Throughout March, to celebrate International Women’s Day 2026, Pacific International is amplifying the voices of female leaders who embody this year’s theme, “Give To Gain“. These leaders champion inclusive leadership not only through their own success but through the intentional support they provide to others.
We continue the series with a conversation between Margaret Jaouadi and Vickie Kozhushchenko, CHRO at Greene Tweed, a global, multi-market manufacturer of high-performance thermoplastics, composites, seals, and engineered components, and an active member of Chief, a community of ambitious women executives shaping the new era of leadership. In this discussion, Margaret explores Vickie’s career journey, the role mentoring, coaching, and sponsorship have played in shaping it, and how Vickie now gives back by developing talent, advocating for women, and using her influence to create opportunities for the next generation of leaders.
Margaret Jaouadi
Looking back on your career, what role did mentoring, coaching or sponsorship play in your progression, and can you provide some examples of their impact?
Vickie Kozhushchenko
I would say two of these three have had a significant impact on me in different ways. If I separate them, I will start with sponsorship, because that is probably the experience that shaped my career opportunities the most.
I worked for Aramark, a foodservice and facility services company, for about 10 years. About three years into my time there, I requested and received approval to complete my master’s degree at the University of Pennsylvania. Aramark sponsored a significant portion of the degree. I still had some financial responsibility, but their support made it possible.
That opportunity allowed me to do two important things. First, I was able to pursue advanced learning in methodologies, structures, frameworks and mindsets that I had been interested in for quite some time. Second, it broadened my future path. Both through the learning itself and through earning the degree, I gained credibility as I considered future roles.
That sponsorship opened my mind, opened my eyes and expanded my opportunities. It created a future-focused growth path that I probably wouldn’t have had otherwise.
When I think about coaching, one particular formal coaching experience stands out. At Aramark, I participated in a leadership development program called Level 5 Leadership. The program lasted a little over three months, and working with an external professional executive coach was part of the experience. That was more than fifteen years ago, and Karen Warner a coach assigned to me then, remains my coach today and is also a friend and a trusted guide.
During my master’s program, I learned about a framework called the Johari Window. At its simplest, it suggests that there are things we know about ourselves that others also know. There are things others see in us that we do not see in ourselves. And there are things that neither we nor others are yet aware of.
Karen helped me understand the qualities she saw in me that I had not fully recognized, and how I could use them to my advantage. She also helped me identify gaps and supported me in working through them. Coaching is a reflective process. For me, that experience began a deeper journey of self-reflection, self-management, self-awareness, and what I call true emotional intelligence.
Margaret Jaouadi:
Can I ask: did you have a choice in who your coach was, or was Karen assigned to you?
Vickie Kozhushchenko:
We did have a choice. Of the four coaches available to the cohort, I interviewed two. There was something about Karen that clicked from the very beginning, and the rest is history.
Having that choice was really important. I am a coach now, and internally we work with a couple of different coaches who are made available to employees. One of the first things I tell people is that if a coach does not feel right for them from the start, they need to say so, because we will find someone who is a better match. That trust and transparency are essential. Coaching does not work without that foundation from the beginning, on establishing an initial connection and building trust.
Margaret Jaouadi
In your current role, and given that you already do some internal coaching, what initiatives have you implemented that have proven most effective in developing female talent and creating opportunities for them?
Vickie Kozhushchenko
At Greene Tweed, we have several employee-led committees. Across these groups, volunteers step forward to either lead or support employee initiatives throughout the organization.
When I joined in early 2025, I really wanted to understand what each of these groups did because I care deeply about how employees contribute to the organization’s growth and success and, most importantly, to one another’s growth and success as peers. I also knew from previous organizations that employee-led committees can be incredibly powerful. I wanted to ensure they had the right structures, governance and support in place.
What is interesting is that the majority of these committees are led by women. I think much of that has happened organically. At the same time, I do believe that as women, we often step forward and say we want to help others.
Over the past few months, as I have gotten closer to these committees and taken on the role of executive sponsor for two of them, a Workplace of Choice committee and a Healthy Living committee, my focus has been on ensuring that the chairs and members will be set up in the year ahead to receive coaching, mentorship, guidance, and support in those roles, beyond what they experience in their day-to-day jobs. Leading a committee requires different skills and creates experiences different from those in their formal positions.
We are starting to work on connecting them with resources and tools that support their development, particularly within programs led by women. That includes skills such as managing up and influencing without formal authority. It includes effective communication, especially when you are operating outside your functional expertise and cannot rely solely on technical credibility. In those situations, you have to communicate and influence differently.
We have strong organizational development and training resources, as well as full LinkedIn Learning subscriptions available to all employees. I work to intentionally guide committee members toward those resources to help them build the capabilities they need as they lead these groups.
For me, this is about both what they give and what they get. It should not be a one-way relationship. These individuals are volunteers. They are committing time and energy beyond their core responsibilities. They have full professional roles and personal lives outside of work, yet they choose to invest in their colleagues and the company.
I believe that if they are going to make that commitment on behalf of their peers, they should receive something meaningful in return. That opportunity for self-development and learning is essential.
Margaret Jaouadi
The International Women’s Day theme is “Give to Gain,” and you have already touched on it a little. From your perspective, how has investing time, influence and advocacy in other women shaped your leadership and the impact you have been able to make? And perhaps you can also share a little about your involvement with Chief.
Vickie Kozhushchenko
I have been fortunate throughout my career to work with some incredible women, particularly those earlier in their careers whom I have been able to guide and coach; I’ve been lucky to bring a few of those individuals with me to new organizations as well. Mentoring, coaching and supporting women at that stage has always been very important to me. I genuinely enjoy it. I benefited from that kind of support when I was early in my own career, and being able to give back in that way gives me a great deal of energy and satisfaction. I also believe it’s an important responsibility for all female leaders to undertake in whatever way they can.
There is this idea of standing on the shoulders of others to see further ahead and envision what the future might hold. I also have two daughters, and I think about the world I am helping to create for them, regardless of what they choose to do. For me, Give to Gain is about creating something symbiotic and mutually beneficial, where giving truly leads to growth and opportunity in return.
Investing time and advocacy in other women has broadened my own perspective. It allows me to understand what is happening around me more clearly. I lead and influence more effectively because of the knowledge, insight and different ways of thinking that the women I support bring to the table.
Sometimes this shows up in simple ways. A few weeks ago, someone on my team was walking me through a feature in our Workday HR system that I was not familiar with. She quickly demonstrated how to navigate to a specific piece of data and explained why it was insightful. I stopped her and asked her to slow down and show me exactly how she did it, because it was something I did not know. It may seem small, but she had a level of technological fluency and versatility that was ahead of mine in that moment, and I learned from her. Those exchanges matter.
On a broader level, I have had the opportunity to hire and develop individuals in one organization and then bring them with me to the next. My current Talent Acquisition Director at Greene Tweed is someone I worked with at two previous companies. When we first met, I was a Chief People Officer, and she was a recruiter in her mid-twenties. We built a strong relationship. I could see her potential, and she was learning and growing rapidly, while I was learning from her.
Two companies later, I brought her with me, and then again to Greene Tweed. Over time, she has significantly evolved and expanded her capabilities. Today, it benefits me to have her on my team, and it benefits her to continue growing in increasingly senior roles. That is Give to Gain in action. When you invest in someone’s development, you both grow.
My involvement with Chief has reinforced this in different ways. One of the greatest benefits I have gained from Chief over the past couple of years has been participating in a peer coaching group. I have been part of two different cohorts of women from diverse backgrounds, industries, and geographies across the country. Most of us are at similar life and career stages, generally mid to later career. Many of us are also part of the sandwich generation, caring for both children and ageing parents.
Being part of that group is an investment of time, but it is incredibly powerful. In a safe, confidential space, we can bring forward real challenges from work or home and truly pressure-test them. We explore options, question assumptions and think through solutions together. That experience strengthens me as a leader.
I remember one specific example. I had just finished a Chief session in which I discussed a team leadership challenge I was facing and received some valuable peer coaching. About 30 minutes later, I had a one-on-one with a director who recently joined Greene Tweed. She was struggling with a team member and was unsure how to lead her effectively. Because I had just worked through a similar issue in my Chief group, I was able to apply those insights to our conversation immediately. It was a direct example of giving and gaining at the same time.
For me, Give to Gain truly crosses boundaries. The more I invest in others, and the more I allow myself to learn from them, the stronger my leadership becomes and the greater the impact I can make.
Margaret Jaouadi
What do you believe women leaders need most today from mentors, sponsors and allies? And how can leaders provide that support in meaningful, practical ways?
Vickie Kozhushchenko
I have thought about this quite a bit, and three simple words come to mind. Perspective. Advocacy. Active Listening.
Starting with perspective, one of the core tenets of my leadership and my life is the importance of seeing things from different points of view. The world operates in many different ways depending on how people experience it. I believe it is critically important to understand those varying perspectives and to think through how others may be experiencing, navigating or interpreting a situation.
At its heart, that is empathy. When we take the time to consider how someone else is experiencing something, it informs our decisions. It can change our minds. It can lead to better outcomes, whether those are organizational outcomes, financial results or even personal growth. Mentors, sponsors and allies can offer women leaders perspective by broadening how they see challenges and opportunities, and by helping them step outside their own lens. But empathy is also about understanding why my own point of view may not be someone else’s point of view, and know that is absolutely acceptable.
Advocacy is the second. Advocacy is a powerful skill, but it is not always an easy one to develop. Not everyone has the opportunity to advocate for others in a professional context. It requires stepping forward and using your voice, credibility, and influence to intentionally support someone else.
As female leaders, we earn credibility over time. We should use that credibility to open doors and create pathways for others that they may not have been able to access on their own. Advocacy allows others to grow, stretch, and take on roles or experiences that accelerate their development. It is an incredibly important capability, but it requires experience and a willingness to take responsibility for someone else’s advancement.
The third is Active Listening. For me, this is foundational. If I am going to mentor, coach or sponsor someone, I need to listen deeply. That means observing body language, asking thoughtful follow-up questions and truly understanding what is being said, and sometimes what is not being said. It means taking what I hear and reflecting it in a way that helps the individual clarify their own thinking and communicate more authentically and accurately.
Active listening is not a passive skill. It requires effort and practice. Mentors, sponsors and allies have a responsibility to develop it. When done well, it becomes one of the most meaningful ways we can support women leaders. It ensures that our guidance is grounded in their reality, not just our assumptions.
If we can offer perspective, practice advocacy, and commit to strong, active listening, we can provide the kind of practical, meaningful support that truly helps women leaders grow.
Margaret Jaouadi
The third one surprised me a little because I would have thought that women are quite good at active listening.
Vickie Kozhushchenko
I think many are. In many cases, it may come more naturally to women than to men. But there is another reality we have to acknowledge.
I am a mother of two girls, one a teenager and one almost there. I also carry much of the mental load at home. I am primarily responsible for many of the financial and operational aspects of running our household. Like many working mothers, I am very busy.
Active listening requires something that can be hard to access in that environment. It requires a pause. It requires reflection. It requires the time and space to sit still and fully focus on another person. Even if the instinct to listen is there, the capacity to truly do it well doesn’t always follow.
So I agree that it can come more naturally to women. But I do not think we always give ourselves the time and margin to practise it in the way that makes it most powerful.
Margaret Jaouadi
For women who feel they are not senior enough or are too busy to mentor others, what would you say about the power of support even early in their careers?
Vickie Kozhushchenko
I have always strongly believed in investing in early-career opportunities for women. Part of that is simply because I truly enjoy spending time with women who are just coming out of college or beginning to figure out where they want to go in life and in their careers.
One of the conversations I consistently have with women at that stage is about identifying what they have to give. Every person, at every stage of life, has something to offer. That belief runs through every part of my life, including how I raise my two daughters, who are eleven and thirteen. I tell them the same thing. You have something to give to another person. You may not recognize it immediately, but if you take the time to reflect and uncover it, it is important to bring that into every room you enter.
The same is true for women in their early twenties stepping into their first professional roles after college, university, or technical school. They have something to contribute. It might be a lived experience, a specific life skill, a new technical capability or a passion they bring to their work. Offering that perspective, especially to colleagues who are further along in their careers, is meaningful.
They do have a voice, and they should use it. Of course, early in a career, credibility is still being built. So it is important to think about how to deliver that contribution in a way that creates value. Even small contributions can have an impact. When you are thoughtful about how you share what you bring to the table, you absolutely can support and even mentor others.
Another perspective I would add comes from my master’s thesis, which focused on peer coaching. I conducted extensive research on coaching, what effective coaching looks like and how it develops. One of the key insights for me was that coaching does not only happen in formal, hierarchical settings. Peer coaching can be incredibly powerful.
Peer coaching creates space for individuals to give and receive feedback, reflect, and build self-awareness and self-management, and doing so with another person, or group of people, who are at a similar level, stage or life phase as you are. It is absolutely something that can happen early in a career. It can be as simple as sitting down with a colleague and asking thoughtful questions. What are you working through right now? How are you thinking about this situation? What options have you considered? What could you do differently?
By helping someone reflect and by sharing your own experiences when relevant, you are already giving something of value. You do not need to be a trained executive coach. You do not need twenty years of experience. You do not need deep expertise in every area. With some foundational coaching skills and genuine curiosity, you can support a peer in a meaningful way.
That is the key. Giving support does not require seniority. It requires intention.
Margaret Jaouadi
Before we finish, is there anything you would like to add to close the interview?
Vickie Kozhushchenko
I think the one thing I would add, reflecting on International Women’s Day, is how fortunate I have been throughout my career to benefit from the experience of other women and other leaders. And it is not just women. There are many incredible men I have worked with who have been allies. Sometimes we forget how important allyship and support can be, especially during tough moments.
As I think about this year’s theme, Give to Gain, I step back and ask myself how I can show up better for other women during challenging times. That is such an important lesson. We are defined not only by how we act during good times, but by how we show up when things are difficult. Bringing your whole self to the table during those moments is essential.
When it comes to Give to Gain, authenticity is everything. If I am going to give and hope to gain in return, it only works if I am showing up fully, with honesty and intention to offer meaningful support.
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