Lawrence Brown, director of economic empowerment for the YWCA, was just one of our insightful panelist speakers for The Apareció Foundation’s 14 Under 45 networking event. Brown explained what his motivations were behind wanting to be a part of the 14 Under 45 panel and his passion for his profession. “I wholeheartedly believe that education and knowledge in any form provides economic stability and increased opportunities,” Brown said.
“My goal is that this approach will exponentially increase the odds to dramatically alter the trajectory of their lives.” The one thing that Brown encouraged students to take away from the event was not to be afraid to take chances. He believes the youth have such a huge influence on the future; we can’t just stand back and watch from the sidelines. “Realize that the future of our society is in the hands of our youth,” Brown advised. “It is up to us, as adults, to equip them with the necessary tools to succeed. Diversity is the key driver of innovation, and without innovation there is nothing.”
Kate Liebelt, Deloitte chief of staff and health care provider consultant, shared why The Apareció Foundation’s mission encouraged her to be a panelist at the 14 Under 45 event.
“I am really inspired by the work Jessica George and her team are doing to mentor young women and help guide their academic and professional choices,” Liebelt explained. “By sharing my perspectives and experiences on issues of gender and diversity in the workplace, I hope to inspire and encourage these young women and my peers to always challenge the status quo and promote inclusion at their organizations.”
When she was just a sophomore in college, Liebelt was determined to work with Deloitte’s Global Health Care Practice.
“When it comes to your studies and career, think big and think outside the box,” Liebelt advised. “The most rewarding aspect of my job is that I get to live my dream daily.”
Todd J. Ohlms | Co-Chair, Pricate Equity/Portfolio Company and Commercial Litigation Practice Groups, Freeborn & Peters LLP
Courtney VanLonkhuyzen kicked-off the 14 Under 45 Speaker Series by key-noting the event on Thursday, June 18th, at Blackfinn Ameripub. She was one of the many academic professionals to give advice on achieving success in the workforce.
VanLonkhuyzen is not only a part of Lenovo’s Mobile Business Group’s Supply Chain, but is also a part of the Asia Pacific Lead Counsel and the corporate secretary and vice president of the Motorola Mobility Foundation. Being a woman with this much experience under her belt, VanLonkhuyzen did a great job of setting the tone of the evening as the keynote.
VanLonkhuyzen shared with us her ten core strategies for success. Among some of her tips for success were finding connections and over-committing.
When it comes to making connections, VanLonkhuyzen often says to “be a person, not just a professional”. By this, VanLonkhuyzen means that one should share who they are with others and listen to who others are as well.
“You need to be authentic as you do that, as finding connections with people is a very human and compassionate thing we should do more often,” said VanLonkhuyzen.
VanLonkhuyzen spoke of other core strategies for success. For example, connecting with other people can lead to mentorship, and can help surround oneself with the better and best colleagues that will help one become a positive person. VanLonkhuyzen also in over-committing. In other words, don’t let changes and challenges scare you, but instead, embrace them.
“If you say ‘no’ too fast, you’ll miss out on seeing how that challenge may have been exactly what you needed. We also get stuck in a routine of doing what is easy and right in front of us, instead of reaching and stretching for where we want to be.”
Over-committing was the last of VanLonkhuyzen’s ten tips for success, but it was certainly not the least significant. Ending on this note was an encouraging way to tell the young girls present at this event to never let anything hold them back from their wildest dreams, no matter how difficult the road to success may seem.
Dima Elissa, Founder of VisMed3D, aided in the discussion by asking our panelist members challenging questions and giving the students insight of her own expertise. “I value opportunities to teach, to share and to listen and learn from others,” Elissa said. “Creativity and clarity are cornerstones of success, be it in a professional or personal venture, I enjoy imparting my stories of trials, tribulations, and triumphs to reach my goals.”
For the event, Elissa shared the co-moderating role with Yaritza Velasquez, a senior at West Leyden High School.
“I was honored to join Yaritza and have the panel discuss and convey their personal and professional views on gender bias’ and challenges in gaining an equitable status at work,” said Elissa. “Having a wide range of participants allowed us to share varied stories, where students could find commonalities and listen to adversity and triumph across the grain of our community.”
Elissa believed that the event was a success for the Apareció Foundation. She agreed that it was an enjoyable evening that laid down the foundation of the organization and set a high bar for future Apareció events.
Jill Hinrichs, career coach, found Aparecio’s 14 Under 45 networking event to be absolutely necessary for the development our youth’s future.
“Mentorship is essential for growth,” Hinrichs said. “There is so much information, so many opportunities, and so many different choices to make everyday. Giving young women access to resources to make the best choices and be informed about what’s ahead will not only impact them as individuals but has a huge impact on socially and economically.”
Hinrichs believes that we are all interconnected and can obtain contacts that can be useful for our successes; it just takes some effort to find those connections and maintain them.
“Everyone should have knowledge of the power of their network,” Hinrichs said. “No man is an island. We are all connected and the sooner we start building relationships with people who inspire and motivate us the closer we’ll be to achieving our goals.”
One of Hinrichs favorite aspects of her job, as a career coach, is having the ability to help someone shift their awareness, take action or move forward in some way. Feeling a sense of advancement with someone gives her an appreciation for what she’s doing.
Hinrichs was eager to speak of the other panel member’s contributions to the event as well. After leaving the event she felt a lot of the discussion throughout the night resonating with her.
“Dayna Dion, Lawrence Brown, Christine Griffith and Holly Copeland all said things that really touched and motivated me,” Hinrichs said. “It is an amazing group of people, I’m so glad I was part of the night!”
Christine Griffith, Time Out sales manager, was a participant of Aparecio’s 14 Under 45 panel, which included some of the top professionals in Chicago.
Griffith was inspired to be a panelist because she wanted a platform to share her experiences. She also found it encouraging having the opportunity to meet various men and women from several different industries and backgrounds.
Griffith explained why having events like 14 Under 45 for youth is important. She stressed that having role models is essential for students in order to be challenged and motivated.
“Having a mentor is like getting guidance for life,” Griffith said. “Mentors will test you. Like a teacher, they know your strengths and encourage you to look beyond what you see and go further.”
Griffith explained that in sales, her day-to-day routine is very consistent, but what she finds most rewarding is having the ability to meet new people, help her customers reach their target audience and be a key role in building a brand.
Some advice Griffith hoped the guests of 14 Under 45 would embrace was to stay well-connected with people who can help you out in the long run. “Get to know people who are in the room, find out as much as you can about them and stay connected.”
The Apareció Foundation 14 under 45 speaker series is a networking and fundraising event that brings together a select group of some of the cities most innovative and leading business professionals, executives, entrepreneurs and academics. From panels to unique networking opportunities, attendees take part in inspired and engaging dialogue centered around creating world-shaping ideas and leaders.
Kimberly Foxx | Chief of Staff to President of Cook County Board, Cook County Candidate for Cook County State’s Attorney
Jamie Czelusniak, Camuto Group designer art director, offered to share her knowledge and experience to the guests of Aparecio’s 14 Under 45 event.
“I wanted to be a panelist for this event to inspire young girls to really go after what they want in their careers, and to reinforce to them the importance of networking,” Czelusniak said. “So many people are at your fingertips with networking technology these days and all you have to do is reach out.”
Czelusniak emphasized that it’s helpful to have a professional mentor for guidance, support, industry knowledge and network expansion. She encourages young adults to never be afraid of taking risks when embarking their careers. Because Czelusniak took those steps in the beginning, she now has a job that she loves, along with the opportunity to be creative with her work.
“I am truly passionate about design and art direction in the fashion space, and to be able to concept new, creative ideas and then actually implement them and watch them come to life is extremely rewarding,” Czelusniak said. Czelusniak noted that her favorite part of the night was hearing from the keynote speaker, Courtney VanLonkhuyzen. “I was so inspired,” Czelusniak said. “It was really empowering to listen to her success story as a female executive.”
Creative Credits
- Written by
- Jasmine Schillinger
- Written by
- Daisy Ruiz
- Photography
- Alissa Pagels
- Retouching
- Brianna Kish
