LeBow Alumna Beth Hanssens to Present at Pa. Conference for Women

Drexel LeBow is a sponsor of the 2013 Pennsylvania Conference for Women, a day-long event that will be held in Philadelphia on Nov. 1 and feature many prominent female speakers such as former Secretaries of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Madeleine Albright. This year’s theme is “The Power of Possibilities.”

Among the presenters will be LeBow alumna Beth Hanssens, CFO and senior vice president at Sprout, whose co-owners include NBC Universal/Comcast. Her panel – “Leadership and Courage: Taking the Risks to Think Differently” – will explore how to decide which risks are worth taking and how women executives can keep their personal vision and goals in mind and not feel intimidated by the business world.

Hanssens took a risk and left her Comcast Corp. job in 2005 to be a part of Sprout launch team. Sprout is the first 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for children ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers. Available in more than 55 million homes, the 24-hour digital channel is the only network that follows the day of a preschooler from breakfast to bedtime with its distinctive, interactive programming and original hosted daypart blocks that parents and kids share together. Eight year later, Sprout is over 55 employees strong and growing. “Hire the best and the brightest people with the right skill set and then let them do their jobs they were hired to do,” Hanssens said. “If you surround yourself with smart people, great successes will follow.”

Hanssens also noted it is important to develop relationships throughout the company. “I had been with Comcast since 1997 and developed strong relationships throughout the company. This is the network I go to for advice and counsel when needed. It is important to seek out those advisers and build lasting and trusted relationships.”