Josephine Russo: EDS Scholarship Winner!

When I was awarded a full scholarship to attend The Adaptive Authentic Leader program through WICT, I was incredibly grateful but I don’t think I fully understood at the time just how meaningful the experience would become for me personally and professionally.

One of the most impactful takeaways from the program was the realization that many of the qualities I naturally bring to leadership are not weaknesses to overcome, but strengths to lean into. Empathy. Relationship-building. Thoughtfulness. Collaboration. The ability to navigate complexity while keeping people connected and aligned. These are often skills that can feel less visible or less celebrated in fast-paced corporate environments, but this experience reinforced that they are not only valuable, they are essential.

I left the experience with a renewed confidence in my own leadership style and a deeper understanding that there is no single mold for what successful leadership looks like.

I also left with some incredible new members of my personal board of directors- women I will stay in touch with through my career.

I am deeply thankful to WICT for investing in women through opportunities like this. Access to leadership development programs can truly change the trajectory of someone’s confidence, perspective, and career. I know this experience has changed mine.

I hope more women continue to take advantage of opportunities like this, not just to grow professionally, but to recognize the value in the leadership qualities they already possess.

Josephine Russo

Senior Manager, NPS Strategy and Competitive Intelligence, Comcast

Learn More about the Executive Development Series Here.