Former Water Education Foundation Executive Director Rita Schmidt Sudman on Mentorship, the Impact of Health Crises and Inequitable Insurance on Women's Careers

Rita Schmidt Sudman was the Founding Executive Director of the Water Education Foundation in California, and continues to serve as an advisor since her retirement. DrCat recognizes Rita as a mentor and has modeled WaterCitizen's educational programs and methods on some of what she learned from Rita and the approaches that have been used by the Water Education Foundation, which WaterCitizen is moving to the virtual space.

Rita reflects on the progress that women have made in the workforce, but acknowledges that there is still work to be done, particularly in protecting women in the workplace. She highlights the trap of overthinking and constantly seeking degrees and certifications, which can hinder women's progress, and emphasizes the need for women to support each other in the workplace. She also discusses the importance of diversity and acknowledging the challenges that women still face in the workforce.

Rita and DrCat discuss the importance of working as a team - even if one doesn't like one's colleagues - to achieve important goals related to issues such as climate change and aging infrastructure. We also talk about experiences with workplace discrimination and the importance of women supporting other women in the workplace. We also discuss ageism and how it can affect hiring decisions.

Rita discusses her experience with breast cancer and DrCat talks about her experiences with uterine cancer. They emphasize the importance of having support and staying productive while going through illness, as well as the challenges of being open about illness in the workplace and how it can affect how others perceive and treat you.

Rita discusses the importance of mentorship programs, particularly in the water industry. She emphasizes the need for diversity in mentor-mentee pairs and mentions a successful program she created for the Water Education Foundation from which more than 600 people have graduated. We also talk about how mentorship programs are almost always focused on "young professionals" and "recent grads" - there is still a lack of mentorship programs for older or non-traditional students who are just starting out in the industry.

Rita discusses the challenges faced by women in getting back to work after having a baby. We recognize that not all women want the same thing and that the idea of putting lactation rooms and child care in workplaces to help women is not a complete solution. The speakers also highlight the need for women to get their work done while taking care of their children and the importance of delegating tasks during emergencies. Rita and DrCat call for workplaces to be more supportive of women and for women to recognize the need to work hard to achieve their goals.

Rita and DrCat emphasized the importance of communication and bridging the generation gap, acknowledging the value of both younger and older workers' skills and the need for personal communication in problem-solving. She also encouraged viewers to connect with others through support groups and share their experiences.