LAZ showed up in full force at this year’s 4th Annual Women in Parking Conference, held on March 25-26 in Chicago. Women in Parking is the premier association dedicated to promoting the advancement and achievement of professional women by providing networking, leadership, and career outreach opportunities and support to its members. This year, women from all over the country gathered in Chicago to learn, network and support the organization, as well as each other. In addition to being represented by 14 of our amazing “women in parking”, LAZ ran a scholarship program, where employees submitted videos expressing their interest in attending the conference, including what being a woman in the parking industry means to them. In the end, five winners were selected: Miranda Castellanos from Houston, Rosalinda Diaz from Chicago, Karen Amaral from Boston, Frankie Bowsher from Columbus and Cindy Hefner from San Francisco.
Here’s what Rosalinda, a parking veteran of over 25 years, had to say about her experience at the conference, “I was so honored to be selected to attend the WIP conference, and I enjoyed the vast network of women in the parking industry collaborating on an amazing conference. I walked away with a wonderful experience and was truly inspired by both keynote speakers. My admiration of these women has allowed me to refine my leadership skills. This year’s motto is ‘Own the Mojo’, and I did! As I stated in my video, after all, women are the segue to a greater tomorrow.” Frankie Bowsher from Columbus says, “I loved being able to connect with women in the same industry as myself. It was really empowering to listen to everyone’s story, background, challenges and successes. Women in Parking is truly an amazing support system and I am thankful for the ability to be a part of such a wonderful organization that wants to be a part of my success.” Cindy Hefner from San Francisco says, “My ability to share the mojo with my fellow LAZ WIP colleagues made this conference the highlight of my year so far. I can’t wait for next year!” Women in Parking board member (and LAZ Senior Human Resources Business Partner) Maggie DiPaolo says, “It was amazing to see such representation by one organization and shows how our company supports the mission of Women in Parking. As a board member for WIP, it’s great to have the support of an amazing organization like LAZ as we continue to grow our footprint in the parking industry.”
