Women OF THE MONTH Sherry R. Whitsett

Sherry R. Whitsett is an area maintenance technician with the USPS. With over 20 years of experience, Sherry is responsible for traveling to different postal locations to ensure remodeling activities are correct for the set-up of new locations and training employees. She is currently a candidate for her A.A.S. in HVAC with Intellitec College in 2023 and serves as an HVAC Ambassador for Intellitec College. Sherry was awarded the Tech Trade Student of the Year. In her spare time she enjoys being with her family, Comic Con, Girl Scouts, and DC Adventures. How did you get started in your field/industry?

I had a strong interest in HVAC as soon as I saw it in the workplace as a maintenance employee at USPS. I was promoted into area maintenance, and it became a necessary skillset.

Roxane Maliszewski

Roxane Maliszewski started learning classical guitar when it was bigger than she was. Her guitar performances consistently brought home the highest awards in competitions. Eventually she was told she should be teaching, not competing. In high school, she was asked to help teach music theory at a local college. At the same time, her teaching skills and academic prowess led her chemistry teacher to work with the school to adjust her schedule, so she could teach chemis-

Area Maintenance Technician | USPS try while the teacher was away. Roxane opened for Richie Haven on several occasions when he performed in Louisville, Kentucky. While in Cincinnati, she performed for over a decade at a recognized French restaurant, often singing in French or one of four other languages besides English. When Cincinnati celebrated its sister city Nancy, France in 1991, Roxane performed on TV for the second time, internationally.

What are some of the biggest challenges/ obstacles you faced in your career?

The biggest challenge has been that I must always be better than the men in my field. After proving yourself it’s easy. I have a quiet confidence and am very thorough with my work.

What do you feel are some of the biggest challenges that women face today?

I would say it’s the same for many women. It’s important to achieve specific qualifications to further your particular set of skills.

What does the word empowerment mean to you?

Power means that I have permission to be me, to follow through on certain challenges, and to help other women along the way.

Roxane’s singing gigs were usually a second job. She wanted to work with her hands and became a skilled tool and die/model maker. This gave her a place to apply her skill in mathematics daily. She was especially adept at building models or prototypes from pictures and engineering drawings, which compli-

Suzanne A. Matheson

With over 35 years’ experience, Suzanne A. Matheson is a senior vice president of sales with HUB International Insurance Services. She attended UCLA and AFI studying English and Specialized Creative Writing. Suzanne is a resident licensed broker in California (and holds non-resident licenses in a few other states). She writes all lines of coverage and works with the sales team. She specializes in personal and commercial insurance for small and large companies, personal asset protection, liability and health insurance, life products (including 401(k) assistance), and financial management plans through the firm’s retirement and private wealth specialty team, including all health/medical products for individuals, families, and group plans. Suzanne belongs to the Jonathan Club and holds various IIABC certifications. She is an expert witness for the court system through Expert Networks and provides appearances and consultations as needed. She enjoys being with her family and friends, art and music, cooking classes, playing guitar, golf, and fitness. mented her degrees in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering. One of her more interesting jobs was building models/ prototypes from movie stills for some of the first toys that came out after the first “Star Wars” movie. Roxane often helped companies to understand and meet ISO9000 requirements and improve processes. She has retired from tool and die, but continues to sing, teach, and has started an online business. www.ferrititout.com www.hubinternational.com

How did you get started in your field/ industry?

I aced the mathematical and mechanical aptitude test for the tool and die apprenticeship program at GE, which was the highest score in their history.

How did you get started in your field/ industry?

While attending AFI classes, I started as a receptionist with James Econn & Company in Los Angeles. Being in the field of insurance was not a plan. I was mentored and eventually enjoyed the detail work and subsequent advancement into underwriting. As I continued to learn/grow, so did my interest in insurance and how it would assist client needs. Eventually, this path allowed me to understand the insurance contracts and what affects the rate of a risk to better manage them.

With over 25 years’ experience, Jennifer Morgan is a digital transformation leader. She leads a team that focuses on ensuring that the customer’s experience is at the heart of the products and solutions created. Driving digital enablement, design thinking, content creation and development, Jennifer ensures product delivery exceeds goals. An active member of her community, she belongs to the Minneapolis Interactive Marketing Association, Adfed, and the COMPASS mentoring program. She earned a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communications from the University of Minnesota in 1991. Jennifer enjoys travel, cooking, gardening, and her family.

Kerrie L. Stouffer

Kerrie L. Stouffer is the owner of All Vehicle Registration Services, which provides interstate trucking registration and related services for the trucking and transportation industry. Kerrie is responsible for the overall operations and management of the company, overseeing client services, efficiency, and following the guidelines and regulations of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. She is an industry expert and is knowledgeable about vehicle registrations, titles, obtaining permits, doing fuel and mileage taxes, and all information regarding single vehicle owners to large trucking company fleets. She and the company have numerous testimonials touting her expertise and helpfulness.

How did you get started in your field/industry?

I had no intention of working in technology but while I was living out in Colorado a small startup offered me a job. The team I worked with was so energetic and had so much passion for the work we did, it became contagious. What do you feel are some of the biggest challenges that women face today?

I love the fact that women make up a larger part of the technology field today. But as in many fields, I think that women don’t always know how to use their voice. In a field that has traditionally been male dominated, we struggle with not knowing how to embrace our perspectives and give credit to the benefits our unique experiences can offer. What does the word empowerment mean to you?

Empowerment is about identifying unique gifts and talents and allowing them to be brought to the surface. As a leader, identifying the diverse skills that everyone brings to work creates a team that can value and appreciate each other, and accept success and failure together. It creates an amazing network that empowers individuals, teams, and ultimately, the products we create.

With over 41 years of experience, Kerrie ensures the agency keeps up to date on all state and federal regulations. The company partners with the Department of Motor Vehicles through their Business Partner Associate program, which enables them to process authorized type transactions directly in the office. They are able to issue registration cards, license plates, and stickers while customers wait. Kerrie attended college. She belongs to the N.A.T.S.A. and the California Trucking Association. In her spare time she enjoys gardening, motorcycles, and swimming. allvehreg.com/index.html

With over six years’ experience, Theresa R. Corbin is the owner and creative coordinator of TRC Creations. Theresa makes and sells gift baskets for all occasions and creates jewelry from semi-precious stones. She is responsible for the overall operations, management, and customer service. In her spare time she enjoys cooking and travel.

Victoria L. Clarke-Payton

With over 10 years’ experience, Victoria L. Clarke-Payton is a Realtor with The Dawn McKenna Group at Coldwell Banker, the #8 team in the US. Originally from London, England, Victoria earned a B.A. in Fine Arts Valuation from Southampton. She previously served with a large commercial real estate development firm in London before moving to Naples, Florida in 1999. Victoria then worked for a property appraisal company for almost a decade before becoming a realtor in 2012, joining The Dawn McKenna Group in 2017. She works with buyers, sellers, and with many high-net-worth individuals. She specializes in luxury properties and new construction. Victoria enjoys cooking, hiking, fishing, equestrian sports, and sailing.

How did you get started in your field/industry?

I love art and interior design. After working for a property appraiser, I realized I had ample experience to not only value a property and converse on its attributes, but to sell the dream too.

What are some of the biggest challenges/obstacles you faced in your career?

Initially, my age was a factor as was being taken seriously as a young professional selling ultra-luxury real estate in a market which definitely had (and still has) an ‘Old Boys Network.’ Also challenging was having come from England and not having a long list of immediate high-net-worth connections to draw from. dawnmckennagroup.com

What do you feel are some of the biggest challenges that women face today?

A lack of confidence can hold women back. Go out and give it a shot; nothing ventured, nothing gained.

What does the word empowerment mean to you?

Power means having the strength and determination to create your best self and life. It means lifting up and helping others become great too.