RS Podcast

Hear from Karen Gavenda, Director of Strategic Programs, and Melissa Bychinski, Director of Business Development, Value Add Solutions, from RS Americas as they join host, Jackie Mattox, live on location in the latest installment of the WE United Podcast. Karen and Melissa kickoff this episode by sharing background on how they got started not only at RS, but in the electronics industry before diving deep into the topics of women as leaders and mentorship. 

“RS is really progressive in supporting women,” Karen shares, mentioning their Employee Resource Group called Elevate, which aligns heavily with the same initiatives that Women in Electronics is working towards. Melissa adds that the industry has come a long way since her start, and she stays involved with WE because of the continued progression and support for one another. As leaders, both Karen and Melissa reflect on the mentors and mentorship they found early in their careers and how that has led them to pay it forward. They discuss the benefits of different types of mentor/mentee relationships and importance of proactively reaching out to others in need of support.

Expanding on their mentorship experience, Melissa and Karen both cite adaptability as a critical piece of advice they share with mentees, and how sometimes drawing on the opposite of bad advice can lead us forward in our path. “Our industry can be daunting when you first come into it,” Melissa notes, emphasizing the need to have an advocate who is transparent with you and can help you grow. Through their time as leaders, Melissa and Karen share insights in where they’ve seen people derailing their careers, and they highlight the value in not letting the “No’s” get to you and trusting your gut. Ending on a personal note, Karen and Melissa share what makes them the happiest and saddest and some final words of wisdom. Tune in to this episode to hear more in detail from Karen and Melissa!

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