Fall 2006 Mentor Profiles

Deborah A. Enger
Sevrin Huff
Matthew Moyer
Kelly Percin
Lakshmi Raman
Darlene Stapleton
Michael Turner

Deborah A. Enger
SVP, Affiliate Sales and Support
Starz

Deborah A. Egner is senior vice president of affiliate sales and support for Starz Entertainment Group LLC (SEG). Deborah oversees two corporate departments: point of sale and sales program development.

Deborah joined SEG in 2001 as senior vice president of sales and affiliate relations. In that position she was responsible for corporate level management of multiple SEG divisions. In November 2003, she was appointed to senior vice president of affiliate operations and point of sale responsible for point of sale, trade and sales communication. Currently she serves as senior vice president of affiliate sales and support managing the company’s point of sale and sales program development groups.

A twenty-year industry veteran, Deborah came to SEG from Home Box Office (HBO), where she was a regional vice president responsible for management of sales and marketing partnerships, nationally with Cox Communications and regionally with multiple affiliates in the southeastern territory. Prior to working at HBO, Deborah worked in customer service and marketing for Viewdata Corporation, the first commercial videotext service in the United States.

Deborah has served on various committees for the Cable and Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM). An active member of Women In Cable and Telecommunications (WICT) since 1985, Deborah was a member of the charter class of the Betsy Magness Leadership Institute in 1994, acted as co-chair of the WICT National Management conference in 1997 and 1998 and was named Rocky Mountain WICT Woman of the Year in 2006. She has served on the Rocky Mountain WICT board as co-chair of the executive membership committee for the last two years. In that role, she created the chapter’s first executive leadership program targeting the top female leaders in the Denver area cable community.

Deborah, a native of Amarillo, TX received her undergraduate degree in Speech and Communications from the University of Arkansas.

Deborah is interested in becoming a mentor because she would like to become more familiar with the program and also because she would like to give back to the organization. She has had many experiences with informal mentoring in her current company and in past organizations

She believes that listening, advising, and displaying sensitivity are key factors in a successful mentoring relationship. She also has 15 years of experience managing people and she will draw on this experience as she works with her mentees.

For Deborah, leadership means staying open and inviting to ensure others will feel comfortable giving you information from their perspective.

Deborah’s core values are centered around honesty, fairness and ethics. She also believes that it is important throughout one’s career to have fun and enjoy what you do in your every day job. Her strengths include intelligence, the ability to read people and situations intuitively, and the skills to communicate directly at all levels within an organization.

Deborah would like to provide mentoring to individuals who would like to grow their high potential. She does not have a preference for which types of mentees she would like to work with, and would enjoy working with any mentee committed to the program. She is most interested in mentoring on the topics of Growing as a Leader (Leadership Development), Balancing Work and Life, and Interpersonal Effectiveness. Her preferred meeting times are in South Denver 7-9 a.m., lunchtime or 4-6 p.m. M-F.

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As a Senior Manager within IT, Sevrin Huff’s primary responsibilities include providing senior management for a large IT application development team. Her team is responsible for the external web customer portal application and successfully completes over $3.5 million worth of new development each year. Sevrin’s team initiated a partnership with the business to develop a consolidated e-commerce portal sitemap, which includes migrating from 5 separate portals developed in diverse technologies to 1 portal in a common portal technology. Prior to her experiences at Level3, Sevrin was a manager at Andersen Consulting LLP, managing technical application development teams responsible for developing telephony architectures.

Sevrin holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, received in May of 1992.

Sevrin is interested in mentoring because she has received a considerable amount of valuable advice from her own informal mentors. She would like to be able to help out others based on those experiences. She has had several informal mentors, but has not participated in a formal mentor program. She finds that she uses mentors as a sounding board for potential ideas, solutions and/or problems.

She believes that being a good listener and being empathetic are key factors in providing a successful mentoring experience.

For Sevrin, leadership means leading by example. Her philosophy is centered on only asking members of a team to accomplish objectives that she would be willing to do herself.

Sevrin’s core values are centered on being honorable and authentic, and she also believes that it’s key to enjoy what you do in your professional life. Her strengths include successfully managing a diverse group of people, problem solving, and balancing work and life effectively.

She does not have a preference for which types of mentees she would like to work with, and would enjoy working with any mentee committing to participate in the program. She is most interested in mentoring on the topics of Balancing Work and Life, Transitioning from Being an Individual Contributor to a Manager, and Managing and Motivating Teams. Her preferred meeting times are before work where she could meet in the Stapleton area or near downtown, or during work hours – preferably lunch time - she could meet in Interlocken.

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Matthew Moyer
Director, Marketing & Sales
Comcast

As Director for Marketing and Sales for Comcast Colorado, Matt is primarily responsible for product management (P/L ownership) for Comcast’s Internet, Telephony and Video products inthe greater Denver/Boulder metro area. This includes residential subscriber acquisition and retention tactics and strategies, multi-million dollar marketing expense budget management, rate/revenue management including setting promotional offers and other pricing decisions and management of cross-functional implementation of product feature/functionality changes. His current position also includes management of local sales channels including front counter (“connection center”) operations, a door-to-door sales force, technician/installer sales, retail partnerships (generally w/ big box consumer electronics stores), and new residential construction builder partnerships. Prior to joining Comcast, Matt held positions in product management, marketing and corporate strategy at Level 3 Communications and MediaOne Group/AT&T Broadband. These positions included product management and product development of wholesale telecommunications products and work as an internal management consultant to senior executives for marketing and product evolution initiatives.

Matt holds an MBA from the University of Michigan, (1999), and a BA in Economics from Colorado College (1994).

Matt is interested in being a mentor because he has been, and continues to be, the beneficiary of advice and guidance from informal mentors throughout his career. He views this program as a great opportunity to provide insight to other members of the industry who may be on a similar path to his. He also views it as a good opportunity to expand his own network within the greater Denver metro area in the telecommunications industry, both with mentees and other mentors. Although he has not had a formal mentoring experience in the past, he has cultivated several informal relationships with senior leaders in various companies to mentor him throughout his career. Matt also serves as a mentor, where appropriate, to his direct reports. In addition, he worked as a student career counselor in both his undergraduate and graduate career centers.

He believes that the success of the mentor / mentee relationship is based on a mentor who is an active listener who is willing to challenge the mentee with probing questions, offer advice and input based on the mentor’s experiences and create a degree of accountability for the mentee to set and deliver against personal development objectives.

For Matt, leadership is grounded in gaining consensus through collaboration without compromising results.

His core values are centered around family, integrity, balance, and he believes in being optimistic about the future. His strengths include analytics, strong communication skills, and leadership experience.

Matt would prefer to work with younger/junior members of the telecommunications industry, preferably outside his company while not working for his company’s primary competitors (Echostar and Qwest in the Denver area). He would agree to work with an employee of either Dish or Qwest, but the competitive nature of the respective employers might inhibit the scope of mentoring process. He is most interested in mentoring on the topics of Transitioning from Being an Individual Contributor to a Manager, Balancing Work and Life, and Marketing/Sales. In addition, he would welcome mentees potentially interested in furthering their career through pursuit of a graduate degree in business. His preferred meeting times/places are in the central Denver area, weekdays other than Monday, with lunchtime as optimal.

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Kelly Percin
Director – System Engineering Release Control Office
Comcast - NE&TO (National Engineering & Technical Operations)

As Director of the System Engineering Release Control Office, Kelly is primarily responsible for managing a team of project managers and application analysts. This team is responsible for managing application upgrades and major software releases throughout the year. During the many facets of Kelly’s career, she has been in the industry for 17 years. She started in the industry with US West, and as multiple mergers and acquisitions took place she is now working at Comcast. During her career, she has primarily been focused on project management of major initiatives.

Kelly attended DU’s Women’s college and is continuing her educational process in pursuit of a degree in Communications with a minor in Business.

Kelly’s interest in being a mentor is to share the knowledge that she has gained throughout her career, as it relates to dealing with multiple levels of management and peers. She has also focused on developing her career over the last few years and is looking forward to assisting individuals through the same type of process. She is very much looking forward to learning from the mentees as well from their experiences and different perspectives. Kelly was a mentee in the WICT program 2 years ago and had a great experience in the program.

Kelly believes it is imperative that a good mentor is someone that listens well to the mentees, and the areas that they would like to grow within. She also feels strongly that the mentor/mentee relationship should challenge and stretch the individuals to reach goals that they may not have been particularly aware of before joining the program.

For Kelly, leadership means involving individuals as much as possible and adapting your style to fit the needs of the situation. She thinks that individuals should be stretched when possible to allow them to expand their horizons, and focus on new goals. She also leads by delegation and provides individuals with the information and tools they need to be successful.

Kelly’s core values are centered around honestly and integrity. Kelly also believes that communication is key to success. She believes that career goal setting has helped her to move forward, and her strengths include significant experience interacting with multiple levels of management. She feels that she has mastered the difficult art of delegation, and also has extensive project management experience.

Kelly does not have a preference for which types of mentees she would like to work with, and would enjoy working with any mentee committing to participate in the program. She is most interested in mentoring on the topics of Managing and Motivating Teams, Transitioning from Being an Individual Contributor to a Manager, and Interpersonal Effectiveness. She can meet before and after work hours and by phone, however she travels frequently, so face to face meetings will need to be scheduled in advance.

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Lakshmi Raman
Director, Advanced Technology
CableLabs

Lakshmi is an accomplished senior technical management professional with over twenty years of experience in telecommunications and computer industries. Her goal is to apply the knowledge and experience in new advances in distributed computing technology, network technologies, integration of data and telecommunications networks, customer relations, business and embedded systems product development to lead engineering groups, set strategies and introduce new products to market.

Her strengths include planning, organizing, setting schedules, managing budget, systems engineering, customer support, coordinating across different groups, and training. Lakshmi has published a book on network management, co-authored two books on network management and SDH/SONET technologies, in addition to writing over 20 papers in Physics. She holds a patent # 6,751,239 along with other members on using SONET for collaborative visualization.

She has an M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Amherst, MA. She has also earned a Ph.D. in Solid State Physics from the Indian Institute of Technology.

Lakshmi is interested in being a mentor to learn more about the concerns and issues of others and to be able to help her mentees based on her own experiences. She has been a mentor in previous organizations over the years. She believes that a good mentor listens well and is open minded about issues. She would like to help her mentees analyze all the choices that they have and draw conclusions on their own.

Her leadership philosophy focuses on helping others to brainstorm ideas and ensuring that good judgment is exercised in making job and career decisions. She enjoys the mentoring role and being able to offer ideas for others to pursue versus telling others what to do. Her core values are work ethics, keeping commitments, honesty, constructive feedback, and continuous improvement.

Lakshmi would like to mentor on the subjects of Acting as a Sounding Board, Transitioning from Being an Individual Contributor to a Manager, Interpersonal Effectiveness, and the discipline of Telecommunications. She is interested in mentoring individuals from the telecommunications industry and/or those from other cultures/countries who may have had a hard time in getting their contributions recognized. She prefers to mentor individuals who work at companies other than CableLabs. The North Metro area (Louisville or Superior) is the best area for her to meet with her mentees. She prefers to meet after 6:00 p.m. during the week or on the weekends.

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Darlene Stapleton
Director of Operations, Customer Care
Time Warner Cable

Darlene Stapleton is the Director of Operations, Customer Care, at Time Warner Cable. Darlene has worked in the cable industry for more than 15 years in a variety of disciplines including procurement, finance and accounting, technical operations, human resources, business operations, group operations, and customer care. She has led several large teams of professionals both at local cable operations and division headquarters. She is currently responsible for the research, development, and implementation of Customer Care operations, technologies, applications and business strategies for Time Warner Cable’s National Division, including operations of the division’s customer care call center.

Darlene is a Class XII Alum of the Betsy Magness Leadership Institute and has served on the Board of Directors for the Michigan Chapter of WICT in 2001-2002, has participated in Chapter Leadership seminars as well as the Executive Development Seminar and Executive Management Symposium in Colorado.

Darlene holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix, and has completed some post-graduate work in organizational management.

Darlene is also a member of CTAM and the SCTE, participating in seminars and events both at the local and national levels.

Her interests include science, astronomy, music, dancing and white-water rafting. She has volunteered her time to both adult literacy programs and the children’s group of a battered women’s shelter.

Darlene is interested in the mentoring program as an opportunity to expand her connections, pass on experiential and educational learning, and view the world from new perspectives. Darlene’s prior experiences with mentorship have all been informal. As a mentee she has observed and engaged in personal and business development discussions with those she considered “mentors” due to their sound character, judgment and confidence under fire. As an informal mentor, she has always kept a watchful eye for those struggling or reaching for growth in their personal lives and careers.

She believes that impeccable character and the ability to be a good listener are key factors in providing a successful mentoring experience.

Darlene’s leadership philosophy is to give clear direction and steadfast support to those who work within her organization. She also believes that ‘framing the plot’ and letting your people ‘write the novel’ are key steps to motivate and empower individuals to perform well. It’s also important to calibrate and “check in” regularly to ensure that the objectives are being carried out appropriately.

Darlene’s core values are centered around integrity, genuineness, and discovering and applying innate talents and knowledge in a way that is both self-fulfilling and contributes to business innovation and growth. She believes it’s important to keep your focus as you move forward in your career, and recognizes the importance of maintaining a good sense of humor. Her strengths include the ability to intuitively read people and situations, and remaining results oriented and strategically focused.

Darlene would like to work with individuals who are new to the industry or want to learn more about the cable operations side. She is most interested in mentoring on the topics of Transitioning from Being an Individual Contributor to a Manager, Interpersonal Effectiveness, and Navigating the Political Landscape. Her preferred meeting times are in the DTC area either around lunch time, late morning or early afternoons, depending upon work schedule commitments.

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Michael Turner
Vice President, Communications and Content
Hitachi Consulting

Michael Turner is a Vice President with Hitachi Consulting, the global business and IT consulting company of Hitachi Ltd. He is a leader in Hitachi Consulting’s Communications, Media and Entertainment industry practice. Michael has eighteen years of sales and delivery experience in the consulting industry in the areas of information technology, revenue assurance and business process improvement. Prior to joining Hitachi Consulting in 2002, Turner was a partner at Arthur Andersen, LLP, where he served clients in the media and communications industry. Prior to joining Arthur Andersen LLP, Turner was a Principal with IBM Global Services.

Michael holds a Bachelor in Business Administration from Texas State University, and a Certificate in Telecommunications Management from the University of Dallas Graduate School.

His interest in mentoring is centered on assisting other individuals in advancing their careers – particularly those with a desire to lead organizations and/or teams. He has been a mentor for dozens of individuals during his career – both on a formal and an informal level. Additionally, as a mentee, he has benefited tremendously from the coaching of his mentors.

Michael believes that integrity and a broad knowledge of what it takes to succeed in business are key factors in providing a successful mentoring experience. Additionally, being a good mentor requires understanding the mentee’s strengths and helping them leverage those strengths. He has extensive experience in dealing with companies and individuals, and knows how to leverage individual strengths.

For Michael, leadership means working well with others, developing and building-out concepts. His philosophy is centered in empowering others to lead.

Michael’s core values are centered around honestly and integrity. He also believes that it is important throughout one’s career to put family first. Michael’s strengths include building effective teams, and creating and maintaining key relationships.

Michael does not have a preference for which types of mentees he would like to work with, and would enjoy working with any mentee committing to participate in the program. He is most interested in mentoring on the topics of Managing and Motivating Teams, Growing as a Leader (Leadership Development), and Balancing Work and Life. His preferred meetng times are over breakfasts and lunches. DTC is best, but downtown also frequently works with his schedule.

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