Is the Mentorship Program Worth It?

The Mentorship Program is one of GMC’s key chapter offerings. Each year, we pair volunteer mentors with a mentee (or two!) to share wisdom, guidance and advice as new professionals navigate the proposal profession. We check in with one of our mentorship groups to ask what drove them to join the program and how it’s going.

MEET THE MENTOR: CINDY O’DELL

Cindy has been a leader, teacher, mentor, and guide to others since she was five years old when she taught all her friends how to perform self-haircuts with safety scissors. She is currently the Interim Director of Corporate Development for Urban Engineers, Inc., headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, working remotely from her home office in Rockford, Illinois. Cindy leads a team of marketing, communications, videography, and proposal specialists. With 30+ years of business development and proposal work, she wanted to share her learning and experience with others.

“I am proud to be an APMP member and am happy to share my knowledge with two wonderful proposal specialists, Corey and Kristina. Both bring a unique perspective, diverse industry experience, specific issues and proposed solutions, and a quest for knowledge and continued professional growth in the proposal space. I am honored to stand beside them and help them in this journey.”

MEET THE MENTEE: COREY PALKOWSKI

Corey is a proposal specialist at Fox World Travel. With over a decade of experience in marketing, Corey transitioned to the travel industry in 2022 after establishing himself as a top-performing professional in the entertainment sector, where he managed key accounts for Walt Disney Studios. Fueled by a passion for precision and collaboration, Corey consistently delivers high-quality work, meets tight deadlines, and ensures that projects are executed to the highest standards.

As a newcomer to the industry, Corey wanted to join the APMP GMC mentorship program to gain insight from other industry professionals on how to succeed. He sought best practices and advice for somebody entering the industry for the first time. Additionally, he wanted to expand his network as he continues to develop professionally within the industry.

“So far, my experience has been great and has exceeded my expectations! Since this was my first professional mentorship, I had no idea what to expect and was nervous to see what type of work/activities the mentorship entailed. It has been an eye-opening and insightful experience. I learned the similarities and differences between working with my colleagues on RFPs at Fox World Travel and gaining different perspectives on RFP processes. I also value the networking opportunities with the mentorship and being able to relate with others in the industry, along with gaining helpful hints and tips on the day-to-day processes from others who have been in the industry longer than I have been.”

MEET THE MENTEE: KRISTINA NOLAN

Kristina is a proposal manager with extensive experience in the Software as a Service (SaaS) industry. She holds a B.A. in French and Politics from NYU and an M.A. in International Relations from Central European University. Kristina has held key positions at several EdTech startups servicing SLED clients, where she honed her skills in revenue operations and proposal management. She is the Proposal Strategy Manager at HubSpot (NYSE: HUBS), leveraging her expertise to build and scale the company’s proposal operations. Kristina is known for her strategic vision and commitment to fostering strong cross-functional partnerships to enhance proposal operations.

“I sought out a mentor through the APMP GMC mentorship program to connect with someone more tenured in the industry. Being fairly new myself, I have found so much value in being able to talk through my ideas and roadblocks, ask for advice—from practical proposal-related work to more abstract operational strategies—and receive feedback from someone who has been in my shoes.”

We’re so glad Cindy has been able to connect with Corey and Kristina. We value the thought leadership and experience Cindy has been willing to share and are excited to see more from these rising professionals in the future!