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SMPS OC’s 2024 Mentee Spotlight

Meet SMPS OC’s Mentee Spotlight, Kari Seekatz!

Learn more about Kari's experience in SMPS OC's Mentorship Program!

What was it like meeting and working with your mentor?

Meeting and working with Shannon has been an incredible experience. We share a lot in common, and she's offered invaluable advice along with some creative suggestions for dealing with job-related challenges.

How often did you connect with your mentor? What did you usually discuss?

We meet for lunch every other month, and I also volunteered for a committee for the 2025 SMPS PRC Conference that Shannon is leading. This means I see her virtually almost every week. Our conversations mostly revolve around our current roles and past experiences, and we've shared some insightful and humorous stories about navigating challenging workplace cultures.

What were the biggest takeaways from your time with your mentor?

Connecting with someone outside of my firm, who I can speak to candidly and get great advice from, has been invaluable.

As a mentee, how did you grow from the experience? 

This experience has encouraged me to try to become more involved with SMPS and finally, after more than 20 years as a member, to attend a conference!

 What was something that surprised you about the experience?

I was pleasantly surprised by how much we have in common and how comfortable I felt with her right from the start. She's incredibly kind and intelligent, and we've already decided to continue our lunches even after the mentorship program ends.

 Any final thoughts?

I'm truly grateful for the opportunity to be part of this mentorship program! Thank you for running the program, I know it’s not always easy!