JACKIE DIXON (Photos by Gail Manker)

 According to Executive Communications Group, a firm that specializes in communication and image, perceptions about a woman's confidence, intelligence, and authority are developed within 5 to 30 seconds of meeting her. Similarly, the book,  "At Ease Professionally: An Etiquette Guide for the Business Arena," says that 58 percent of a woman’s appeal are derived from her looks and body language.

Whether women like it or not, their dress and appearance have a direct correlation with their ability to advance in the workplace. At the Pennsylvania Diversity Council’s Women in Leadership Symposium, the panelists spent a lot of time discussing this topic of workplace dress and appearance.    

“Allegedly as women, we should never wear more than 13 accessories, but I like to decorate myself,” said Michelle Rochon, director of talent acquisition for WESCO Distribution, about her initial apprehension following this kind of rule. “But, I decided to take that into account because it is distracting.”

MICHELLE ROCHON

The annual symposium, held this year on May 29 at Chatham University, looked at barriers to career and workplace advancement such as appearance and communication styles. Led by a panel of female executives, the event provided insight on how women are overcoming personal and professional challenges to become leaders in their organizations.

“I hope these women realize the power to succeed lies within them,” said Janet Manuel, director of human resources for Coventry Health Care and president of the Pittsburgh Diversity Council. “I hope this symposium serves as the power to inspire them to overcome barriers.”
For women, and African-American women in particular, the key to getting ahead might not be as simple as how they dress or communicate.

According to a study by Catalyst, a nonprofit organization aimed at expanding opportunities for women in business, 37 percent of African-American women see their opportunities for advancement to senior management positions in their companies declining over time. Thirty-two percent of the women surveyed also said their White colleagues perceive them as underqualified.

“I think there’s a lot of pressure on women,” said Jackie Dixon, director of government relations for Giant Eagle. “I think we have to understand there is still discrimination against women in the workforce.”

JANET MANUEL

Dixon and fellow panelist Rochon agreed mentoring was key to helping African-American women advance. According to the Catalyst study, not having an influential sponsor or mentor was the most common career barrier for Black women.

“I think we need to extend ourselves to the community and African-American women in particular,” Rochon said. “There’s so much opportunity out there for us to help one another.”

The Pennsylvania Diversity Council was organized in 2010 in response to pay disparities.

The organization is committed to transforming the workplace into an environment “where people are valued for their uniqueness and differences, and are confident that their contributions matter.”

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BEV SMITH

In 2011, nationally known radio personality Bev Smith signed off as host of the “The Bev Smith Show” on American Urban Radio Networks after more than 10 years with the station and a four decade career in radio. Some might’ve decided it was time to retire, but not Smith.

Instead she took her savings, built a radio studio in her home, and began soliciting radio stations around the country to get back on the air. In 2012, Smith’s show was on three stations, but by the end of this month, she’ll be featured on more than 20.

“I feel immensely blessed because women who are in my age category, we don’t get second chances. Show me other women locally or nationally, other than Barbara Walters,” Smith said. “I’m very thankful to God because I feel blessed. I’m blessed to be able to do something I really want to do.”

Now, the New Pittsburgh Courier has selected Smith as the Legacy honoree for their 2013 50 Women of Excellence. When asked about her legacy, and the highlights of her life, Smith said she’s most proud of her daughter.

However, she also reflected on a trip to Haiti where she brought children school supplies, and another experience where she helped families suffering from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Other highlights included her trip to Israel and meeting President Barack Obama and the First Lady.

Smith began her career in 1971 when she was named Pittsburgh’s first African-American consumer affairs investigative reporter for WPXI Television. In the time since, she’s received nearly 300 awards and recognitions for her contributions to radio and television.

Next, Smith is planning a convention for 1000 women to come to Pittsburgh in August to address their role in the problems facing the African-American community. United States Congresswoman Shelia Jackson Lee has already agreed to take recommendations from the convention to the Congressional Black Caucus.

“We as Black women have fallen down on the job. We have to do better,” she said. “We want women to take the challenge. I want the women to unite. I want the women to come together.”

Smith is also passionate about childhood literacy and has been involved in the Reading is Fundamental and Head Start organization. In her spare time Smith is also writing a book “Interview with Jesus,” which she categorizes as spiritual mystery fiction.

“I have nothing to complain about. Broke yea, but who isn’t,” Smith said. “When people say you can’t do it, I think of the poem by Edgar Guest and the beginning of it says, ‘Somebody said that it couldn’t be done. But he with a chuckle replied that maybe it couldn’t, but he would be one who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried. So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin on his face. If he worried he hid it.’ Get ready.”

The 2013 50 Women of Excellence Awards Luncheon will be held June 20 at the Omni William Penn Hotel from 12-1:30 p.m. Celebrity host Robert Hill will be the master of ceremonies.

2013 WOMEN OF EXCELLENCE HONOREES

CAROL L. ADAMS - Senior Systems Analyst/Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity Coordinator - ALCOSAN

MARLA D. BRADFORD - Senior Employment Recruiter - Duquesne University 

CHARLOTTE BROWN, PH.D. - Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Health and Community Systems - University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

VICTORIA E. BRYANT - Nurse Practitioner - Pittsburgh Board of Education 

FRANCINE CAMERON - President & CEO - Cameron Professional Services Group, LLC

MESSENGER ANNETTE CARSWELL - Founder and Senior Director - Mac Ministries

RENEE SMITH CLARK, Ph.D. - Dean of Student Development - CCAC, South Campus

TRACY L. CLARK - Paralegal - H.J. Heinz Company; and CFO - Full of Grace

DR. LUTITIA A. CLIPPER - Manager, Natural Gas Vehicles Business Development - Peoples Natural Gas Co.

MARY L. COFFEY - CEO - All Purpose Cleaning Service, Inc.

PAMELA COLLIER - President & Founder - Lord Marketing Group

ESA MATIUS DAVIS, MD, MPH - Assistant Professor of Medicine - University of Pittsburgh

STEPHANIE DURRETT - President - SD Transit, Inc.

MONICA EARLY - Customer Service Manager and Office Manager - Z Brand Group

KIM EL - Artistic Associate - Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company

ROBYN E. FRANCIS - Senior Scientist - Bayer MaterialScience LLC

OLGA T. GEORGE - Assignment Desk Editor - KDKA-TV 

RONITA S. GILES - Assistant to the President - Robert Morris University 

ROBYN GREER - Hair Salon Owner/Personal Trainer/Nutrition Coach - The Trevor James Experience

TERINA JETT HICKS - Entrepreneur Diva/CEO - Declaring Dominion, LLC; Talent Pittsburgh

IMOGENE MILES HINES - Professor - CCAC

RUTH J. HOWZE - Administrator of Alternative Housing and Reintegration - Allegheny County Jail

SHANICKA L. KENNEDY, Esq. - Chief Deputy Director - Allegheny County Office of the Public Defender

DR. MONICA D. LAMAR - Principal - Pittsburgh Dilworth Pre-K-5

DESIREE S. LEE - Project Manager - The Game Changers Project; and, Arts Partnership Associate - Gateway to the Arts

KILOLO LUCKETT - Director of Development - The Andy Warhol Museum

A. KELLY MCCORMICK - Director, Corporate Human Resources - Giant Eagle, Inc.

MONIQUE MCINTOSH, M.Ed - Senior Director of Programs - YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh

DONNA MICHEAUX, Ph.D. - Assistant Executive Director - Allegheny Intermediate Unit

CYNTHIA MOORE - Education and Community Engagement Director - Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank

TRACEY NASH - Senior Accountant - Highmark, Inc.

CAROL AWKARD NEYLAND - Vice President, Community Development - Dollar Bank

CONSTANCE PARKER - President - NAACP Pittsburgh Unit

STAYCEE R. PEARL - Co-Founding Director - Pearl Arts Studios

EBONY PUGH - Public Information Officer - Pittsburgh Public Schools

MINETTE SEATE - Senior Producer - WQED Multimedia

BEV SMITH - 2013 LEGACY HONOREE

DEBRA VALENTINE-GRAY - Director of Regional Advancement - Indiana University of Pennsylvania

ALLEGRA WAKEFIELD - Guild President - Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh

ANITA B. WALKER - Assistant Principal - Allegheny K-8 School

CAROL A. WASHINGTON - Executive Director - The NorthShore Community Alliance

DR. CHRISTINE B. WHITE-TAYLOR - Performance/Quality Improvement Coordinator - Every Child, Inc.

GAIL WHITEHEAD - Student Support Coordinator - Greater Pittsburgh Literary Council

TAMARA L. WHITING - National Sales Director - VisitPittsburgh

LISA A. WILDS - Sr. Residential Mortgage Loan Officer - First Niagara Bank

ARLETTA SCOTT WILLIAMS - Executive Director - ALCOSAN

DETECTIVE CHRISTINE WILLIAMS - Detective - City of Pittsburgh Police

DENISE L. WILLIAMS - Executive Director - Mt. Ararat Community Activity Center

DR. ERROLINE WILLIAMS- Director, Professional Development and Corporate Outreach - Duquesne University's School of Leadership and Professional Advancement

GAYLE M. YOUNG - Executive Director - United Way of Lawrence County

2013 Women of Excellence Awards Luncheon
Thursday, June 20, 2013
12:00 p.m.-1:30 p.m
Omni William Penn Hotel
530 William Penn Place – Pittsburgh, PA
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COLLABORATION—Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on stage and Wilkinsburg community choir below. (Photo by J.L. Martello)

The decade-long partnership between the Wilkinsburg School District and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s Community Engagement Concert for the Community has been beneficial for students, educators and musicians alike.

NATHAN DAVIS (Photo Credit: CIDDE)

by Sharon S. Blake

(This article was reprinted from the May 28, 2013, issue of the Pitt Chronicle.)

University of Pittsburgh Professor of Music Nathan Davis, founder and director of the Pitt Jazz Studies Program and the long-running annual Pitt Jazz Seminar and Concert, is retiring from the University effective June 28, 2013, it has been announced by N. John Cooper, the Bettye J. and Ralph E. Baily Dean of Pitt’s Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences.