Bridging Experience and Potential

Ensuring everyone has the tools they need to advance professionally is key to making any workplace more inclusive. The Federal Home Loan Bank of New York helps employees thrive through its Mentorship Program, now in its third year of pairing experienced C-Suite professionals with rising talents.  

Inclusive mentorship is a key component of guidance from the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and the bank is committed to growing and developing their program for future generations of leaders. According to Maelean Sanders, Vice President and Senior Manager of Human Resources, “The Mentorship Program aligns directly with our culture of caring, learning, and inclusion. Connecting employees with management is also the right thing to do. It gets senior leaders involved and breaks down barriers.” Often, by participating in this program, leaders become champions for their mentees, leading to new initiatives and professional development opportunities. 

The program is beneficial for both individuals and the organization. Said Sanders, “At the individual level, the program is designed to encourage, develop, and advance employees, as well as increase their exposure to senior management. On the organizational level, the goal is to strengthen our workplace culture, support and promote our inclusion, and build a strong and diverse talent pipeline.” These connections lead to a ripple effect, positively impacting the mentees’ relationships with their teams and encouraging others to participate in the program.  

Functionally, the Mentorship Program fosters connections between mentors and mentees across the organization by sharing knowledge and expertise, contributing to personal and professional growth, and creating a greater sense of connection. The program allows mentees to collaborate with leaders they may not otherwise meet by pairing them with leaders from across the bank’s three locations of New York, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C. According to Sanders, this structure helps mentees expand their networks and strengthens connections between the different offices.  

Chief Business Officer Adam Goldstein views mentoring as a two-way street where both parties can learn and grow. Mentorship is not about passively answering questions but about actively building meaningful relationships that contribute to the overall culture of the bank. He has the following advice for new mentors: 

Play offense, not defense. Do not sit back and wait for your mentee to contact you. Reach out and let them know you are there for them…whenever they need you! 

Goldstein’s enthusiasm stems from the personal experience of befitting from mentorship during his own career. He continues this ripple effect by mentoring Irina Dorochenko, Senior Manager of Enterprise Analytics, whose role bridges customer service, technology, and analytics. Dorochenko applied for the Mentorship Program to build the communication skills necessary to manage people and relationships at a high level.  

Dorochenko recalled that when she first met with a C-level executive, she wasn't sure what to expect. She didn't know how the conversation would unfold or how personal or sincere one could be with someone at that level. However, as Dorochenko got to know Goldstein through the program, she discovered a level of openness and authenticity. Their conversations were not only professional and instructional but also deeply insightful. Said Dorochenko, “This experience taught me the importance of bringing my authentic self to work. Authenticity is key to sincerity, and I learned from Adam that sincerity is key to leadership. You need to really care about and know people in order to lead them effectively.” 

Mentors and mentees at the bank interact organically and are free to schedule meetings in the way that works best for them. This organic dynamic is supplemented by interactions in structured environments, such as the “Creating and Nourishing your Personal Brand” event. Planned by a women’s leadership group within the bank, the event included a presentation from Goldstein. Goldstein became aware of the need for this presentation through his role as a mentor to Dorochenko. Dorochenko led the workshop with Rosalía Rivera, Senior Executive Assistant. This highlights the ways mentor-mentee relationships benefit the organization as a whole. Through his connection to Dorochenko, Goldstein was invited to share his expertise and insights with a larger group of employees. Attendees, in turn, can use this knowledge in their own roles.  

During meetings, Goldstein and Dorochenko spoke frequently about effective communication. They reviewed past presentations or created personalized communication strategies that worked with her unique role. Dorochenko recalled one of the most valuable insights from her meetings with Goldstein: “He suggested I tune into my energy levels and how they vary throughout the day. I thought I had to be ‘on’ all the time, but he pointed out that it’s unreasonable to expect someone to act and feel the same all day long. Trying to do that leads to unproductive interactions and can affect decision making.”  

In her role as Senior Manager of Enterprise Analytics, Dorochenko has to be deeply knowledgeable about technology, but also about building relationships across departments and teams. By committing to her personal well-being and energy management, she has identified the best times of day for her to address her varied tasks. This awareness, Dorochenko says, has helped her manage difficult conversations, plan events more effectively, and created more balance between her home and work life. 

Dorochenko and Goldstein agree that more organizations should have mentorship programs to guide employees through their professional journeys. Research and the best practices of professional societies backs up the claim that mentorship programs are positive forces for inclusion, professional development, and networking. Dorochenko and Goldstein suggest that organizations looking to start mentorship programs should start early, make mentorship an integral part of the company culture, and invest in training for both mentors and mentees. 

As the bank continues to invest in its Mentorship Program, it sets a powerful example for other institutions looking to enhance their employee development initiatives and create a more inclusive, growth-oriented workplace. Mentorship can give employees the chance to contribute to dynamic, supportive, and successful workplaces across generations.