In honor of Women’s History Month, Fourth Economy is celebrating the women who have uplifted and inspired members of our team. We hope you enjoy learning about the amazing women who have encouraged and instilled confidence in us, modeled leadership and strong character, and supported our personal goals and professional growth.
Anne J. Swager - Submitted by Maya Haptas
Anne is the former Executive Director of the American Institute of Architects Pittsburgh Chapter, she hired me 23 years ago and had a huge impact on the trajectory of my career. Anne supported both my professional development as well as my personal life by including me in her family Thanksgiving and helping me when my brother died during that time. No one person outside of my family has had such an impact on not just my career but also on shaping the woman I have become. Through watching her I have learned about leadership, diplomacy, confidence, and developed my deep abiding love for all things Pittsburgh.
Ginger Critton - Submitted by Eve Critton
Ginger is my mother and my role model of a resilient, kind, and loving mother and friend. She has taught me how to bring her same strength of character to all of my personal and professional pursuits. She deserves to be celebrated this Women's History Month!
Jamille Smith Ford, Pittsburgh, PA - Submitted by Sally J. Guzik
I'd like to highlight Jamille Smith Ford, my first boss at Sci-Tek Environmental Consultants and the first woman chemical engineer I ever met. Starting at the age of 15, Jamille took me under her wing, mentoring me through high school and college over the course of a decade. Her kindness, care, and thoughtfulness, coupled with her willingness to always strive for excellence and embrace my intelligence, have left a lasting impact on me. Jamille entrusted me with responsibilities in the field alongside men two to three times my age, providing invaluable feedback and support. I believe her mentorship was instrumental in propelling my career forward from a young age. Over 20 years later, I see my time with her as the foundational cornerstone of my success, a testament to her significant influence and the reason I celebrate her.
Dr. Lorraine Mulfinger - Submitted by Justin Wheeler
Dr. Mulfinger is the former director of the Strategic Interdisciplinary Research Office at Penn State where I worked with her as a technical illustrator for research grant proposals. On my first day, Lorraine gave me a proposal she was working on and asked my opinion. It was a NASA proposal - literally rocket science - but she welcomed my input and we worked together to improve the narrative and reorganize the document. As someone with a lowly bachelor’s degree (in the Liberal Arts no less!) I wasn’t used to being taken very seriously in an academic setting. During my time working with her, she allowed me to develop skills I didn’t even know I had and participate in ways that were far outside of what my job description entailed on paper. Lorraine was one of the most curious, collaborative, and inclusive leaders I’ve had the pleasure of working with. She will always stand out to me as a model for leadership and what’s possible when leaders create environments that are curious, collaborative, creative, intentional, and inclusive - all values I’ve seen exhibited by my colleagues at Fourth Economy.
Rissa Durham, AiLun Ku, Sally J. Guzik - Submitted by Megan Nestor
I've been lucky to have some truly amazing female bosses in my career - among them Rissa Durham, AiLun Ku, and Fourth Economy's own Sally J. Guzik! They have consistently advocated for me, supported my professional growth, pushed me to always be learning more, and shown care and respect for my self. They have all taught me in unique ways how to find my version of success, both in and out of the workplace.