Perspective: Lisa Wardell walked into a meeting with 14 white, male bankers — and she ran the room
By Thomas Heath Thomas Heath Local business reporter and columnist, writing about entrepreneurs and companies in the Washington metropolitan area Email Bio Follow Reporter March 22 This space most frequently is dedicated to entrepreneurs who build stuff — companies, causes, machines.
At a time when executive women, especially women of color, are making strides but remain underrepresented in Corporate America, Wardell stands out. She is chief executive officer of Chicago-based Adtalem Global Education, a $3 billion for-profit education business. “When I read my essay to the class, nobody laughed at me or made me feel embarrassed or ashamed. They found the essay interesting. I belonged in that English class just as much as they did.”“Rather than dwell on the fact that I was uncomfortable, I dwelled on the response and the interest in who I am, and that I had a different experience,” Wardell said. “That notion is expected from our young people today. They are just open-minded.
She learned how to negotiate, how to treat people with respect, how to multitask and learn quickly, and pivot from one stage to the next.Wardell recalled another learning experience: “A new drug epidemic, specifically crack cocaine, had just hit the D.C. area, and as a result, the manager of my store became a user and was unable to function or manage the store. I have vivid memories of him climbing up into the ceiling looking for cameras because he was convinced the store was bugged. The drug trade was booming, so lots of our transactions were for very large amounts of cash, with dealers buying 15 to 20 pairs of shoes at a time.
Fast-forward to present day: “When I visit Adtalem Education locations now, I always get up early, go running, and get a download from the gardeners and janitors, the people who care for our facilities, about what’s really going on.”[From bagels to Boeing: This firm found there’s dough in the basket business]
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