StateraArts Launches Los Angeles Mentorship Chapter For Women In The Arts

Mentorship is at the core of StateraArts' mission of taking positive action to bring women into full and equal participation in the arts. The national launch of Statera Mentorship was announced in October 2018 at Statera's International Conference in Milwaukee, WI. Since the announcement, regional chapters have exploded across the United States.

Melinda Pfundstein, Statera's Executive Director, said, "Professional mentorship for women is a positive, proactive, and proven way to counter gender imbalance in the workplace. And we're thrilled to share that Statera Mentorship now has a chapter in Los Angeles."

Statera Mentorship is under the leadership of national co-directors Erika Haaland and Minita Gandhi. The Los Angeles Chapter was founded by Siobhan Doherty. Doherty is joined by Regional Coordinators Amber Friendly and Anatasha Blakely. To apply for the Los Angeles Chapter's inaugural mentorship class, please visit www.stateraarts.org/los-angeles-mentorship.

The duration of each mentorship class is 6-months. In addition to one-on-one engagement with a mentor/mentee, each mentorship class enjoys a networking mixer with the entire class.

While classes are already underway in Chicago and North Carolina, newly formed chapters will start their first class of mentorship pairings on July 1, 2019. New chapters include Boston Area, California Central Coast, Dallas/Fort Worth, Ithaca, Iowa, Los Angeles, Louisville, New York City, Philadelphia, and Southern Texas. And plans are already in the works for chapters in Atlanta, Milwaukee, Salt Lake, Southern Oregon, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and Southern Utah.

Applications to participate in the next class are due by June 1, 2019. Visit www.stateraarts.org/mentorship to select your region and apply. Have questions about Statera Mentorship? StateraArts provides an FAQ page: www.stateraarts.org/mentorship-faq.

Lia Mortensen, a 30-year veteran actor in Chicago, went through the program last year. She says she was thrilled to be a mentor and give back to women in the business. "There was nothing like this when I was starting out," said Mortensen. "Not only has it been an intensely rewarding experience to help my mentee in all areas of Chicago theatre, but I also discovered the wealth of knowledge I have attained over the years and the immense value of it."

Dates: The next class runs from July 1 - December 31, 2019
Application deadline: mentor/mentee applications are due by June 1, 2019
Statera Mentorship Los Angeles Website: www.stateraarts.org/los-angeles-mentorship
Facebook: facebook.com/StateraMentorship
Instagram: instagram.com/stateraarts_la/
Contact: mentorship@stateraarts.org
Website: stateraarts.org