Make an impact on Aspen-area youth

Dear Editor:

Wednesday kicks off the Aspen Professional Mentor and Networking Program. The idea for the program emerged from a meeting of younger Aspen-area residents sponsored by the city of Aspen – Next Generation Initiative. Younger residents expressed a desire for mentors to share professional and civic experiences with them and to provide guiding relationships as they forge their own professional and civic pursuits as young members of our community.

We’re excited about this program, which we believe will strengthen relationships between members of our community from different generations and of different backgrounds. Both mentors and mentees will grow in their professional, personal and community pursuits as they revisit and re-energize goals and share perspectives. Through this program, we all will be investing together in Aspen’s most valuable asset, our people.

Mentors and mentees will be matched up based on personal connections and professional interests. They will have flexibility to cultivate their own unique relationships, with meetings around six times per year. As part of the learning process, mentees will lead and direct the relationships. In addition to personal meetings between mentees and mentors, participants in the program will have opportunities to meet and network with other participants in group settings at events scheduled at least twice per year.

The kickoff is at the Aspen Business Luncheon at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Sky Hotel. We encourage your readers who are interested in learning more about being a mentee or mentor to attend. We’ll provide more details – and start the matching process – at the luncheon.

Space is limited, so RSVP to toddshaver@aspenbusinessluncheon.com. The lunch is at a reduced price of $25, thanks to generous sponsors who are equally excited about this program and its potential to enrich our community.

Jill Teehan, Kimbo Brown-Schirato, Summer Woodson, Riley Tippet, Skippy Mesirow, Mike Jahn and Darla Callaway

Aspen