Harnessing the power of the WICT support network

I am lucky. I grew up surrounded by female role models. My mom is an entrepreneur and president of a small business. One of my aunts is a successful actress and the other is a health and education consultant for the U.S. government. Each are as passionate and determined as they are different. From a very early age I knew how fortunate I was to be surrounded by inspiration. Their passion, grit and work ethic has had a profound impact on my career. And their stories and lessons helped me create and navigate my own journey.

That’s why enabling an inclusive culture where women thrive at Liberty Global means so much to me on a personal level as well as professionally. I know first-hand the power of feeling challenged, connected and inspired by a trusted support system.

I was appointed President of Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT) UK in January. Founded in 1979, and now over 10,500 members strong, WICT is the largest and oldest professional association connecting women in cable, telecom, media and broadcast industries.

I love the saying “behind a successful woman is a network of other successful women who have her back.” I grew up surrounded by ambitious and supportive women who had my back and I’ve gravitated towards companies, friends and networks who provide the same kind of support. WICT is one of those unique organizations and communities that has the backs of so many ambitious women. The collective energy across the WICT network is quite special.

The purpose of WICT is to inspire, connect and grow talent, ultimately enabling women from diverse backgrounds to reach their full potential. Men are also welcome and encouraged to join as they play a role in enabling female representation across our industry. Having a diverse community is what matters most so everyone is encouraged to get involved, regardless of gender, age, seniority or background.

Liberty Global has had a long-standing partnership with WICT and was the lead sponsor for the expansion of WICT outside the US market. Two-thirds of the WICT UK Board are Liberty leaders – a passionate group of volunteers that dedicate their time to making an impact through the organization.

WICT UK has three strategic priorities for this year:

• Inspire women by connecting them with industry leaders who have unique stories, learnings and advice to share
• Connect and network with our diverse community of ambitious women and men through discussion forums and events
• Develop the pipeline of women to reach their potential through mentoring and development programmes

In addition to my day job as VP of Talent & Organisation, it is a huge privilege and responsibility to help Liberty realize our aspirations for diversity, equity and inclusion, and harness the power of WICT.