BRIDGE BUILDERS Seeks Connections That Unite the Exchange’s Diverse Culture
As Exchange leaders, Marla Randolph, Senior Vice President for Europe/Southwest Asia/Africa and Denise Hunter, Vice President, Corporate Policy, are often approached for advice on achieving career growth and workplace challenges.
Randolph and Hunter are also the executive champions of the Special Emphasis Program BRIDGE, which stands for Building Resources in Diversity Growth of Employees. Randolph realized that the group could provide an outlet for people seeking mentorship.
“Denise had a mentoring group, and I had about eight people [I was mentoring],” Randolph said. “During one of our BRIDGE conversations, I had an epiphany: ‘Why don’t we pull all this together and do a mentoring-coaching session collectively and allow people a voice and to be their authentic selves, to say whatever they want?'”
That was the inspiration for BRIDGE BUILDERS, a mentoring group that meets regularly on the third Thursday of the month. Each meeting covers a different topic; up to 100 people have attended some of the sessions.
“We try to hone topics that make sense at the time, based on what’s going on in the organization or the world,” Randolph said. “Sometimes, people just want to talk. There’s no sugarcoating; there’s no right or wrong; it’s just people talking.”
Some discussion topics have included preparation for mid-year reviews, giving and receiving feedback, and how to lead with compassion. “You never know what people are going through,” said Hunter, who led the “Passion for Compassion” discussion, which highlighted how as leaders, we must lead with compassion while performing the mission. “We all come to work, but we still have life happening when we step outside the work door. We must help our folks create and maintain the balance required to keep work and life functioning together.”
La Toya Horton, MILITARY STAR Contact Center manager, had been part of a mentoring group led by Randolph when she was still based in the States as Central Region’s SVP and was later part of a mentoring program led by Hunter. BRIDGE BUILDERS brings Horton the best of both worlds. “It has been very empowering and rewarding to see like-minded leaders and future leaders get connected and network,” Horton said. “It is a platform where you can go and share ideas and stories,” Horton said that by applying the knowledge and skills, she gained by being a part of BRIDGE BUILDERS, she received benefits that have helped her continue to grow in her career. “It helped me come out of my shell,” she said. “I’ve been stretched. I’ve been given the opportunity to get comfortable in uncomfortable situations. It’s been instrumental in my career.”
Other Special Emphasis Programs, such as PRIDE (People Respecting Individuality, Diversity, and Equality) and POWER (Promote Opportunities for Women by Effecting Results), have offered support to BRIDGE BUILDERS, which is rooted in the BRIDGE’s commitment to cross-collaboration and strengthening opportunities.
“Most of us fit in many categories,” Hunter said. “We happen to be Black. We also happen to be females. We also happen to be spouses of Veterans. It is a collective when you think of all the different Special Emphasis Programs. Because many of us fit into various groups.”
Other BRIDGE leaders include Program Manager Judy Hathaway, an Exchange quality assurance analyst; Theonne Honey, an Exchange Credit Program operations manager; and Karen Skinner, a recent retiree still active in the program. All leaders have led BRIDGE BUILDERS’ discussions. Judy Hathaway has been the program manager for more than seven years and “believes the program promotes opportunities to improve through encouragement, personal development, and self-awareness.”
The group wants to connect with people outside its membership as well. “We want to engage with the whole workforce,” Randolph said. “We understand that BRIDGE is African-American centered, but we want to talk with all people. It’s an open house, and we took the BRIDGE group and expanded upon it. And we want to continue to grow.”
“We’re not only building bridges across but also building people up,” Hunter added. “We’re building inclusion and belonging.”
BRIDGE members and mentoring group participants receive automatic invitations to the meetings. The next meeting is at 10 a.m. (CDT) on Oct. 20 . To get involved, join BRIDGE by contacting Judy Hathaway, BRIDGE program manager, at hathawayj@aafes.com
