Women in Consulting (WIC) is filled with amazing talent who are top in their fields. Many also give generously of their time to various organizations (thankfully so, as WIC wouldn’t be the same without them!). This summer, one of WIC’s long-time members – Sue Connelly – was honored for her contributions, receiving the Jefferson Award for her countless hours helping people find jobs through the KITlist.
The Jefferson Awards
The Jefferson Awards were founded by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, U.S. Senator Robert Taft Jr., and Sam Beard in 1972 to establish a Nobel Prize for public and community service.
According to CBS 5, the Bay Area station that featured Sue on their news cast, the awards are given nationally and locally. National recipients represent a “Who’s Who” of outstanding Americans, while local winners “are ordinary people who do extraordinary things without expectation of recognition or reward.”
One local winner from each community is selected to represent their community at the National Ceremonies in Washington, DC in June. I look forward to writing a post next summer about Sue’s trip to DC. 🙂 No she hasn’t won yet, but how could they not choose her?
Sue and the KITlist
I can think of no one who deserves the Jefferson Award more than Sue Connelly. She is an extraordinary person doing extraordinary things with the KITlist, a nonprofit community that offers hope to thousands looking for work (67,000 people subscribe to the KITlist). Companies pay to post jobs, but it’s free to job searchers.
But it’s Sue’s heart that makes her and the KITlist so special. Just watch the CBS video and you’ll know what I mean. In one part of the segment, Sue gets choked up telling the story of a woman who was the sole bread winner for her family because her husband was battling cancer.
Or read Mike Cassidy’s column in the San Jose Mercury News, which discusses the human element that sets the KITlist a part.
Sue, will tell you it’s the quality of the people who post jobs and who subscribe to the list that make it what it is. And that definitely does make the KITlist unique – but I’d argue that its Sue’s dedication and warm spirit that brings in those people and keeps them coming back.
Other WIC Member News
Sue isn’t the only one keeping busy. Here are some other members who are keeping busy and having an impact in their fields and/or communities:
- Mary Gospe, who is serving as Chair of the GreenTown Los Altos Marketing Committee, an environmental not-for-profit working to educate and inspire residents to make the community more environmentally healthy
- Pi Wen Looi, who joined the board of the Golden Gate Chapter of ASTD (American Society for Training and Development) as VP of communications, and is also serving as interim VP marketing
- Linda Popky, who is now certified to offer Alan Weiss’s Private Roster Mentor program to consultants and entrepreneurs – one of only 20 people certified worldwide, and the only marketing consultant
- Elaine Starling, who has been appointed to/is currently serving on several boards: Women Influencing Public Policy as the social media co-chair, the Speakers Without Border Foundation, and the International Business Advancing Master Mind organization
All of you rock! Thanks for being who you are and for making WIC all that much better!
Avery, thank you for telling us about these wonderful women. I didn’t know anything about the KITlist. A very useful resource to provide to friends.
Cheryl
My pleasure Cheryl, truly. And yes, the KITlist is a very useful resources–for job seekers as well as consultants. There are often posts for contract work.
How like you, Avery, to give so many others credit! I am truly touched by what you wrote about the KIT List, and the power of the list is truly due to the great people in our community.
With all that you do for WIC, and for the dedication to the marketing and web site for which you have put in so much of your time and talent, I wanted to make sure that your work is recognized, too! I feel so fortunate to have the amazing, talented and generous women of WIC grace my life both professionally and personally. WIC rocks!
I wanted to add another very important thing: the Jefferson Award was all due to our very own WIC member and friend, Tresa Eyres, who nominated the KIT List.
Tresa already gives much of her talent to others through her “Love Letters” radio program where she and her co-host, Janet Gallin, help people get unstuck and freed to write eloquent letters that address important people and issues in their lives. You can hear them on KUSF 90.3 FM (San Francisco) on Tuesdays from 7:30 – 8:00 PM.
Thank you Sue for your very wonderful comments! It was truly my pleasure to write this post and pay a small tribute for all the big work you do.
And yes, it’s very important to highlight the generosity of Tresa nominating you and the KITlist. Thank you Tresa! The support you both give each other and WIC is a perfect example of what I love most about WIC — and proves the truthfulness of our marketing claims: Discover the Power of Collaboration. Always good to have truth behind one’s marketing claims. 🙂
And, I have to admit, I do agree with you. WIC does rock. It’s what keeps me coming back for more.