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In honor of Women's History Month, Johnna Spera, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, shared her personal journey, experiences, inspirations, and her take on being a women in an executive role.
Brief introduction of your professional journey
After graduating from law school at the University of Virginia, I returned home to the Washington, D.C. area and began my career as an associate at a law firm. After gaining general experience in many areas of the law, I found that I enjoyed the transactional side of legal work. After a few years, I moved to the corporate world, accepting a position as Corporate Counsel for The Charles E. Smith Companies and, interestingly, my office was at 2345 Crystal Drive, just a couple of blocks down from where the Airports Authority corporate headquarters is located .
I worked for the Smith Companies for the next 17 years, holding many positions within the Legal Department, including Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, and was promoted to Senior Vice President and General Counsel for an affiliated company, Consolidated Engineering Services, Inc. Throughout my years with the Smith Companies, I was lucky to have a wonderfully supportive female mentor, as well as great colleagues and supervisors who encouraged me to take advantage of opportunities and realize my capabilities. Each of those positions provided me with progressively more legal and supervisory responsibility, as well as management experience. After the Smith Companies, I worked as Regional General Counsel for Toll Brothers, a national real estate developer and builder.
I joined the Airports Authority in 2009. In my 11+ year career here, I have held several positions within the Office of General Counsel, including Associate General Counsel, Deputy Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, and now, Senior Vice President and General Counsel. The Airports Authority is an exciting place to work and through the support of my supervisors and mentors, I have had the opportunity to continue to grow as a professional, challenge myself and make a difference within the organization.
What are the biggest challenges women face in the workplace and how can they overcome these challenges?
Despite much progress in the workplace, women still continue to face many challenges, including unconscious bias, discrimination and balancing work and family. These challenges are not all unique to women, but they can and do have a very measurable effect on their careers. As leaders, we need to challenge one another to work together to change norms, call out bias, refuse to accept discrimination and as colleagues, we need to support one another.
One of my favorite quotes is from the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who was a pioneering figure for women’s rights in the workplace. She said “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made.” I have this quote featured prominently on my desk and it serves as a daily reminder of the past and the need to carry forward the example set by those strong women who opened the doors for those of us currently in the workforce.
Why should we have more women in executive roles?
I think the question we should be asking is “Why don’t we have more women in executive roles?” Organizations benefit from diversity at all levels and should always be looking for the most qualified and capable professional candidates to fill their executive roles. That group of candidates most certainly should include women, ideally from both inside and outside the organization. While much progress has been made in the past few decades, legally and otherwise, to ensure that women are represented at all levels of organizations, it is important that employers take a closer look and understand why certain positions are traditionally considered more appropriate for women, why qualified women might not be selected for certain positions, and also whether there are factors that might cause women to elect not to pursue or remain in certain positions.
Leaders should recognize the value women bring to executive roles and organizations should ensure that they have fair hiring, promotion and training practices, and take into account unconscious biases and other factors that might be impeding the promotion or hiring of women.
What are some of your personal and professional motivations that help you push forward?
As simple as it sounds, I strive every day to do my best, whatever the task, whether in my personal life or my professional life, and to attempt to make a positive difference, no matter how small. Family is my number one priority and the overall motivating factor. While it has not always been easy, I have been able to balance my family roles and my professional roles throughout my career, thanks to the help and understanding of many, including supervisors, colleagues, friends, neighbors and relatives and that has motivated me to be a better colleague and supervisor and to be more empathetic. My husband and I do our best to set good examples for our two children (who are now adults) encouraging them to do their best to make the places, things and people that they encounter better than they were before.
I am also highly motivated to succeed – not only for myself, but for my family. I am thankful for friends, teachers and others who have supported me throughout my journey, as well as my parents who set the right example and provided a solid foundation, telling me that I could do anything I wanted to do but that I also had a duty to help those who might not have had the same opportunities as I did. I also am mindful that I serve as an example for my daughter and for other women in the workplace.
What does Women History mean to you?
From a broad perspective, it is important to be aware of the many and varied contributions women have made to our society and specifically, the efforts that women made to ensure the right to vote and obtain an equal education. Understanding history also allows us to respect their struggles in the workplace that ultimately benefit those of us working today. From a personal perspective, it encompasses the examples my grandmothers and mother set, succeeding in their chosen careers, despite the obstacles they faced.
We should be cognizant of the struggles, obstacles, discrimination, and practical problems that women have faced, and continue to face, and how those who came before us served as pioneers and we should appreciate that we have a duty to continue to do our part for the next generation.
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