STRAIGHT TALK! The ISSA Hygieia Network Empowering women and creating legacies. BY JEFF CROSS, ISSA MEDIA DIRECTOR F Hygieia has much to off er with its or Dr. Felicia Townsend, the start various programs, but one benefi t that of the day oft en requires three stands out to Dr. Townsend is the Men-cups of coff ee and a prayer. Then toring Program. It’s close to her heart, she gets to work. and while successful in matching veter-When you hear what she has on ans in the industry with emerging young her plate, you get it. You understand women leaders to mentor, there’s much her morning routi ne as she studies her more work to do. packed schedule and gets everything As Dr. Townsend says, securing men-organized inside her head. tors conti nues to be a challenge for some Her days are full of acti vity, and there individuals in the cleaning industry. “I is a good reason for it. The organizati on she leads is success-ful and growing, and with that comes more programs, events, webinars, conferences, networking opportuni-ti es, and mentoring. One would think BONUS VIDEO CONTENT issa.com/hygieia2023 three cups of coff ee will tell you this: Hygieia has a simple and just one prayer wouldn’t be enough. way to do it, all housed in our mentoring Dr. Townsend is the program direc-platf orm, with a database of professional tor for the ISSA Hygieia Network, and as leaders in the industry whom you can she refl ects on its growth in the past few reach out to and connect with. We have years, she is pleased with the progress a soluti on!” it has made. With more than 800 mem-What’s great about the mentoring bers and on track to hit 1,000 by the end program, Dr. Townsend says, is that it is of this year, Hygieia has crossed bor-free to join and open to everyone in the ders outside the United States and now cleaning industry. boasts representati on across the globe, When asked about reaching the goal in countries such as Finland, Germany, of 1,000 members by the end of 2023, Ghana, India, Ireland, Lebanon, South Dr. Townsend jokes, “When you talk to Africa, and many more. Nearly 5,000 me in 2024, I bett er have a thousand in industry professionals have att ended the database. I’m putti ng pressure on Hygieia events since 2019. myself.” “I’m proud to say that Hygieia does a Learn more about the ISSA Hygieia fantasti c job of celebrati ng women,” Dr. Network. Get involved. You can make a Townsend says. “It is such a great thing, diff erence in advancing women in the thinking about what’s happened over the industry. Visit hygieianetwork.org/join. years and what we are able to do.” ISSA 10275 W. Higgins Road, Suite 280, Rosemont, IL 60018 800-225-4772, ISSA.com EDITORIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR | Jeff Cross jeffcross@issa.com, 740-973-4236 ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS & DIGITAL CONTENT Graeme Golucki, graeme@issa.com SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER | Julio Avila julio@issa.com SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR OF MEDIA & TRADE SHOW SALES | Micah Ogburn micah@issa.com, 518-859-2225 DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS & TRADE SHOW SALES Iris Weinstein, iris@issa.com, 847-982-3468 ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE MEDIA SALES | MJ Cadden maryjanec@issa.com, 847-858-7632 CORPORATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | John H. Barrett SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT | Jon Adkins SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT | Kim Althoff GENERAL COUNSEL | Bill Balek MEMBER SERVICES For membership, address changes, and more: 800-225-4772 or membership@issa.com 4 ISSA Today | May/June 2023
ISSA Today Archives May-June 2023: Page 4
