In this powerful episode of ROAR, host Lakecia Gunter sits down with Rachel Skaff—Head of North America Partner Sales at AWS and a longtime champion for mentorship and inclusive leadership. From her roots in civil engineering to driving cloud innovation at one of the world’s most influential tech companies, Rachel shares her inspiring journey and the life lessons she’s picked up along the way. She opens up about how mentorship shaped her career pivots and why building authentic relationships can unlock personal and professional growth.

Together, Lakecia and Rachel dive into the evolving role of AI in career development and the enduring power of human connection. You’ll hear practical tips on how to start your own mentorship journey, how to leverage AI as a support tool, and why the simple act of “just starting” can lead to unexpected breakthroughs. Whether you're early in your career or navigating new terrain as a leader, this episode will spark action and reflection.

In this episode, you will learn:

• [03:59] Rachel’s unexpected journey from a cattle ranch and civil engineering to tech leadership at AWS
• [10:00] The pivotal role mentors played in shaping her career transitions
• [13:44] How to naturally build mentorship relationships through generosity and curiosity
• [17:10] The two most powerful words to remember when starting anything new
• [22:06] The rapid evolution of AI and how to stay grounded through human connection
• [27:55] Free and practical ways to start learning about AI today
• [30:53] Why no one makes it alone—and how to overcome the fear of asking for help
• [35:33] A final piece of wisdom: “It never gets easier. You just get better.”

I hope you find as much inspiration in this conversation as I did. Let’s keep breaking barriers and lifting each other as we climb—together we can ROAR!

Let's Connect

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Connect with Rachel Skaff

• LinkedIn
• The Ella Project

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