Emma Gómara has worked at ZLC for 10 years, working her way up the career ladder from Senior Accountant to Finance Controller.
Recently back from the leadership program in Los Angeles; tell us a Little about the course and your experience there.
First impression? Well worth it! This course is organized by the University of California (UCLA) and Banco Santander Universidades. It is designed for women working in Universities, and includes topics like mentoring, leadership or business relationships which can support the growing responsibility of women in Higher education entities. The program has been a great experience for getting to know people from the whole world and to see how an American University like UCLA works.
It certainty seems to have been a totally different environment to that which you are used. What for you was the most challenging aspect?
I suppose the most daunting challenge was working with so many different profiles. However, we soon realized it doesn’t matter which University we come from, we had a series of features in common, and working together, expanding our network could lead to exciting, more promising horizons.
Looking ahead to the future at ZLC, what can you bring to the table from your experience across the pond?
Without hesitation, the confirmation that we are on the right road. And how much of a feelgood factor is that? Indescribable! These days, organizations need to adopt a holistic approach. ZLC has been working in this way for some years now. This experience has confirmed we are doing exactly what needs to be done in the correct way. Most Universities are either already working or in the process of implementing this philosophy and we have to be aligned with that. Plus of course, having the chance to represent ZLC and place it firmly into the network is also vital for future success and professional worldwide recognition.
It would be true to say that the whole experience therefore, from both a personal and professional perspective has been worthwhile?
Absolutely, some of the tools we have learned are extremely useful, not only for daily work but also for other personal projects. Most of the people I had the pleasure of meeting were an inspiration, serving as a gentle reminder that anything we do, if done with imagination, passion and tenacity can lead to great results.
