Tag Archives: TechWomen

New Front Yard

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During the last week or so, we have been following up on the water conserving landscape plans I wrote about in August. So far, we have removed the old lawn, brought in new topsoil and decorative boulders, created Paul’s seating area, and placed hundreds of new plants. While I am in Monterey tomorrow with the TechWomen mentors and Emerging Leaders from Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia, John is going to finish installing the new watering system. The last step is to put mulch (bark chips) around the plants to conserve water and protect them. So far, I am happy with the results!  Once everything is complete, I can submit receipts to the Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD) for a refund of part of the cost of this big project.

August 2015:
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October 2015:
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Images Copyright 2015 by Katy Dickinson

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Mentor, Mentee Development by Mentoring Standard

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Mentoring Standard has been honored to provide three training events for the 2015 TechWomen mentors and mentees from 19 countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia, on 22 September (hosted by Juniper Networks in Sunnyvale), 24 September (hosted by the Institute of International Education in San Francisco), and today (hosted by Symantec in Mountain View):

It has been a pleasure to work with such an accomplished, talented, motivated, and inspiring group of technical leaders.  We look forward to the next step – working with this community on mentor certification!

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Images Copyright 2015 Katy Dickinson – with thanks to Kathy Jenks and Eileen Brewer!

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TechWomen Country Introductions

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The 98 TechWomen Emerging Leaders introduced themselves to us today at the Juniper Networks Aspiration Dome in Sunnyvale, California. Each of the 19 country groups had about five minutes to show a video, dance, sing their national anthem or perform a skit to tell us about their traditions and life. Most wore their national dress. They are all so beautiful and talented! We were welcomed by our staunch champion at the US State Department – Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Sheila Casey, were moved by a talk by Mitchell Baker (Executive Chairwoman, Mozilla), and even heard a video poem about women by Bulelwa Basse, the South African poet whom we met earlier this year. The day ended with our beloved IIE staff performing a medley of American dances as a gift in return.

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Images Copyright 2015 by Katy Dickinson

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First Day with TechWomen 2015 Emerging Leaders – South Bay

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99 TechWomen Emerging Leaders have arrived in the San Francisco Bay Area from 19 countries. I am one of the Cultural Mentors working with the South Bay contingent. Erin Keeley and I spent time after their orientation today – giving a tour of the CalTrain and VTA Light Rail Stations, going to lunch, and going to the market to stock the kitchens in their apartments. Hanging out with amazingly smart and capable technical women from Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Morocco, Nigeria, Palestine, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Zimbabwe is such a delight!

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Images Copyright 2015 by Katy Dickinson

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Congratulations to 1st Certified Mentors!

Dr. Jeannice Fairrer Samani - Certified Mentor - with TechWomen

Yesterday, I enjoyed presenting the “How to Be an Effective Mentor: Best Practices Workshop” – the first of two such events for TechWomen 2015 mentors. Juniper Networks generously hosted us yesterday in Sunnyvale, California. Tomorrow’s workshop for TechWomen mentors is being hosted by IIE in San Francisco. At the end of the workshop, I congratulated Dr. Jeannice Fairrer Samani, the most recent Certified Mentor of Mentoring Standard – and presented her certificate. Jeannice has been a TechWomen mentor for many years and we are honored to include her on the Honor Roll.  Mentoring Standard‘s first Certified Mentor was Eileen Brewer – who was also present yesterday to welcome Jeannice into our growing community of remarkable contributors with deep experience, who have done the work of helping people to achieve their goals and grow their careers.

Eileen Brewer, Certified Mentor

What Certification Means
Mentoring Standard certifies mentors who can prove they hold within themselves the following 3 qualities:

  1. Significant Experience in Mentoring.
  2. Good Reputation.
  3. Respectable Professional Experience.

More: Get Certified.

Kathy Jenks and John Plocher, Certified Mentor . Dr. Taghrid Samak, Certified Mentor

Certification Benefits to Mentors

  • Establishes a public record of successful and effective mentoring and growth.
  • Demonstrates a sustained pattern of leadership and career development.
  • Provides objective credentials for an otherwise largely­-subjective experience.
  • Allows the individual to transfer his or her mentoring experience to a new context, job or professional program.
  • Identifies areas to develop and improve both personally and professionally.
  • Documents progression of learning and growth over time as a mentor through three levels: regular, advanced, and master.
  • Creates a long-term mentoring career path from mentee through master mentor.
  • Allows senior mentors to use their own path to certification as an example and guide for their mentees.

More: Get Certified.

James P. Hughes, Certified Mentor

Images Copyright 2015 Katy Dickinson and Kathy Jenks

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TechWomen Emerging Leaders arrive this week!

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The San Francisco Bay Area mentor community is very excited to welcome 99 TechWomen Emerging Leaders from 19 countries – arriving later this week to spend a month in the Silicon Valley, followed by a trip to Washington DC. This is our 5th annual cohort from the Middle East and Africa. In 2015, we are also happy to welcome technical mentees from Central Asia to this prestigious mentoring initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The mentors have been getting ready – developing a professional and cultural events schedule, and meeting with each other at picnics, receptions, and small dinners to make plans.

My company, Mentoring Standard, is honored to provide three services to TechWomen 2015 mentors from 91 Bay Area companies:

  • Two workshops this week for mentors: “How to Be an Effective Mentor: Best Practices Workshop”, generously hosted by Juniper Networks and IIE.
  • Private Consulting for Mentors – Co-Founders Katy Dickinson Kathy Jenks are available to TechWomen 2015 mentors for consultation during October 2015 because even the most experienced mentor sometimes has a specific mentoring question or just wants to check in about developments with her or his mentee.
  • Mentor Certification – Mentoring Standard celebrates mentors with deep experience, who have done the work of helping people to achieve their goals and grow their careers. Great mentoring isn’t the result of completing a check list or training program. Mentor Certification documents and celebrates your past and ongoing mentoring accomplishments – it does not require you to join a new mentoring program or take additional training.

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Images Copyright 2015 by Katy Dickinson

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TechWomen and Mentoring Standard

TechWomen Mentors September 2015

The US State Department TechWomen mentoring program has been holding its opening events for mentors in anticipation of 99 Emerging Leaders (mentees) arriving from 19 countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia to the Silicon Valley at the end of this month. My company, Mentoring Standard, is honored to be offering both Mentoring Certification and workshops to the TechWomen mentors.  Mentor Certification documents and celebrates a professional’s past and ongoing mentoring accomplishments – it does not require him or her to join a new mentoring program or take additional training.  However, we are also offering two optional workshops next week on “How to be an Effective Mentor: Best Practices” for interested TechWomen mentors from about 40 companies.

The Mentoring Standard team has been answering questions by our early adopters and polishing up our website, getting ready. So far this week, I have published an FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page for those already in the certification process, plus updates of three of my most popular reference documents:

In addition, those of us honored to be elected to this year’s TechWomen Alumnae Council held our transition meeting this afternoon. We said our grateful thanks to the outgoing Council members for their great work and started planning for the coming year.  I am looking forward to serving as the Mentor Professional Enrichment Officer.

TechWomen Mentors September 2015

TechWomen Mentors September 2015

Image Copyright 2015 by Katy Dickinson

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