Karen Coker, Head of Vendor Risk and Contracts Management at University Federal Credit Union
Karen Coker is Head of Vendor Risk Management and Contracts Management at University Federal Credit Union (UFCU). She was previously the Director of Corporate Procurement & Legal at Trellis. In addition to deep experience in third party risk management which also includes project management and procurement, Karen is passionate about developing future leaders through mentoring and sponsorship activities and relationships.
Q: Why do you choose to spend your time mentoring others?
A: I choose to mentor others because it makes everything better when people share their wisdom and thoughts and how they work and then give people insights into their experiences. When I mentor, I always advise my mentees to be authentic and think about how they do their job and think about when they put their head on the pillow at night, are they comfortable with who they are? If yes, I've done my job well.
Q: What do you personally gain from mentoring?
A: I have learned from every person that I've mentored, including the interns that work for me. I have learned something from them, too. Whether it is their reminders about poise, things that I need to do as far as my certifications, or learning new skills to promote myself, that's what I think I gain the most: learning from them.
Q: To what do you attribute your success?
A: God. I believe that his divine intervention in my life has placed me in the right places, and some of those places have been painful. But when I stopped letting it be painful, I learned something from them, too. If it wasn't for the sake of God, I know that I would not have had the opportunities that I've had.
Q: What does good mentoring look like to you?
A: A good mentor is a great listener and focuses on what's important based on the mentee's goals, which may be different from what they want to talk about at the moment. So, listening, taking it in, and advising based on their ultimate goals.
Q: What advice would you give to someone interested in mentoring?
A: Number one: be your authentic self. You can't help someone else if you're trying to be somebody you're not. Your mentee will see through it. Also, be truly committed to mentor and practice deep listening. For example, I give my mentees homework; I give them books to read. Lastly, encourage your mentees to give you feedback. I haven't had any feedback, but I would hope that if a mentee said, "Karen, I don't agree with that," that we could have a discussion and work that out.
Q: How has mentoring impacted your own journey?
A: Throughout my career, people have inspired me to keep going, not stay stagnant, and take my career to the next level. Some of these people have told me things like, "This is what you need to do with your resume." Or, "you have been sitting stagnant too long in your role." I have taken action, and I can now turn around and share that with my mentees.
Q: Why do you choose to mentor with Ceresa?
A: Mike Clifford introduced me to Anna Robinson, the CEO of Ceresa. When I talked to Anna, I listened to the possibilities and wanted to be a part of her mission and what Ceresa stands for. I felt that I could make a difference. I also like the fact that right now, I am mentoring a male. What a great opportunity for more diversity on all fronts.
Mentorship: integral to the Ceresa whole-person approach
At Ceresa, mentorship is an integral part of our leadership development process. The mentor-mentee relationship is a key component in providing the structure, and at the same time fluidity, necessary to facilitate pointed leadership and career growth for both the participant and the mentor.