In this podcast episode, Melissa Venable hosts a discussion on mentoring relationships with Dr. Sharon Givens and Rasha Madkour. Sharon, a former NCDA president, and Rasha, a career coach from Saudi Arabia, share their cross-continental mentoring journey. They detail how their mentoring relationship began through a formal NCDA program and evolved organically. Both talk about the mutual benefits and growth they experienced, including Rasha becoming an instructor and learning to market her practice. Sharon and Rasha emphasize the importance of trust, commitment, and the potential future of mentoring programs, especially with the aid of emerging technologies. They conclude by discussing the value of their relationship and its ongoing positive impact.

Dr. Sharon Givens is a psychotherapist specializing in individual, family and group therapy. Among her areas of expertise are career and work issues, depression, domestic violence and depression. In addition to being a therapist, Dr. Givens is a life coach, career counselor, and a prominent career development consultant that has presented at global and national conferences speaking on the topics of self concept, career exploration and integrating mental health and career development. Sharon is also the former president of the National Career Development Association.

Radha Madkour is a CCSP credential holder and FCD instructor certified by (NCDA), and ACC certified career and team coach (ICF) with a pharmaceutical background and more than 20 years experience as a sales manager and trainer in a multinational company. Her diversified experience in coaching and training makes her passionate about supporting partner clients (individuals & students) to find their career pathways, unleash their potential for career development and career transition. Rasha supports team members in organizations to develop better alignment and performance to achieve their goals.