After Vanessa’s husband passed away in 2012, she needed to support herself and her four daughters. She put herself through college, earning a B.A in Government Affairs, while working full-time and caring for her children.
As Vanessa was about to graduate, she came across an ad for PA Women Work’s 3 Cups of Coffee program, and decided to enroll. “My mentor helped me focus on where I wanted to go and helped me work through the issues I was having applying for jobs,” Vanessa shared.
During her mentorship, Vanessa landed a job as a city manager and was able to provide for her family. However, in 2022 she was laid off and again found herself uncertain about her next steps.
Vanessa came back to PA Women Work, this time enrolling in New Choices. With the help of her class facilitator, Vanessa explored the many career possibilities her degree and experience afforded her. “New Choices helped me evaluate who I was. The class gave me the confidence to apply for a job that I previously would have thought was out of reach,” she said.
Vanessa is now employed at Olympus Energy in a job she loves. Her experience with PA Women Work has come full circle. Vanessa recently represented her company at our Power Up Connections networking event, and she gives back to help others as a monthly giver through our Coffee Club. “I am where I am today because of PA Women Work. I’m so happy to be able to give back.”