Salt River Project has a mentoring program in which hundreds of employees participate. Over the years, people have taken the time to mentor me, and I’ve returned the favor by mentoring others. While I’m a firm believer in the benefits of having a mentor, I have always believed that mentoring can be more than just a one-on-one relationship.

This past year, a group of eight women at SRP and I decided to take SRP’s existing mentoring program in a new and exciting direction. After a series of meetings and informal discussions with other women at SRP, we launched the Women’s Interest Network (WIN), an employee interest group with the mission of “developing women leaders at SRP, providing networking opportunities, offering a setting for risk- free exchanges on career development, supporting SRP’s business objectives, and contributing to the improvement of the community.”

WIN participants gather quarterly for presentations from women leaders. Our group is made up of women (and men) at all stages in their lives and careers. I’m proud to be a part of this program and believe that it will have a positive effect on many individuals and support SRP’s business objectives.

When a coworker asks me for advice, I like to share these thoughts with them:

Find something that you are passionate about. I believe in SRP’s mission to provide low-cost and reliable power and water to customers, which makes my work interesting and fulfilling.

Find people you enjoy working with. At work, step up. Volunteer for projects that interest you, and even for those that don’t. If you do good work, you’ll become known as someone who can be counted on to get things done.

Ask questions and seek the counsel of others. You’ll be amazed by what you learn.

Get involved in your community. Find causes that complement your work activities. For example, I practice energy law. As such, I don’t often get the chance to work on education, food security or healthcare issues. Thus, I serve on the boards of Teach for America, the Arizona Association of Food Banks and the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation. This community involvement provides new opportunities for learning.