The webinar “The Benefits of Mentoring,” hosted by the EDM Association’s Women Data Professionals (WDP) group in celebration of Women’s History Month, focused on how mentoring helps women in data-related careers build confidence, grow professionally, and advance into leadership roles. Speakers included:

• Moderator: Robin Doyle, Independent Board Director, Audit and Risk Committee NBH Bank

• Sandhya Murthy, Principal Analyst, FINRA

• Nichole Nobbman, Principal Analyst, Pragmatic Solutions

• Kristen Lucas, Data Governance Analyst, Guild Mortgage

• Happiness Mhiripiri, Executive Director, Brave Women Leadership

Robin Doyle opened by explaining that WDP, founded in 2019, was created to support women in the data field and now includes more than 2,500 members. Its mentoring program has served over 1,300 participants globally in the last five years, making it a central part of the organization’s mission to give back and help women succeed.

A major theme of the webinar was that mentoring has both measurable and personal impact. Robin shared a striking statistic: “People who are involved in a mentoring relationship, as mentees, are five times more likely to get promoted than those who are not.” Panelists reinforced that point with firsthand stories about promotions, career pivots, stronger self-advocacy, and improved confidence. Nichole described mentoring as a way to learn from others who have already navigated similar challenges, rather than “reinventing each wheel.” Kristen added that mentoring helps prevent stagnation by encouraging continuous learning and growth, both professionally and personally.

The mentors on the panel emphasized that mentoring is not just about giving advice; it is also about helping someone see their own blind spots, clarify goals, and recognize opportunities. Sandhya explained how her own mentor helped her pursue a promotion by using metrics to show her impact, while Happiness described learning that hard work alone is not enough if no one can see it. Her mentor compared self-advocacy to advertising a great product: even something excellent still needs visibility. The panel also stressed that mentors can become sponsors—people who advocate for you in rooms you are not yet in.

Another key point was that technology and AI may help people gather information, but they cannot replace human mentorship. While tools like Copilot can synthesize information and help people prepare better questions, they cannot provide empathy, pattern recognition, accountability, sponsorship, or real-time personal guidance. Human mentors can spot detours, challenge limiting beliefs, and connect mentees to opportunities in ways technology cannot.

The panel closed with practical advice on finding mentors through formal programs, workplace relationships, LinkedIn, or direct outreach. Importantly, mentorship does not always have to be lifelong. As the discussion noted, a mentor may be there “for a reason, a season, [or] for life,” meaning the relationship can be specific to a moment, a goal, or an entire career. Overall, the webinar presented mentoring as a powerful, flexible tool for career growth, community, and long-term success.