Newby found her network to be an invaluable resource. One of the fi rst
“I was out in the Midwest, but I could pick up the phone points of contact
and call Chineta and it was good to know you weren’t for doing busi-
the only one going through a particular experience,” she ness with North-
said. “It was good to have someone to talk to, and as was rop Grumman is
said earlier today, you don’t start off knowing everything 20-year veteran,
you need to be successful. Knowing there are people out Gwendolyn Till-
there who can help you fi nd a way is very encouraging.” man, a manager
Most recently, Newby served as director of airborne in the Socio Eco-
warning systems, responsible for the sector’s AWACS and nomic Business
E-2D airborne warning and control sensor program ac- Program corpo-
tivities. In March 2009, she was appointed vice president, rate offi ce. She
weapons and sensors, with executive responsibility for plays a key role in
the development, deployment and customer interface of connecting mi-
all weapons and sensors programs at Land Forces Divi- nority-, women-
sion locations in Baltimore, MD and Huntsville, AL. owned and small
disadvantaged
business enterprises with the company’s procurement
Pamela Roberts
and technical organizations. “My background is in ac-
has spent two
counting, but a socio economic program for government
decades in the
relations is a career path that is very much about net-
defense industry,
working, about being a champion for people to stretch
though she has
and accomplish great things.”
been with North-
rop Grumman So how does a young professional transition from indi-
only four years. vidual contributor to manager and executive?
She worked with
Chineta Davis’ recipe was simple: a strong handshake,
TRW Inc. (now a
eye contact, good posture, a sense of confi dence, staying
part of Northrop
engaged, and understanding unwritten rules—where
Grumman’s aero-
you sit at a meeting table, makes a big difference. “Those
space systems
are the little things people don’t tell you, but you learn
and information
because you see people looking at you in a certain way.”
systems sectors),
and left after a “When it comes to corporate culture and interpreting
number of years. signals I always look for consistency between what is said
But, she says “I found out the grass was not greener on and what is done,” observes Newby. “If people are telling
the other side, so I’m glad to be back with Northrop.” you you’re doing a great job, but you have been in the
A 20-year human resource (HR) professional, Roberts same position for years, and people around you are mov-
has merged into the corporate culture as a diversity and ing up and moving on, you have to understand what is
inclusion specialist. “I have a lot of people who come to going on,” she advised. “It could be a number of things:
talk to me about their challenges of moving up in the that you are not meeting expectations or you are doing
organization—how they can get to someone who’s going your job so well that people are thinking if we allow this
to help them,” explained Roberts. “I primarily help to person to move on and do something else, we’re going
coach people, help them understand who the key players to have a huge void and we don’t have someone who
are, the champions that you need to fi nd in an organiza- can fi ll it.”
tion to help you to be successful and move up,” said the
A recent Catalyst survey fi nds that although women and
workforce manager.
men use similar advancement strategies and experience
similar barriers during their rise to the top, women report
enduring a set of cultural barriers to their advancement
not experienced by men: gender-based stereotypes, ex-
clusion from informal networks, lack of role models, and
an inhospitable corporate culture.
www.womenofcolor.net WOMENOFCOLOR | FALL 2009 15
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