L-R: Rachelle Brockman, Womentorship participant, Betty-Ann Heggie

Announcing new academic director for the Betty-Ann Heggie Womentorship Program

Natasha Katchuk

In Saskatchewan, the word womentorship is synonymous with Betty-Ann Heggie.

The award-winning speaker, author, and philanthropist has been a champion of womentorship throughout her corporate career and most recently in retirement through her foundation.

Together with the University of Saskatchewan (USask), Heggie established her flagship program; the Betty-Ann Heggie Womentorship Program in 2009 at the Edwards School of Business (Edwards). Since that time, approximately 250 protégés and womentors have been matched.

According to Heggie, the program is unique for USask alumni because of the work experience component.

“To me, the important time for this mentorship program is once protégés have been out working for a while,” said Heggie. “We bring women together to grow and guide one another as mentor-proteges in a one-year program that ultimately builds individual confidence in the workplace.”

While the makeup of the mentors and protégés change from year-to-year, the overarching goal of seeing more women represented in management remains the same.

“The Womentorship Program helps women find personal and professional fulfillment while staying engaged in their organization,” explained Heggie. “All companies would benefit from more women in leadership positions, but some women need guidance to find their voice. I wanted women to have that opportunity, and I wanted companies to get these opportunities too.”

Central to Heggie’s beliefs are the pillars of presence, belonging, and resilience first identified in the McKinsey study Centered Leadership: How Talented Women Thrive. The program aims to create an environment where women support each other and grow together by partnering protégés with womentors who have 15 years or more experience.

“Personal confidence is synonymous in the business world with being a leader,” said Heggie. “Mentorship tied together with women supporting women is important in navigating the system.”

10 years on Heggie agrees the program has been successful in matching women with mentors, networking and professional development opportunities. She plans to transition to more of an advisory role and has appointed an academic director.

Rachelle Brockman, who previously worked at Edwards and initially coordinated the program, comes full circle as the newly appointed Academic Director of the Betty-Ann Heggie Womentorship Program.

Brockman is the principal of Eureka Experience and is an award-winning educator, passionate artist, and enthusiastic entrepreneur. She inspires people, teams, and organizations to ‘get it done’ in a passionate, productive way.

“I feel immense gratitude to be involved once again,” said Rachelle Brockman. “Whether you are thinking about being a protégé or mentor, you will benefit from a truly efficient program. There is an unlimited possibility for the future of womentorship based on listening, learning and responding to the hopes and aspirations of our participants.”

As for the next 10 years of the program, Heggie envisions pushing the needle further.

“We need growth to continue moving forward,” said Heggie. “I see the Womentorship Program becoming a nucleus for networking and interaction among a diverse set of protégés and womentors.”

The fall 2019 cohort will run October 17, 2019 until April 23, 2020. The deadline to apply to be a protege or womentor is September 19, 2019. For more information, please visit https://www.edwards.usask.ca/womentorship/.

The Edwards School of Business gives sincere thanks to Betty-Ann Heggie for her generous financial support, guidance, and enthusiasm in making the program a success.


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