Pathbuilders Launches Its Largest Percepta(R) Class in 20-Year History

ATLANTA – Pathbuilders welcomed more than 100 women from 41 companies into the 2015-2016 Pathbuilders Percepta® program in Atlanta. Percepta is a six-month cross-company mentoring program for women with proven track records of professional success who have mastered the technical aspects of their jobs and are ready to have greater impact on their companies. Percepta prepares new and aspiring managers to deliver results in complex work environments through an integrated and proven methodology that combines mentoring, interactive workshops, and peer networking.

The process begins with the Pathbuilders team interviewing each mentee and mentor to gather the data that are critical for the rigorous matching process. The interview team then gathers behind closed doors for several weeks to match each mentee to a group and mentor based on her developmental needs.

“There’s nothing more important than a strong mentee-mentor match in terms of setting the foundation for a successful mentoring program,” said Helene Lollis, CEO of Pathbuilders. “Dynamic mentoring relationships, based on a rigorous and thoughtful matching process, drive measurable growth, create unique learning opportunities, and cultivate powerful networks. At Pathbuilders, we have fine-tuned this matching process over the past two decades and established a clear and unique rationale for matching that considers the many layers of a mentee’s developmental needs.”

Leveraging the continuum of mentoring, Percepta mentors are themselves Pathbuilders graduates; many are graduates of Achieva®—a program focused on mid-level female leaders positioned for senior leadership responsibilities in their organizations. Volunteer mentors come from diverse roles, functions and organizational backgrounds, and these women value the mentoring experience and want to give back to those who are following behind them.

The 2015-2016 class kicked off on October 6 and will run for six months concluding with graduation in March 2016. Core program curriculum includes developing a corporate image and persona, mapping career paths, identifying skill gaps, improving communication skills, building credibility and influence, and understanding the unwritten rules that guide an organization. Upon graduation, Percepta alumnae are ready to take on additional challenges and manage more significant key initiatives, projects, and teams within their companies.

“Percepta graduates are ready for the next step in their careers as demonstrated by their track record as high-performing and high-potential women within their organizations,” said Lollis. “We have the honor and responsibility to work with 106 professionals over the next several months on developing new skills, managing results, and navigating corporate culture through a professional development program that stems from real-world experience in the business environment. This is a role we have celebrated and built upon with thousands of women since starting as a single mentoring class for mid-career women 20 years ago, and we’ve now expanded to include a full complement of cross-company mentoring programs.”

Over the last 12 years, Pathbuilders has graduated more than 700 mentees through the Percepta program, many of whom have demonstrated a solid track record of improved performance upon completion. Participants from companies such as Turner Broadcasting System, Cox Communications, Holder Construction Company, Verizon, Solvay, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, and Junior Achievement of Georgia have shared professional successes, and both mentees and their managers highly recommend Percepta as evidenced through formal surveys at the conclusion of each program class.

Participants in the 2015-2016 Percepta program are from the following organizations:

22squared, Inc., AMB Group LLC, Cardinal Web Solutions, Cardlytics, Cisco Systems, Inc., Cobb EMC, Colonial Pipeline Company, Cox Automotive, Cox Communications, Cox Media, Equifax, Inc., Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Gas South, LLC, Goodwill of North Georgia, Hire Dynamics, Holder Construction Company, Imerys, Junior Achievement of Georgia, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Landis+Gyr, LeasePlan USA, Lendmark Financial Services, LLC, LexisNexis, McKesson Corporation, Mondi Group, Moxie, National Association of Elevator Contractors, Novelis Inc., OFS Fitel LLC, Piedmont Healthcare, PowerPlan, Inc., Rollins, Inc., Solvay USA, LLC, The Coca-Cola Company, The Kroger Company, Turner Broadcasting, Turner Sports, Travelport, Verizon Wireless, Inc.

Additional information about Percepta and the other mentoring programs offered by Pathbuilders for different career stages may be found at www.pathbuilders.com.

About Pathbuilders, Inc.
Pathbuilders transforms top talent into high-impact leaders who move business forward. Through customized programming, Pathbuilders leverages a model that effectively combines mentoring, educational workshops, and interactive peer exchange to accelerate the career growth of individuals and directly contribute to the bottom-line success of client organizations. Pathbuilders was founded in 1995 with a unique focus on developing the potential of high-performing women and creating gender-diverse leadership teams. Today, Pathbuilders leverages the corporate experience of its team to develop impactful developmental experiences for high-potential women and men in forward-thinking organizations. Pathbuilders has worked with nearly 4,000 professionals from more than 400 client organizations, including Fortune 500 companies, colleges and universities, and government agencies. More information can be found at www.Pathbuilders.com on LinkedIn and Twitter.

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