Mentor Award Finalist
Sylvia Ferrell-Jones is responsible for the strategic leadership of fulfilling the mission of YW Boston, one of the city’s anchor institutions, to build racial, gender and social equity. She is the chief ambassador, spokesperson, fundraiser, steward and partnership builder, and works closely with the staff and board to eliminate racism, empower women and promote peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.
Well beyond the scope of her responsibilities to her own institution, Sylvia Ferrell-Jones is also a willing leader and guide to many in the Boston area. She is sought after by numerous professionals who are seeking to transition from the corporate to the nonprofit sector, a path she took herself in the year 2000. Sylvia willingly meets with, advises and connects many individuals each year, as recently as this past week.
In addition, Sylvia is sought by other groups to be a mentor. She has spent recent years meeting with the women’s freshmen seminar participants at MIT in the “Good to Great” seminar. Most of these students are women of color, and many are immigrants. She instills confidence in them and helps them to discover the leadership qualities they already possess.
Last year Sylvia agreed to serve as a mentor for the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting (ALPFA) inaugural Latina Mentoring Circle, and is about to participate for a second year. In addition to acting as a mentor to the group, she made a presentation on her own career journey, being certain to describe her missteps and setbacks, to convey the truth that career growth is rarely linear for women of color. Sylvia has also served as a mentor for many years to several rising professionals in the Boston community.
In part, Sylvia’s value comes from the fact that she has worked in the corporate, public and nonprofit sectors, so can give advice about bridging from one sector to another. Sylvia is also well positioned as a mentor because she is a woman of color who has worked in industries that are overwhelmingly male and white. Sylvia’s commitment to equity drives her to help others whenever possible and her commitment to the Latina Mentoring Circle and the freshmen women’s seminar are excellent examples of how she adds value outside of her responsibilities at work.
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