc. An accomplished attorney in Jamaica, Judith Street arrived in the US in 2013 as a blank canvas, ready to recreate a career and life in a new country. While it wasn't surprising that her law credentials didn't qualify her for a career in law here, she did think that many of her skills were valuable and transferable to other roles. Ten years later, she says that her assumptions were partially wrong. On top of that, she relied heavily on a single resource to help her with her journey, which turned out futile. Instead, she found that she needed a network and the confidence to reframe and rebuild who she was and with the help of a group of women in similar situations, she found that and more.