HIMSS Women in Health IT & CSweetener Collaborate for Mentorship

The HIMSS Women in Health IT community has taken the next step forward on its mission to empower and enable women in Health IT with the right knowledge, recognition and resources for career success. With this in mind, HIMSS is excited to announce a new collaborative partnership with CSweetener. CSweetener is a not-for-profit company that shares HIMSS’s goal of leveling the gender playing field through fostering mentorship, speaking opportunities and other programs to support rising female healthcare leaders.

HIMSS shares CSweetener’s passion for mentoring as a key part of professional development, which led to the two non-profits’ collaboration. Tying in the fact that women in health IT continue to face a growing pay disparity in comparison to their male peers – as evidenced by the HIMSS 2018 Compensation Survey – HIMSS recognizes mentorship as a priority for positioning women in the field for success.

As a result of this new partnership, HIMSS members are now eligible for a 10 percent discount for mentoring services through CSweetener. By accessing this online mentoring program focused on helping female healthcare leaders advance, HIMSS members can benefit from a one-on-one mentor relationship or engage with multiple mentors based on the diverse expertise and experience they seek. After completing an application with details on goals, a personality trait profile and mentoring preferences, members will be matched with one or more of over 200 CSweetener mentors who are deemed most relevant based on the program’s matching algorithm.

The mentor and mentee can schedule televideo meetings or meet in person as mutually agreed. Mentor connections can be utilized for advice on short-term projects or for longer-term engagement and guidance. The goal is to ensure that HIMSS Women in Health IT members are matched with women and men who have committed to the advancement of women through mentorship.

“Our goal with this partnership is to see more senior healthcare female executives access the kind of mentoring they need to further accelerate their success. This applies to people on brink of new leadership positions, as well as those already functioning at the C-suite level but looking to further enhance their success,” said Lisa Suennen, CSweetener co-founder. “Our mentor network is passionate about changing the healthcare landscape for the better, and is dedicated to helping women achieve, retain, and succeed in industry leadership positions.”

“As an executive who is also female, I experienced first-hand the benefits of mentoring,” said Carla Smith, MA, CNM, FHIMSS; executive vice president at HIMSS. “The mentors who have provided guidance to me over the years have been invaluable to my growth and achievement. As was given so generously to me, it is time for me to give back. That’s why I’m a mentor – to get the next generation of high-performers into the C-Suite.”