by Haley Cowans
In this month’s episode of Chat NDT with ASNT, host Debbie Segor, CAE, talks with the four women currently serving on the ASNT Board of Directors: Stacy Cotie, Cindy R. Finley, Emilie Peloquin, and Shana Telesz. In their wide-ranging conversation, they discuss their NDT careers and how ASNT has contributed to them, being women in a male-dominated field, and their experiences serving on the Board and what they hope to accomplish in their terms.
Throughout their conversation, the importance of mentorship was a recurring theme. The group discussed the importance of having a personal “board of directors,” a diverse group of knowledgeable mentors that you can rely on for advice about a variety of topics. They also stressed that a mentorship relationship doesn’t have to be too formal or stringent; the important thing is finding someone who will listen to you and help you grow into your best professional self. They also pointed out that they have had both men and women as mentors and advised that to find the right mentors, look for leaders who you admire and emulate the way they manage.
Other topics discussed in this episode include the following.
Starting Careers in NDT
Stacy, Cindy, Emilie, and Shana shared their diverse paths into the NDT industry. Stacy and Shana discussed entering the NDT field from the business side, while Cindy described her experience establishing a company that developed NDT-related equipment and learning more about the field through her experiences as a business owner.
Emilie described her experience attending NDT school after starting her career as a welder: “I [had] done PT before on my own welds, but had never seen UT, never seen RT, none of that. And so, when I learned about the other [methods], I was like, ‘Oh, there’s much more to it than I thought there would be!’ Knowing that it’s not just one method and one thing and then you stick to that, you can continue to evolve and learn through that—that’s really what sounded interesting at first about studying NDT.”
Being a Woman in NDT
As discussed in the episode, women have traditionally been vastly underrepresented in the NDT industry. The women discuss their experiences working in a male-dominated industry, most of which have been positive. They noted that most men they have encountered are open to more women entering the field; the key issue is the importance of making sure women, and young people in general, know about NDT and see its potential as a career option.
Of course, being a woman in a male-dominated industry does create unique experiences, but these can present opportunities as well as challenges. As Shana noted, “The first time you’re at a show, people come and talk to you because you’re different … but you choose why they talk to you the second time.”
The challenges of overcoming unconscious biases that sometimes come up was discussed. The women noted the importance of speaking up when something makes you feel awkward. Again, the importance of mentorship came up as a way to combat any potential barriers. As Stacy said, “Look for somebody that you can have as a mentor, understand what leadership programs are out there, cultivate relationships with other [women] in this industry and they will help give you some feedback to how you can overcome some of the barriers.”
The group also noted that fellow women are not the only ones who can be part of the solution, describing the impact of male mentors and the importance of allies in the field. They also discussed the importance of promoting equality in a strategic way, such as how ASNT is doing through the Council for Women in NDT.
Serving on the Board of Directors
Their inspiration to serve on the Board of Directors was discussed, citing the mentorship and encouragement of current leadership (particularly Chairperson John Iman and President Danny Keck) and feeling that they could repay the mentorship they’ve received, give back to the industry, and serve as mentors to others.
Cindy shared her unique experiences: “When I originally joined the Board, I was the one woman at the time, I was the one Canadian at the time, and I felt that it was important that we bring different faces and voices to the Board. […] What I see now is that the Board is looking amazing and we’ve got a lot of people thinking outside the box, and we’re going great places, so I’m excited.”
The four also discussed what they would like to see the Board accomplish during their terms, with a big focus on advocacy for the NDT industry, including getting the word out about it to young people and other STEM fields. They also discussed the pillars of the ASNT Strategic Plan and how they hope to support these initiatives, as well as ensure that current members gain value from involvement in the Society and that future members see the value in joining and getting involved.
Listen to the full conversation below or search for Chat NDT with ASNT in your favorite podcast platform.
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Learn more about the ASNT Board of Directors.
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Haley Cowans is the Content Strategist at ASNT, hcowans@asnt.org.
Debbie Segor, CAE, is the Marketing and Communications Manager at ASNT, and the host of Chat NDT with ASNT. To be a guest on the podcast, contact dsegor@asnt.org.
Stacy Cotie, Cindy R. Finley, Emilie Peloquin, and Shana Telesz are Directors on the ASNT Board.
Delighted by the great work y’all are doing! I enjoyed both the session at ASNT this year related to this, as well as this Chat NDT with ASNT. Thank you for helping to make this field a better, more inclusive one!