Leadership Profile: Buni Neighbors

Women in Leadership

— BUNI NEIGHBORS —

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF.

I was born and raised in Richmond; moved around a bit but always came back to RVA. I am a University of Richmond graduate, and my husband and I have been married for 23 years. That’s us – “Poggie and Buni.” And yes, we have to explain our names all the time (blessed with these nicknames since the day we were born!). We have two children who are the center of our world. Nothing is more important to me than my family. Our son, Nick, is a ’21 graduate of BCP and is at Hampden-Sydney College majoring in economics, with a minor in rhetoric. Our daughter, Arden, is a senior at SGHS and wants to study nursing in college (right now we are knee deep in the college search process). We spend most of our family time on the field. Nick plays football for HampdenSydney and Arden plays field hockey and lacrosse for Saint Gertrude. Like so many women, I’m constantly juggling lots of different and competing responsibilities, but family always stays my highest priority.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE.

For over twenty years I’ve worked in the higher education space, helping colleges and universities across the country with student recruitment and enrollment. I started my career as an account manager at Royall & Company. Fast forward to today, I am a founding partner of MARKETview Education Partners, where we focus on enrollment data and analytics. I am also head of operations for the enrollment marketing firm, Two Ocean Education Partners. Both are education technology companies based in Richmond. My area of expertise is centered around client strategy and leading client success/operational teams.

WHO INSPIRED YOU AND WHY?

Bill Royall. Bill was the founder of Royall & Company and an innovator in student recruitment and enrollment for colleges. His impact on direct response marketing and student recruitment influenced millions of high school students and almost every college in America over the past 35 years. Bill was always a believer in opportunities for the people he worked with, and the people he worked for, and he was especially interested in nurturing professional women – no matter their age. He worked diligently to ensure they had opportunities for growth not unlike their male counterparts. Working with Bill for more than two decades, I was guided by his business and service principles. I learned how to lead, both professionally and personally, by his example. I am fortunate to call him a mentor and dear friend. Additionally, Bill was an avid supporter for creating opportunities for young women to grow their skills and serve their community. So much so that even without connections to Saint Gertrude, Bill joined the Board of Trustees and committed himself to serving the school, its faculty and staff, and the girls. He was very proud of his connection to SGHS. Bill is a person who touched millions of lives…but always made you feel like you were the most important. He was the quintessential leader, innovator, and aspirational role model. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t leverage something he taught me.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT OBSTACLES YOU HAVE HAD TO OVERCOME TO BE A SUCCESSFUL LEADER?

I bucket barriers in two ways: there’s external factors and internal factors. Externally, for women, there is still stereotyping, lack of access, and workplace stress that women face. Is this across the board? Absolutely not. Are these barriers being chipped away? Without a doubt, yes! And that is encouraging for our future female leaders. When you look internally, there is one thing that every individual can control and that is being responsible for one’s self. Before you can look outward, you must first look inward. Seems so obvious but self-awareness is a hard thing to do consistently. Are you building skills, constantly innovating, and pushing yourself to achieve something greater not just for yourself…but for others? Are you in service to others? It’s about creating your own personal leadership toolkit. The more prepared you are as an individual, it will help generate that internal strength to break through external barriers.

Early in my career I worried about not being as smart as others in the room or not having the right degrees, which then made me risk averse and lacking confidence. Once I figured out how to overcome my own personal insecurity, that’s when things started to click. It sounds crazy but one of the ways I trained myself to stop doubting was through running marathons. Fewer than 1% of the population has run a marathon. If you can run 26.2 miles, you can do anything. I tell myself that almost every day.

WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES FOR A GOOD LEADER?

„ There’s not just one thing. In my opinion, it’s a combination of things: „ Believe in what you are doing. „ Be consistent. People are counting on you every day. „ Build trust. (Consistency builds trust!) „ Practice being a good listener. You will always learn something. „ Be confident (even if you are shaking on the inside!). „ Go above and beyond in all you do. „ Communicate well – clearly and effectively. „ Be adaptable. Know how to pivot and adjust. „ Be humble. „ Be genuine. Be your best self.

WHAT DO YOU THINK HELPED YOU THE MOST TO MAKE A CAREER AS A WOMAN? WHAT’S THE BIGGEST FACTOR THAT HAS HELPED YOU BE SUCCESSFUL?

What’s helped me the most is my husband’s support. I have been incredibly fortunate to have someone by my side to cheer me on, lift me up during challenging times, and give me the hard facts when I needed to do better. Poggie has been the one in my corner from Day 1, helping to clear the path for me to create the career I desired. I would not be where I am without his unwavering love, faith, and support.

“Before you can look outward, you must first look inward.”

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR WOMEN TO BE IN LEADERSHIP? WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS TO HAVING WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP?

Lots of reasons but a few things bubble to the top for me. Having women in leadership roles helps in attracting a more diverse workforce and creates more balanced representation around the table. Innovation and creativity is stifled when only one perspective is in the mix. Women have unique and different life experiences. Throughout my career, my ability to effectively lead and nurture (and multi-task, organize, and delegate!) all come from me being a strong woman. I have to do those things at home every day as a wife, mother, and daughter. And, I use those same skills at work with my teams and clients. I have found that many women in leadership roles bring a unique balance to everything they do. I see that in myself and with so many of my female colleagues and friends. Most important to me though is having role models for young women. Whether you are a leader in business, a leader in school, or a leader at home, it all boils down to being a strong and confident woman who can create opportunities for success.

WHAT ROLE DOES A SINGLE-SEX EDUCATION PLAY IN BUILDING LEADERS?

In my opinion, it’s an advantage. I didn’t understand that until we experienced it firsthand with our kids. Boys and girls learn differently. In particular, single-sex schools provide an atmosphere where girls are more engaged, and exude more confidence and competitiveness in single-sex environments. Same can be said for boys. And, there’s so much research stating how different boys and girls score in reading and writing tests, for example. Single-sex schools can tailor their curriculum to suit how boys or girls learn best, and that can result in higher academic success. What we love the most about Benedictine College Prep and Saint Gertrude is that it has given Nick and Arden a well-balanced table. Whether being a leader academically, on the field, on the stage – the benefit of being in a single-sex school is having those opportunities in a safe and supportive environment that is preparing them for the next big chapter in life: college.

HOW IS SAINT GERTRUDE PREPARING YOUNG GIRLS FOR A FUTURE IN LEADERSHIP?

It’s easier for young women to develop leadership skills in all-girls’ schools where they fill every leadership position across the school, no matter the activity or program. I hear Arden and her friends supporting each other for various leadership roles, and describing the “why” behind their comments. I love it. They are critically thinking. Additionally, Saint Gertrude does a stellar job in preparing young girls to be effective and persuasive communicators. Leaders need to express their thoughts clearly and confidently. SGHS provides a jumpstart by teaching young women how to think clearly, write concisely, and speak cogently. And, SGHS gives students an opportunity to practice – so they can become more and more comfortable in developing these foundational skills that will positively influence their lives – in college, career, and personally.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR YOUNG WOMEN?

1. Advice for the next generation of female leaders: a. Find your entrepreneurial spirit. b. Don’t assume things will be given to you and don’t assume the deck is stacked against you. Keep your eye on the goal, stay humble, and work your plan. c. Learn how to be cool under pressure – that’s a skill. How you navigate challenging situations is the proxy for how you operate generally. d. Don’t forget to have fun.

2. Advice for women looking to grow, either their own business or within the company they work for: a. Make a plan. b. Create and innovate.

c. Think critically about the work you do and align yourself with others who do the same. d. Identify markers to track your success and review your own performance metrics to self-assess if you are on track or not. And then be flexible to modify the plan. e. You have to work to achieve success.

3. Advice for your 25-year-old self: a. Chill out. You can do this! Believe in yourself. b. It’s ok to fail. Learn from it and apply those learnings to be better next time. c. Check yourself and be humble. Doing exceptional work doesn’t always require a pat on the back. d. People are always watching. You are always “interviewing.” e. Build relationships and build your network.

A FRONT-ROW VIEW

THE IMPACT OF SINGLE-SEX EDUCATION ON BUNI’S DAUGHTER, ARDEN

As I reflect back to the day my daughter started at Saint Gertrude High School in 2018 to right now, I can hardly believe my eyes. Arden has always been fun and engaging – once she got to know you. But in a crowd of unknowns, she was shy, nervous, and lacked confidence. I knew what that felt like because I was the exact same way growing up. The best decision Arden ever made was to attend SGHS. In eighth grade, she went to the New Families Picnic for our son who was starting his freshman year at Benedictine. She watched the older Saint Gertrude girls who were at the event. When we left, she said, “that’s where I want to be.” We had no idea what a lifechanging moment that would be.

What was once a shy girl who doubted herself at every turn, is now a confident young woman who knows who she is and what she can offer. Her experience at Saint Gertrude is what opened the door. Through one-to-one collaboration with teachers, coaches, and administration, Arden has had a network of support that has been consistent all four years.

SGHS’ academic curriculum isn’t easy…and the teachers want you to succeed. Saint Gertrude creates every opportunity for students to be successful, but they teach young women they must be in control of their destiny. Arden has learned how to be responsible so that her desired outcome is achieved. She has learned how to initiate and activate additional support where needed and has become an effective communicator and a master at time management.

The growth in the classroom spilled over into gaining confidence in creating leadership opportunities for herself. As a senior, Arden is SCA class representative, senior yearbook editor, president of Spirit Club, a Gatoraid, president of BSoR Interact Club, a Sponsor, field hockey captain, and capping off her final year of Varsity lacrosse this spring. It’s hard to believe that just a few short years ago she was hesitant to put herself out there. Now, she can’t help herself! If it is something she believes in and wants — she goes for it.

When Arden takes the next step into college, not only will she be academically prepared but she will be a confident leader. A woman who knows who she is, ready to make her mark. My husband and I are so proud of the person that Arden has become. Saint Gertrude High School has had a significant role in that transformation — it has changed her life, and we are so grateful for the experience.