Sheridan Edley ’94
Senior Analyst
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
Burbank, California

How did you get there? It’s rare that someone gets a position at a studio without an “in,” but I did. I simply sent my resume to HR for a variety of positions and they called me in for interviews. It was definitely my academic preparation that got me the job. I honestly had zero business experience. I did my undergraduate study at Smith College in political science/theory; however, my thesis was in advanced statistics. I was sure to play that up in the interview and on my resume. I also did two years of graduate study at Harvard University in history. In the end, employers simply want to know if you are a smart cookie and able to learn. The point is to remain teachable. I’ve been here going on six years in a variety of positions, moving up the corporate ladder!

What do you enjoy most about your work? I work on the studio lot, so I am around film and television production/filming all the time, which is amusing and obviously not your typical office environment. I meet a lot of interesting and creative folks. The actual job involves reviewing and analyzing the contracts of the Hollywood bigwigs. I find the actual business of the entertainment industry fascinating. There are a variety of perks to the job... I go to a lot of film screenings. I get to wear
jeans, tee-shirts and flip-flops to work every day! I’m also afforded a
multitude of creative outlets; for example, this summer I am writing a
television “spec” script for the Warner Bros. writing program.

What did SMS teach you that you didn’t learn elsewhere? So much! More than anything I was nurtured and inspired to believe I could do whatever I wanted to do. I was encouraged to try new things, get involved, find my own voice, and use it. It is this confidence that gave me the courage to move across the country to Los Angeles and start anew. The feminism I found at SMS was vital as well. I am known in the office for speaking my mind, thinking outside the box, and consistently trying to find a better way to do business. It helps me to be a strong force in this male-dominated environment.

Any advice for students who are considering a similar career? There are many ways to pursue this field, but you must be in Los Angeles. We have great schools out here that offer incredible internships with the studios, guest speakers, etc. Wherever you are, you can network, network, network. Offer to take someone in the biz for coffee and pick their brain. Use the St. Margaret’s alumnae network and your college’s network, too. If you love film and television, there are so many interesting career opportunities. Someone gets to have these cool jobs, why not you?!



Masha Skuratovskaya ’94
Senior Investment Officer
The World Bank
Washington, District of Columbia

How did you get there? Networking has helped. I was referred to the bank by a former colleague who knew that I was aspiring to work for that institution. Once at the bank, I moved through several positions, all the while making a point to be noticed by the managers in my current department, where I always wanted to work. My current position was offered to me. It was the job that I wanted and they didn’t even interview me for it.

What do you enjoy most about your work? My main responsibility is managing fixed income securities portfolios for institutional clients and capacity-building for central banks in developing countries. It is highly analytical; one always has to stay up to date on the most current research available in the market. It has a global focus and affords me an opportunity to work directly with the central banks of developing countries. I think I enjoy the knowledge transfer component of my work the most.

What did SMS teach you that you didn’t learn elsewhere? The two most important skills I have carried throughout college (BA in business administration at Bridgewater College), graduate school (MS in finance at American University) and my career are organization and making myself heard. Managing workloads and deadlines efficiently and under pressure is essential in my line of work. I learned that from managing my homework assignments and studying for exams at SMS. Not being afraid to voice my opinion has helped me to move up in my career, and I learned how to do that in the US history classroom. Writing in a concise fashion came out of the journalism class and Mr. McDowell’s writing lab. It has been a true asset because I have to do quite a bit of writing.

Any advice for students who are considering a similar career? Aim high, swing for the fences and network, network, network!





Tell us how SMS got you where you are today.

We’re looking for more alumnae to profile in future school publications.
If you’d like to be interviewed, please contact the Alumnae Office at lmcbride@sms.org.

Caroline Lechaux ’77
VP, Public Relations and Communications, Coty Prestige
VP, Corporate Communications, Coty, Inc.
New York, New York

How did you get there? It’s a long story! After I graduated from the University of Virginia, I really wanted to be an international correspondent. I did some post-graduate work in broadcast journalism and worked for PBS and ABC. Following that, I did travel marketing for a hotel chain and travel writing and editing for Condé Nast.
       In 1987, I returned to Europe (my parents are French), and not too long thereafter was hired to do the pre-opening marketing for Disneyland Paris. I ended up spending six years there, then another five managing Disney’s European communications. Then I started my own business and earned an MBA at a French university, after which I was recruited to be Head of Worldwide Communications for Remy-Martin Cognacs, a job that I enjoyed very much.
       When I returned to the states a couple of years ago, I got a job heading Fleishman-Hilliard’s marketing practice. It was a great experience, but when I got the offer from Coty a second time (they had tried to recruit me once before) it was too good to pass up. We’re the world’s largest fragrance company, with prestige brands that include Calvin Klein, Vera Wang, Kenneth Cole, Marc Jacobs, Jennifer Lopez and Nautica.

What do you enjoy most about your work? My job is very exciting and fast-paced. I’m back and forth to Europe a lot, and it’s great fun to be in a workplace that’s so international. The strategic side is fun, too; I love developing brands and communicating them, especially in the luxury goods arena. This definitely is a “people” business, great socially and quite intellectually stimulating.

What did SMS teach you that you didn’t learn elsewhere? I got more out of SMS than UVA. I wasn’t a strong student when I got there in the seventh grade, but the teachers were so dedicated. They saw I had potential and they really milked it out of me. Winning the Mary Percival Prize for academic improvement encouraged me to keep pushing. Miss Woolfolk also was a good influence; a real disciplinarian but f air.?I was something of a mischief in ninth grade, and she gave me another chance, which became a turning point. Mrs. Perkins’ legacy lives on with me. If there’s one thing that makes my team at work nervous, it’s writing. I can look at a page and immediately spot an error. You could say I became a perfectionist at SMS, and that’s made a big difference in my career.

Any advice for students who are considering a similar career? Pursue internships. You need to get experience early on. Take your studies seriously. I think a lot of young people don’t equate how well they do in school with how well they will do in their career, but I think there’s a correlation. And playing sports of all kinds taught me how to compete in a healthy way, which has been very helpful in the business world.


Mary Katherine Straughan Kienzle ’84
VP, Strategy and Product Management
Wells Fargo & Company
San Francisco, California

How did you get there? I must have watched one too many episodes of “L.A. Law,” because after I graduated from the University of Virginia with a foreign affairs degree, I thought that I wanted to go to law school. Once I discovered that the legal world wasn’t for me, I transitioned to marketing and product development for a legal publisher.
      After my husband graduated from business school, I decided to earn my MBA. Then I started working for a small private equity team within Gannett, the publisher of USA Today.
      My husband was transferred to Connecticut, so I pulled up roots and started a new job in product management for GE Capital. When my husband was transferred to California, I knew that I wanted to stick with product management in financial services. I currently manage a strategy and product management team that designs and develops new products and features for Wells Fargo’s consumer brokerage web site, Wellsfargo.com. We were just ranked #3 in Kiplinger’s recent online brokerage survey.

What do you enjoy most about your work? I like that it is a unique blend of financial, creative, technical and strategic skills. Because we are working with the Internet, I also get to keep up with the latest technologies. I also like knowing that what I do every day ultimately helps our customers manage their ?financial lives Plus, my eight-year-old son, who doesn’t quite get what his venture capital father does, thinks that I am so cool because I work on the Internet every day!

What did SMS teach you that you didn’t learn elsewhere? SMS really helped me develop clear written and verbal communication skills. Some folks in the business world simply don’t know how to write correctly. I certainly am no Shakespeare, but I think Ms. Spears would be proud.

Any advice for students who are considering a similar career? Don’t be afraid of taking calculated risks, especially when you are young. Join a start-up and/or feel free to move to a different geographical area, such as California, Boston or DC, where there are many Internet and software opportunities. A lot of the financial firms have internships or programs where you can rotate through a number of business groups, trying out different areas before you commit to one.