DECEMBER 2019 • LONGISLANDPRESS.COM 33
PRESS BUSINESS
HIA-LI’S WOMEN LEADING THE WAY
INSPIRING SUCCESSFUL FEMALES
L. to R.: Carolyn Mazzenga, Office Managing Partner, Marcum LLP; Kristen Jarnagin, President and CEO, Discover Long Island; Rebecca O’Connell,
Managing Director and Regional Head, Chase Bank; Joanna Austin, Publisher, Long Island Press.
BY MICHELLE GABRIELLE CENTAMORE
Long Island professionals gathered
on Nov. 22 at the Stonebridge
Country Club in Smithtown for the
Hauppauge Industrial Association
of Long Island’s (HIA-LI) 9th annual
Women Leading the Way Executive
Breakfast.
Some of the most distinguished
female executives on LI served as
featured panelists. They included
Discover Long Island CEO Kristen Jarnagin,
Carolyn Mazzenga, managing
partner of the Melville office of Marcum
LLP and tax partner and leader
of Family Wealth Services Group
at Marcum LLP, Rebecca O’Connell,
managing director and region-head
of Chase Bank, and Long Island Press
Publisher Joanna Austin. The event
was moderated by Domenique Camacho
Moran, partner, Farrel Fritz, P.C.
The panelists explored common
issues experienced by local female
professionals and empowered attendees
to approach their careers with
knowledge, strength, courage, and
faith and to never give up on a dream,
whether personal or professional.
Here are some key takeaways:
FIND YOUR INSPIRATION
Inspiration is a key motivator for
personal and professional success,
according to Austin.
“You have to find inspiration from
every aspect of your life whether it
is from your family that influences
your work or your work that influences
your family,” she said.
For Austin, “the everyday hero” who
gets the job done, is happy, and is still
standing at the end of the day is certainly
applaudable.
DEFINE YOUR SUCCESS
For most of the panelists, the definition
of “success” was initially tied
solely to financially security but
evolved to include more substantial
values.
While in college, O’Connell said, “I
had my eye on the money.” Her vision
changed once she embarked on her
career. She came to define success
not only by earnings but also by abilities,
thriving on her own courage,
commitment, humility, and ability to
connect with others.
“The minute that I recognized that
and started leading in that capacity
was the minute I started making a
difference in the organization, as well
as for myself and for the individuals
around me,” she said.
PROMOTE AND PERSEVERE
“Hope is not a strategy,” said
Mazzenga.
She recalled a childhood memory
in which she asked her mother why
there were no female paper carriers;
her mother could not answer. From
that point on, Mazzenga was determined
to not let anything stand in
the way of her success.
“If you can’t tell me why I can’t do it,
then I’m going to do it,” she said. “That
drove me all through my career.”
Success takes wholeheartedness and
ambition, asserts Jarnagin.
“You have to have the passion for
what you love and what you do,” she
added.
OWN YOUR SKILLS
O’Connell offered some key advice
she received from her mentor while
at a crossroads in her career. She
said these words helped her reach a
greater level of success.
“Don’t sit back and wait,” she said.
“Find outside opportunities and be
proactive.”
Jarnagin said the proof is in the
pudding.
“If you want to be a manager, act like
it,” said Jarnagin. “Take on management
roles and show that you can do
it.”
Austin added, “You have to have the
courage to push boundaries.”
Respect yourself and respect your
team.
“Listen,” Austin advised.
DON’T FEEL GUILTY
Leaders can have hearts, but they
also need to have thick skin and the
ability to make difficult choices, said
Mazzenga.
Regarding terminating an employee,
she said, “There are times when you
just need to part ways.”
It’s possible to do with no hard
feelings.
FIND A BALANCE
“If you want to have it all, you need
to manage your sacrifices,” said
Jarnagin.
While work and family are both a
priority, she notes that sometimes,
something’s gotta give. Finding the
balance to keep everyone including
yourself happy is critical, she noted.
There’s no hard-fast formula to
achieving work/life balance, said
Austin. It’s personal.
“It’s a constant work-in-progress,” she
said.
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