Women's Panel Embodies the Spirit of L.I.F.T.

The Penguins and 84 Lumber hosted a Women's Panel as part of their Leading & Inspiring Females to Thrive (L.I.F.T) program on Sunday afternoon prior to the puck drop between Pittsburgh and Detroit, which was also the fourth annual Her Hockey Day.

The panel, which was held for the second year in a row, featured accomplished women professionals throughout several industries who shared their stories of how they overcame obstacles they faced along their paths to success. Michelle Crechiolo, Team Reporter for the Pittsburgh Penguins, moderated the discussion, which also focused on the importance of mentorship and sponsorship.
The event began with Crechiolo bringing Amy Smiley, Vice President of Marketing for 84 Lumber, and Jen Bullano Ridgley, Vice President of Communications for the Pittsburgh Penguins, to the stage for opening remarks. Smiley and Bullano Ridgley acknowledged how excited they were to be there and to see everyone in the room after last year's panel was held virtually.
Smiley, the VP of Marketing for 84 Lumber, is one of the driving forces behind the event, working closely with Penguins director of partnership marketing Kaitlin Donahoe. Smiley knew she wanted to do something different as part of her company's collaboration with the Penguins, which is where the idea of the L.I.F.T. panel came from.
"We're in a very male-dominated industry, lumber and building materials, so it was nice to have two like-minded large corporations come together and create something like this," Smiley said.
Bullano Ridgley was a panelist on last season's virtual panel. One year later, her words of encouragement focused on work-life balance and persistency.
"For the working moms in the room, I did learn recently that there's no such thing as work life balance, it is a constant fluctuation of just getting it done, maintaining what you can do, and being the best at both that you can be," Bullano Ridgley said. "There is no balance, it's more of a juggling act."
And Bullano Ridgley's advice for the up-and-coming professionals in the room was about being persistent and keeping your eyes on the prize.
"If you know what you want to do and you stay focused, you should stay really goal-oriented right now," Bullano Ridgley said. "Because now, more than ever, women are empowered to do things. This is an opportunity that you need to take, and you need to take it fast. Just remain on pace for what you think you can do, because you'll probably do a lot more than you think you can."
Following their opening remarks, Crechiolo welcomed the rest of the panelists: Aimee Watters, Executive Director of the DSG Foundation at DICK'S Sporting Goods; Krissy Wendell-Pohl, Amateur Scout for the Pittsburgh Penguins; Tracey McCants Lewis, Vice President of Human Resources for the Pittsburgh Penguins; Lisa Wu Fate, General Counsel at Bold Penguin; and Shannon Redmond, Vice President of Marketing for Rivers Casino; to the stage. To continue the conversation, each panelist shared their backstory and explained how they got to where they are today.
Redmond applied for a position with the local newspaper after graduating college, but didn't get the job because she was overqualified. From there, she took her father's advice and applied for a media coordinator position - which, at the time, she had no idea what that meant - at the first land-based casino in Louisiana. After an interview for the position, she was hired by a husband-and-wife team who opened the doors for her career.
"They put me in a comfortable place that just grew and grew and grew. I did advertising, entertainment, public relations and now Kaitlin is helping me learn sports marketing, which was not in the original plan," Redmond said. "I wanted to understand the why of how it worked, and I would definitely say that asking those millions of questions did get me here today."
Redmond's response sparked Crechiolo's next question around the importance of mentorship. Watters took on a new role, which was out of her comfort zone, under the current CEO at DICK'S, Lauren Hobart. While she had to jump around and learn what it would entail, Watters also got to absorb everything that Hobart did and learned from this experience.
"So today, in my own way, I try to pass it on," Watters said. "Anybody that ever asks to have a conversation or wants to meet, for sure, because I do think it's just important to center yourself around really powerful women leaders that that you respect and you admire."
Wendell-Pohl is definitely that for so many women and girls who love the sport of hockey, including her three daughters.
"They come along with me a lot, which is nice. We try to make it a family thing because they're old enough where they can come to the rink, and they help scout," Wendell-Pohl said with a smile on her face. "I tell them a number and tell them what to look for. And it's good for them to see that Mom leaves and Mom has other passions. It's stepping out of your comfort zone, and knowing that it's gonna be okay."
Once Crechiolo finished up her conversation with the panelists, it was the audience's turn to ask the inspiring women questions of their own. One question posed from the audience was
about imposter syndrome and how each woman deals with that. McCants Lewis said believing in yourself is key.
"If I got the degree, if I did the work, if I made the decision, I started the business, this is exactly where I'm supposed to be. I'm supposed to be here," McCants Lewis said. "You're exactly where you are supposed to be. Do your work, and walk in like you own that room."
To wrap up the panel with more inspiration, each panelist shared some words of advice, and responses ranged from supporting other women to finding something that you're passionate about, and follow that passion. And Wu Fate left the audience with this: don't make decisions based on fear.
"Don't be afraid to leave a job if you're unhappy. Don't be afraid to go someplace else. Don't stay out of fear," Wu Fate said. "Just reflect on what's best for you. Know who you are, don't think about who everyone else thinks. You should be authentic to you."