WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP
Q. What obstacles have you overcome as a female entrepreneur? A. There were many times where I was the only female in the
room, but I never let that stop me. I do believe we do not have to make a trade off – we can have powerful careers and be great parents. Our children watch what we do, mine have seen a mother who is passionate about her work, but who is always committed to family first. I believe you have to set culture in your company where families are honored, and staff feel as if they can make family a priority without sacrificing productivity. The most important part of my journey has been being a wife
and caregiver to my beloved Scott Bevins, who we just lost to his 10 year battle with Alzheimers at the age of 69. My children and I know first hand the pain of watching someone you love slowly disappear, lose their ability to speak and how important it is that we solve this disease for everyone. I do believe fundamentally that “love is greater than fear” and we all have to turn our pain into passion. I also know that love is endless and forever. My family and I will use the pain of this journey and loss to fight for a cure.
Q. What advice would you share to others looking to grow in their careers? A. You are far more powerful than you know. What qualifies
you to be in a position of leadership has nothing to do with your age or education. Don’t let societal expectations prevent you from doing something amazing. You must be fearless and not be afraid to take risks. Your voice, your presence and your passion are your greatest tools. Most importantly, always SHOW UP and speak up! Serving as Chair for Argentum’s Women in Leadership (WIL) committee, Sarah and the other members of WIL have built a strong coalition of supporters who aim to elevate oppor- tunities for females to have executive-level opportunities in the workplace. For more information on the WIL committee, visit
www.argentum.org/wil. Please join Sarah and the WIL commit- tee by attending an upcoming session of their Mentor Series this summer and fall.
Collette Gray President and Chief
Executive Officer, Integral Senior Living and Solstice Senior Living
Highlights from an interview with
Women In Leadership mentors Vicki Clark and Sue Farrow.
Q. Explain your path and how mentorship brought you to where you are today? A. It’s been an incredible ride. First off, it does take other people.
You have networks, people to guide you as you seek to reach your goals. It is important to take the time to nurture friendships along the way.
44 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 I started 27 years ago and came into this by accident and a little
bit on purpose. I had graduated from UNLV with a business man- agement degree and a minor in marketing and was working in a hotel sales job that anybody could do. I had no passion for what I was doing. Then my grandmother passed away. She was a huge part of
my upbringing. I wanted to do something that would honor her memory and allow me to give back. I volunteered at a hospice, but that was not for me. I did the same at a skilled nursing facility and that was not for me. Then I volunteered at an assisted living community, took turns calling bingo and spent a lot of time there and loved it. From there, I saw an opening where Vicki Clark gave me a shot directing sales and marketing in a community and that is where my real journey started.
Q: Vicki and Sue, what did you see in Collette that made you mentor and support her? A: (Vicki) I think what struck me most about Collette was her
confidence. I overheard her interview when we hired her for our new community in Las Vegas and she had this confident tone with- out being giddy. Her voice told me if that person was telling me she wanted to take care of my mom, I would believe her. (Sue) Collette made herself unforgettable and made herself visi-
ble. That is so important to be able to go that extra mile. It is about being present in your job every day, show up and speak up.
Q: What advice do you have for others? A. (Collette) There is nothing wrong with leading with your heart
and showing your more vulnerable side. I actually tell people to embrace it. Be your authentic self. Vicki saw something in me that made me push harder in my
journey. You also have to be a risk taker. An example for me was when I saw an opportunity to be a regional director of sales and marketing at the same time I was having my first baby. This was a traveling position. But I took a risk, and with a brand new baby I interviewed and I got the job. I then came back from maternity leave after three months and started this job. So this was in the beginning of 2000 and I was a road warrior
with a three-month-old, pumping breast milk in restroom stalls. But I knew I could be an amazing mom and an amazing regional sales and marketing director. I am proud of the people I have helped along the way and I have
learned to surround myself with amazing people and pay it forward, mentoring people myself. I have four amazing daughters and want to instill in them to USE YOUR VOICE.
Q. Other advice from Sue and Vicki. (Vicki) Write your goals down and choose the right kind of men-
tor. Don’t find a duplicate of yourself, find someone who can help with your own weaknesses. (Sue) It is lonely at the top if you don’t find a mentor or a group.
You need these types of support systems around you, to call you out on your bs, to keep you growing, to hold you accountable.
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