Acknowledgments

      It's funny how life sets you on one path and you end up somewhere else. In looking back, this book came to fruition because of the generosity, encouragement, and investment of time of family, friends, and acquaintances.

      I originally set out to fulfill a dream of writing a book for our daughter, Lauren, to give to her upon her college graduation. She was attending college to pursue a marketing degree and I, as a mom and as someone who had a lifelong career in business, wanted to give her the gift that no one else could – my workplace and life wisdom. Even more, I wanted to pass along to her the collective wisdom of not only my own experiences, but those of the thousands I had mentored, taught, or helped along their journey.

      Through a series of events, it became clear that the contents of the book could help more people, and Winning the Talent Shift was born. I am a true believer that no one can go through this life alone and it takes people who are willing to help and encourage others to bring your vision, passion, and purpose to life.

To my family: Mike, Aaron, and Lauren. Mike, my best friend and partner in life, the one who makes me laugh and challenges me intellectually: this would not have happened without supporting my extra time outside the formal workplace. Thank you for trusting in me, for your undying support, and for going on this crazy journey together. Aaron, for your unapologetic approach to doing what you were meant to do in life and pursuing it; for your integrity, brilliance, and sense of duty to others, including this great country. You exhibit all that is right, ethically, morally, and in faith, and you stand by your core beliefs with passion. You inspire me each and every day. And to Lauren, thank you for agreeing to share your very personal gift with the goal of wanting anyone who is talented, smart, and driven to be able to achieve their dream, as you will also achieve yours. You are my inspiration and drive to make the workplace a better place for incredible talent like you. May you always carry the confidence, grace, and grit you exhibit today forward into the workplace and life.

      To my mom, for being the best, first great leader I experienced in my life. Seven children, a full-time job, countless volunteer activities, and president of a nonprofit to help special ability people, you did it all and with the grace and determination of a warrior. You allowed each one of us to be the best of who we were, leveraging our innate talents to find what truly made us happy in life and to pursue it. You are amazing and have set the bar so high that I can only strive to achieve. Your undying support, resilience, belief in all good with one eye open to those who are not, your strong faith, and your strength and wisdom have carried me through life and encouraged me to achieve everything I was meant to be – and do. I thank God for you every day.

      To Vanessa, for your relentless support, positivity, and encouragement and believing that this book would come to fruition and help others. To Val, who inspires me through faith every minute of every day (I love you more), and to Chuck, Dan, and Pat, for being those good guys in life. To Bill and Sandy, for your support and for giving me one of the greatest gifts: your son. I love you all dearly.

To my friends and colleagues who encouraged me to pursue writing for the masses and provided feedback and candid insights that helped set the direction for this book. Rachel and Marie, thank you for sharing your wisdom and learnings from your own success that lighted my path. Julie, Paula, Joyce, Jenn, Melissa, Jennifer, Bill, Ed, Kevin, Jennifer, Christine, Tara, Sterling, and Diana for your insight, encouragement, and support. You are my village.

      To the PAG family, specifically Pat and John, who not only supported the message of this book, but encouraged getting its content to the masses. Thank you for creating a high-performance workplace and your continued belief that we can all make a difference in our industry and in our world. To my peers Jim, James, and Jim, who have been equally supportive, encouraging, and willing to take this ride together.

      To the Wiley family, Bill, Purvi, and Samantha. Thank you for believing in this message and lending your expertise, vision, and talent to this book. The end result was made better because of you.

      I'm also eternally grateful for my colleagues who have taught me so much, who challenged me, stood with me, and were willing to do what is right, even when those around us did not. I could never thank you all, but a few who were especially inspiring for the writing of this book include Dar, who was a true trailblazer and taught me that women can be smart, driven, educated, great leaders, and make a positive impact. Dan, who is hands down the best leader I've ever met: it is an honor to call you my friend. I've learned so much from you throughout my career. You are the perfect combination of brilliance, drive, and humility. Bert, who exhibited what true loyalty, mentorship, and sponsorship was as a leader. Dave D., whose support came at a critical point in my career and tipping point as a mother. Dave W., who gave me opportunities to spread my wings throughout my career. Tom, who has always believed in my talent and impact, and gave me opportunities I could only have dreamed of. Kevin, for inviting me to be part of something bigger than ourselves. Dawn, for being part of your amazing Go Red team. Watching you lead was life changing. You are a true leader. Shannon, who was a perfect example of supporting the greater mission without caring who received the credit. Karin, for being a true leader during a critical meeting that changed the trajectory of my life's purpose, and 1,000-plus other lives across the globe.

To Liz, for your friendship and life's work to create great leaders in the city of Philadelphia and beyond.

      To those who have gone before Winning the Talent Shift, especially Joanna Barsh and Sheryl Sandberg, your groundbreaking research and books opened the door for this conversation.

      To Shawn and Ed: Without you this book would not have been possible. Ed, your grace, talent, and faith became a critical component of carefully communicating this important message. Thank you for your insight, lending your talent, and incredibly strong words of wisdom and faith throughout the process.

      Finally, to all of the incredible mentors, mentees, sponsors, Remarkable Women and Men, and other great leaders I've encountered over the years, thank you for being part of my life's work. I hope this book pays forward the many insights and wisdom you have provided over the years.

      In the end, our greatest successes come from our willingness to help others. Thank you to all who have been part of this amazing journey.

      –Berta