In this episode Nicole and Sarah chat with Jillian (Jilly) Woody and Kristina Toscano about their blend of being an Army Officer in the National Guard and a leader in their civilian jobs. We enjoy sweet and giggly conversations and Nicole accidentally calls Kristina the wrong name; so enjoy the fun start before we dive into the nitty gritty about seeking mentorship and being a female leader in the Army. We talk about:
Sarah was busy after-hours in her current role of being a Platoon Leader so you'll hear her pop on and off as much as she could while we were recording. Mad respect to her for juggling so much all in one day!
This episode was sparked as a follow-up to a focus group that we hosted during the Basic Officer Leadership Course where 10 female junior Army Officers discussed their perceptions of mentorship; how to obtain/ask for a mentor; and qualities to strive for as a leader. HUGE thank you to all of the women who participated in the original focus group: Lauren Brunner, Lauren Shappell, Anna Tayas, Jamie Wise, Alisha Anderson, and Sierra Smith.
Biographies:
Jillian (Jilly) Woody is a wife, friend, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu athlete and Los Angeles resident. She is currently serving as a Medical Service Corps Officer in the California National Guard and has been a “Ground Medical Evacuation Platoon Leader” for 18 months. She holds a B.S. degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Health Professions, and also has a Minor in Leadership Studies. She has a passion for people, justice and the need for quality leadership in every organization.
Kristina Toscano was born and raised in Rockland County, NY with her parents and two siblings. She comes from a close knit Italian family who for the most part are all still located in the greater New York area. She received her undergraduate education in Athletic Training from Northeastern University in Boston, MA and her graduate education in Physician Assistant Studies from South University in Savannah, GA. She's currently living in Savannah, GA. She direct commissioned into the Georgia Army National Guard in December of 2018 about 6 months after graduating PA school. She's been lucky to be in several leadership positions from my undergraduate career and extending into her professional career. She was a resident assistant while at Northeastern University for 2 years; she was co-president of South University’s interviewing and mentorship club; she's been PL and class leader during both her DCC course and BOLC course respectively; and presently she's PL for her medical section in her National Guard unit. Eventually, she would like to take on a leadership role in her civilian position with a student, but perhaps that might be another 2-3 years down the road.
You can reach us at:
Website: https://earfulofleadership.buzzsprout.com/
Email: earful.of.leadership@gmail.com
IG: https://www.instagram.com/earful.of.leadership/
This podcast was inspired by: Military Mentors, Militarymentors.org
Special thank you to your first sponsor: LTC Eskelund
Disclaimer: Earful of Leadership is an independent project and is not endorsed by the Department of Defense or any Military component. The views expressed are those of the host and the content of this podcast is not meant to provide any legal or medical advice.