The 2023 Mentorship Program application period has closed. 

At She Shares, we believe strongly in nurturing the next generation of women leaders. That is why She Shares is also a mentoring and networking opportunity for young women. She Shares highly values our mentorship program as a way to cultivate successful and meaningful professional experiences for the next generation.

This year long mentorship program pairs young women with professional Sacramento women at the top of their careers. Or, if you are not located in Sacramento, we do have virtual pairings, so you can be located anywhere.

Throughout the year, pairs meet at each She Shares event and arrange for additional in person networking opportunities like lunches, attending conferences together, or asking for help with reviewing your resume. In 2020, we started virtual workshops which has provided more opportunities for professional development workshops for our mentees and mentors. We have continued these virtual workshops even though our main events are back to being in person. Topics include Zoom etiquette, taking the next step in your career, how to negotiate your salary at a new job, and networking 101. It is not required to attend all of these events, but we ask that you do your best to attend as many as you can and are relevant to you!

Mentees and mentors can arrange their meet ups as they are comfortable with. Most will do Zoom or coffee meetings to get to know each other and go from there.

Read testimonials from previous mentees and mentors here!

Applications are avaliable in December of each year for the following year. Contact Tamara at tt@tamaratorlakson.com. 

Mentorship Program FAQs

What are the qualifications for a mentor?
Mentors are women that are further along in their career, approximately 7+ years of experience, although it does not have to be at the same job that whole time. They should be able to offer mentorship and advice to women just starting out in their career and be able to meet virtually or in person at least five times during the year with their pair.

What are the qualifications for a mentee?
Mentees are women that are newer in their career, usually just starting out, approximately in the first 5 or so years of their career. Although if there has been a major career change or a delay in starting the work force due to life circumstances, we still welcome you to apply and explain that! We ask that our mentees be graduated from college – but they can be enrolled in law school, business school or similar programs.   

Is there an age requirement?
There is no age requirement, but usually our mentees end up being in their 20’s and our mentors are in their 30’s on up to their 60’s. If you had a late start to your career and worry you are “too old” for the program, reach out anyways and we can see if you are a good fit!

Is there a fee to participate?
No, the program is completely free to participants! In fact, when we get back to having our in person events, all mentors and mentees will be able to attend complimentary as part of our program. Tickets to our event usually sell for $65 per person.

How does the matching process work?
We will typically match you with someone in a similar career field – or in the career field you are interested in that you described on your resume. For example, we once paired a law school student with a local Judge! If there is a particular type of career that you would like to be paired with, please let us know on the application. For example, if you are currently working for a legislator, but you would really like to become a lobbyist, we can try to pair you with a lobbyist.

Do you have to be located in Sacramento in order to participate?
You do not! The only disadvantage to not being in Sacramento is it would be harder to attend in-person events, but you would still be welcome! We host practical workshops on Zoom throughout the year as well. 

How often do you have to engage with your mentor/mentee pair?
We encourage each pair to work out what works best for them, but we do suggest that you meet (whether that is virtually or in person) at least five times throughout the year. This can be Zoom meetings, socially distant coffee/walks, meeting about your resume, making a connection for a job interview, practicing interview skills with each other, starting a book club and more! You will really get out of it what you put into it!

How long is the program?
You will officially be in the program for the entire calendar year. But after the program, many of our pairs stay in touch and continue their relationship for years! You will also be on our mailing list moving forward so you can join our events in the future. We always offer our alumna mentees a discount for our in person events too!

2022 Mentorship Workshops

2022 Mentorship Class

Alicia Priego, Vice President, Strategies360; paired with Hla Elkhatib, Fellow, California State Senate

Angela Blanchard, Partner, Political Solutions; paired with Rachel Alderette, Program Manager, Capitol Impact

Andrea Flores, Anchor/ Reporter, KCRA News 3; paired with Fabiola Espinoza, Producer    

Arielle Julie, Lead Technical Recruiter, Pinterest; paired with Yunuen Nava, Substitute Teacher, Oxnard School District

Ashley Conrad-Saydah, Founder and Principal, Sowing Change Strategies; paired with Eileen Situ, Admin Assistant, Soluri Meserve

Caitlin McShane, Principal, EMC Communications; paired with Sofia de Melo, Intern, Bicker, Castillo & Fairbanks (BCF) Public Affairs

Carla Saporta, Regional Director, State Government Affairs, CVS Health; paired with Jennifer Louisell, Director, Insurance Services, Motion Picture & Television Fund

Catherine Stadler Borg, State Public Affairs Advisor, Southern California Edison; paired with Quincy Stivers, Fellow, California State Senate

Christina Lokke, Policy Manager, Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG); paired with Kai Cooper, Fellow, California State Senate

Claire Conlon, Chief of Staff, Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris; paired with Kelsey McCauley, Senior Account Executive, Bicker, Castillo & Fairbanks (BCF) Public Affairs

Colleen Spitz, Executive Vice President, Bicker, Castillo & Fairbanks; paired with Paige Haskin, Senior Director, Miller Public Affairs Group

Connie Delgado, CEO, Delgado Government Affairs; paired with Stephanie Tapia Jimenez, Fellow, California State Senate

Connie Emerson, Principal, Sanders Emerson Consulting; paired with Hannah Penner, Sustainability Coordinator, AmeriCorps VISTA

Deanna Johnston, Associate Director, State Affairs, Organon; paired with Maria Morales, Legislative Aide, California State Assembly

Debbie Manning, Chief Sergeant at Arms (ret), California State Senate; paired with Priya Sah, Intern, Dewey Square Group

Donna Cullinan, California State Deputy Director, Council for a Strong America; paired with Maggie Kathleen White, Legislative Advocate, California State University, Chancellor's Office

Elizabeth Tunquist, Operations Director, Professional BusinessWomen of California (PBWC); paired with Linh Ngo, Program Manager, California Association of Nonprofits 

Erin Baum, Chief of Staff, Assemblymember Mark Stone; paired with Rhiannon Ripley, Office Assistant, California State Senate

Heidi W. Steinecker, Sr. Manager Health and Human Services Consultant, Ernst & Young; paired with Taylor Beckwith, Tobacco Control Programs Manager, Smoke-free Sacramento Project Breathe California Sacramento Region

Jennifer Roe, Lobbyist, Capitol Advocacy; paired with Emily Jones, Associate, Dewey Square Group

Jennifer Troia, Chief Deputy Director, California Department of Social Services; paired with Dora Monterroza, Direct Services Regional Program Manager, American Red Cross

Jessica Ng, Principal, Abacus Public Affairs; paired with Monika Lee, Senior Communications Manager, California Pan-Ethnic Health Network

Jessica Pearson, Executive Officer, Delta Stewardship Council; paired with Madeline Grigsby, Executive Assistant/District Representative, Office of Sacramento City Councilman Eric Guerra

Karen Zamarripa, President, Karen Zamarripa Consulting; paired with Irma Castaneda, Policy Specialist, Success Center, Foundation for California Community Colleges

Karina Talamantes, Chief of Staff, Mayor Pro Tem Angelique Ashby, City of Sacramento; paired with Jessica Rocha, Legislative Assistant, California State Assembly

Katie Hansen, Senior Legislative Director, California Restaurant Association; paired with Emily Miller, Fellow, California State Senate

Keetha Mills, CEO, Foundation for California Community Colleges; paired with Erika Valle, , Fellow, California State Assemly

Kelly Boyd, Golden Grid Technologies; paired with Bri-Ann Hernandez, Fellow, California State Assembly

Kim Stone, Lobbyist, Stone Advocacy; paired with Chloe Bowman, Scheduler/ Legislative Aide, California State Assembly

Kristina Bas Hamilton, Principal, KBH Advocacy; paired with Ja'nice Wisdom, Union Partnership Representative    

Kristy Wiese, Partner, Capitol Advocacy LLC; paired with Kimaya Gokhale, Associate, Dewey Square Group

Lauren Babb, Vice President of Public Affairs, Planned Parenthood Mar Monte; paired with Adrianna Jackson, Fellow, California State Senate

Lauren Greenwood, Government Partnerships Manager - West, Spin; paired with Cynthia Yepez, Fellow, California State Senate

Linda White, Government Affairs Manager, BMW North America; paired with Kailen Aldridge, Fellow, California State Assembly

Lindsey Nitta, Executive Director, California Women Lead; paired with Allie Umemoto, Fellow, California State Assembly

Marcie Shelton, Founder, The Leaders Partner; paired with Sarah Heffron, Senior Publications Manager, Magellan Health

Mareva Brown, Human Services Policy Consultant, Senate Pro Tem Atkins; paired with Genesis Gonzalez, Policy Analyst, Office of the Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis

Margaret Gladstein, Partner, Capitol Advocacy; paired with Julia Bayless, Account Coordinator, Lucas Public Affairs

Maricela Rodriguez, Director of Civic Engagement and Strategic Partnerships, Office of Governor Gavin Newsom; paired with Marisol Ibarra, Legislative Director, California State Senate

Mary Meuel, Senior Legislative Advocate, California State University; paired with Cassandra Mar, Fellow, California State Senate

Maya Wallace, Manager, Strategic Initiatives, CalTrans; paired with Alison Kostusak, Office Assistant, Office of Senator Susan Eggman

Melanie Cuevas, Vice President of Government Affairs, California Bankers Association; paired with Erica Lucia, District Representative and Communications Aide, California State Senate

Nicole Soluri, CEO, Professional BusinessWomen of CA (PBWC); paired with Eileen Situ, Admin Assistant, Soluri Meserve

Rachel Linn Gish, Director of Communications, Health Access California; paired with Julia Diaz, Digital Coordinator, Unearth Campaigns

Rebecca Nicholas, Vice President, Fiona Hutton & Associates; paired with Emma Manoukian, Account Executive, Bicker, Castillo & Fairbanks Public Affairs

Sara Schulte Pallas, Founder, Sara Pallas Consulting; paired with Julia Lindbloom, Intern, NKE Strategies

Shashwati Roy, Senior Consultant, Public Consulting Group and Gloria De Leon, Solutions Consultant, Humu; paired with Karen Melendez, Digital Liaison, California Volunteers

Susan Wheeler, Regional Workforce Development - Sustainable Communities, SMUD; paired with Cathy Doan, Business Engagement Consultant, Workforce Development Section, California Department of Rehabilitation

Tiffani Harter, Investment Officer II, California Public Employees' Retirement System; paired with Kim Eisenberg, CEO, Speak Your Brilliance + Conversations for Change

Past Mentorship Workshops from 2021