“I would absolutely recommend facilitating to anyone who is interested. It’s such a fulfilling role. You get to know the girls and truly feel a sense of accomplishment.
My name is Kate LeCardi, and I’m the Director of Public Relations at Catholic Health, a hospital system on Long Island.
I was motivated to become a Next Girl Up facilitator because it was a great opportunity to share my industry knowledge with the younger generation. Being introduced to marketing and related fields at an early age is something I didn’t have, and I saw how valuable it could be for young girls today. Helping them become familiar with the marketing space and giving them tools they can carry into the future really motivated me. I was excited to help in any way I could.
What surprised me most about facilitating was how much the girls already knew. With everything they’re exposed to now — through media, advertisements, commercials, and online content — they had a solid understanding of what marketing and public relations are. That made it easy to build on their existing knowledge.
One moment that really stuck with me was during one of the group projects. Seeing girls who didn’t know each other at the start of the week come together as a “team” was incredibly meaningful. Each girl brought something different to the table, played off one another’s strengths, and applied the skills they had learned in their final project. Watching that collaboration come together was really special.
The Next Girl Up team made the experience very manageable by making sure each mentor was able to lean into their strengths. I didn’t have to learn anything new going into the program — I was able to bring in knowledge from college and my professional experience. The team really shaped my role based on what I already knew, which made it easier for me to be the best mentor I could be for the girls. That support made a big difference.
As a facilitator, I also gained skills myself, especially when it came to presentation. I’m a firm believer that you can never get enough practice when it comes to public speaking. Whether I was presenting what public relations is at the beginning of the program or helping students through their group projects, I was grateful for the opportunity to continue developing those skills.
I would absolutely recommend facilitating to anyone who is interested. It’s such a fulfilling role. You get to know the girls and truly feel a sense of accomplishment. You walk away knowing you’ve helped others, and I strongly believe that inspiring the next generation is one of the most important things we can do.