Two of the Penguins Top Young Female Professionals to be Honored
Amanda Susko and Amy Wesson are being recognized for their hard work and dedication
Amanda Susko is a finalist for the ATHENA Young Professional Award, which highlights a woman who dedicates her time and talent to helping other women and girls to thrive, while Amy Wesson has been named to the Pittsburgh Business Times' '30 Under 30,' which recognizes the city's top young professionals.
Susko, 36, joined the Penguins in 2012 in the Partnership Marketing and Sales department before transitioning to the Penguins Foundationin 2015. She currently serves as the Senior Director of Penguins Foundation Programs and Strategic Planning.
Wesson, 28, started with the Penguins in 2017 in a specialist role associated with the team's PPG Paints partnership before earning a full-time role as Manager of Partnership Marketing.
"Amanda and Amy consistently serve as role models for young women and men who have an interest in working in sports," said Tracey McCants Lewis, the Penguins' Deputy General Counsel and Director of HR. "Their talents, commitment and ability to lead while serving as examples of strong female leadership make Amanda and Amy ideal team members that bring success to the Pittsburgh Penguins."
When Susko first started at the Penguins Foundation, the first intern she ever hired was Madison Connelly - who went on to work alongside her for the next few years and ended up nominating her for the award. She knows better than anyone how deserving Susko is for such an award.
"It's no question that Amanda is a Young Athena," Connelly said. "Her dedication to the Pittsburgh community makes her an amazing asset for this city. Her desire to encourage and grow the young women around her makes her an incredible mentor in this organization."
The two of them had actually just finished stuffing backpacks with school supplies for distribution to Pittsburgh Public Schools just last week, and were sitting down to have a bite to eat when Connelly received an email containing the good news.
"Madison had this look on her face, and all of sudden she was like, 'I have something to tell you,'" Susko said. "Then she told me I was a finalist. It was so exciting because she got the email when I was with her. She started tearing up, I started tearing up. It was really cute."
Susko was equal parts surprised and overwhelmed after learning the news, and immediately thought about all of the women in Pittsburgh she has worked with - both at the Penguins and in the community - who are also amazing leaders that have inspired her along the way.
"In Pittsburgh, we have such a high level of females in powerful positions," Susko said. "To be amongst that elite group just meant so much."
It also meant a lot that the nomination came from Connelly, as Susko watched her grow from being an intern into a full-time role with the organization. It's important for Susko to be a mentor to not only Connelly, but to all of the other women she has worked with throughout her career.
Before coming to the Penguins, Susko - a native of Johnstown, Pa. who attended the University of Notre Dame - worked for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Syracuse Crunch and the athletic department at Saint Francis University.
And in her experience as a woman working in sports, Susko felt that there were times she had to navigate her own path to understand her roles and responsibilities, and didn't want the other women she worked with to feel like they had to do the same.
"I've always felt like it was my duty to try and make that path easier for females that were coming along after me," she said. "I love being a woman working in sports because it is traditionally male-dominated, so however we can grow the number of females in this industry is so important."
Whether that's always keeping her door open or lending an ear or a helping hand whenever it's needed, it's truly remarkable the amount of time Susko spends with her staff and interns on top of all of her duties with the Foundation.
In her role, she manages large-scale fundraising efforts, charitable events, awareness initiatives and programs related to the Penguins Foundation's four pillars of youth hockey, wellness, education and community impact.
"Amanda is leading the future of young women in the sports industry by helping them gain experience, connections, and most importantly, glass-shattering confidence," Connelly said. "Nominating her was easy and regardless of the outcome, she is truly a winner and will continue championing success for so many of the young women who look up to her."
One of those young women who has a bright future is Wesson, whose stock has been rising ever since she joined the Penguins organization three years ago.
"Amy's awareness, work ethic and commitment enable her to do her job at a high level, but her drive to continue growing, learning and improving are what make her a really special talent," said Ross Miller, the Penguins' Senior Director of Partnership Marketing. "We are very proud of her accomplishments and we know her future is very bright."
Wesson grew up just north of Toronto and attended the University of Western Ontario. After that, she moved to California to earn her MBA in sports management from San Diego State University. While there, Wesson began working part-time for the Anaheim Ducks in youth hockey development - and once she graduated, she began working full-time.
That entire time, Wesson kept in touch with Jack Tipton, the Penguins' Senior Director of Partnership Sales, whom she had met through her graduate school program. And when a position opened up in the organization, Tipton reached out to Wesson, whose dream had always been to work in sports.
"For me, it was a chance to move closer to home and to work in a field I thought was a better fit for me in the sports industry," Wesson said.
In her current role, Wesson does marketing for the team's corporate partners. She said the most successful campaigns are when both the Penguins and their partner are able to reach their business objectives while simultaneously doing something fun and engaging for the fanbase. Her partner list currently includes DICK'S Sporting Goods, The Milkshake Factory, Iron Workers, Kent State and Lexus.
Not only is Wesson a team player with an incredible attitude - she's the kind of person who will clean up after a player event that goes past 9 p.m. and not be the least put out by it - but, as Miller said, she is constantly looking for ways to continue growing, learning and improving.
In addition to handling the responsibilities of her full-time job, Wesson graduated (virtually) in June from the Leadership Development Initiative, an eight-month program for high-potential young professionals.
Wesson truly is the perfect fit for an award that recognizes up-and-coming executives, innovators and thought leaders who will shape the future of Pittsburgh.
"It was really exciting," Wesson said. "For me, not being from Pittsburgh, I was thrilled to be in a community where I felt at home from Day 1. I've been living in Pittsburgh for three years now, and to have an award like this, it really makes me feel like I've contributed to a city that has contributed so much to me."
