Experts from T-Mobile and Verizon share how relationships with mentors, sponsors and coaches evolve over the course of a career.

Kelsey Ziser, Senior Editor

June 7, 2022

Career assist: The evolution of the mentor/sponsor relationship


AUSTIN – Big 5G Event – In this fireside chat during the Women in Telecoms workshop, experts from T-Mobile and Verizon explain the difference between a mentor, sponsor and coach; how to develop relationships with career allies; and how to develop a personal board of directors.

Yasmin Karimli, senior director of device technology & development for T-Mobile; and Krys Grondorf, director of communications for Verizon also share how relationships with mentors, sponsors and coaches evolve over the course of a career.

"Over this 25-plus year career, you have built relationships that aren't one way, you don't just go to them when you need something, but they come to you when they need something," said Grondorf. "Now it's fulfilling on both sides and you're having those conversations both ways."

Here are just a few things covered in this fireside chat:

  • The difference between a mentor, sponsor and coach (04:20)

  • Evolution of relationships with mentors, sponsors and coaches over the course of a career (09:25)

  • Karimli and Grondorf share examples of their experiences as mentors (14:50)

  • How to identify a mentor, sponsor or coach and how to foster that relationship (19:00)

  • Assembling a personal board of directors (22:22)

Check out more news from the Big 5G Event here.

— Kelsey Kusterer Ziser, Senior Editor, Light Reading

About the Author(s)

Kelsey Ziser

Senior Editor, Light Reading

Kelsey is a senior editor at Light Reading, co-host of the Light Reading podcast, and host of the "What's the story?" podcast.

Her interest in the telecom world started with a PR position at Connect2 Communications, which led to a communications role at the FREEDM Systems Center, a smart grid research lab at N.C. State University. There, she orchestrated their webinar program across college campuses and covered research projects such as the center's smart solid-state transformer.

Kelsey enjoys reading four (or 12) books at once, watching movies about space travel, crafting and (hoarding) houseplants.

Kelsey is based in Raleigh, N.C.

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