This is your community to GROW with! paradiGM aims to provide diverse opportunities for our members to grow and develop professionally and personally. We have a number of different programs already available but are always keen to learn new things so if you have an idea or suggestion for an opportunity or program please do not hesitate to get in touch with us – message Audrey Lustgarten on LinkedIn if you are a member or send us an email if not.
At paradiGM we view growth holistically. We encourage people to be open, honest and authentic and to show up with their whole selves, rather than trying to divide neatly into the professional versus real self. To this end, we offer programming aimed at helping people to grow holistically and to form genuine connections with one another to build a community that can support them in their growth (and that they can give back to by supporting others).
You can view our upcoming GROW events on the Events tab above. Recordings of some previous GROW events are available below.
Professional Development: GROWing in 2023
(held 15 February 2023)
A roundtable discussion on both the state of professional development in the global mobility industry and their own experiences, focusing on what has worked for them in their careers, what has not, and how they are continuing to develop themselves and their teams and colleagues.
• Definitions: What is professional development anyway?
• Perspectives: How is what we do limited or enhanced by the size and nature of the company?
• Practical tips for success: What works to grow your knowledge and your network?
• Failures and pitfalls: Learning from what did not work
• We’re all in this together: Supporting your teams and colleagues
Growing a Truly Sustainable Business: Why and How You Should Elevate Human Potential at Work
(held 28 September 2021)
An interactive discussion on growing a truly sustainable business that gives back to society by elevating the human potential of its people. Learn more about measuring your growth and success holistically using Doughnut Economics (no it’s not about food!) and building a win-win framework for elevating human potential that benefits businesses and workers alike. We will also hear stories from those who have implemented innovative (and often fun) programs to elevate human potential in their work.
paradiGM Academy
Academy is a six-month program that explores the global mobility industry in innovative ways. We look not just at how our industry functions today, but also at how incorporating concepts from other fields (psychology, medicine, linguistics, etc.) can help us to grow. The Academy class is limited in size to allow for interaction and is geared towards those who are in their first few years of work in the global mobility industry. The Academy is led by paradiGM’s GROW team and runs each year from October through April (no session in December). If you are interested in participating please get in touch for further information!
paradiGM MasterMind groups
Have you ever wished you had a network of fellow leaders in the global mobility industry who you could call on for advice on your biggest professional challenges? Or that you just had a group of professionals you could discuss ideas with – should you hire that new employee? go after that potential new client? plan to transition out of your business so you can retire? If so, MasterMind is the place to be. This small group setting will give our more seasoned members a space to connect with one another to explore common challenges in an informal but moderated setting over the course of the year. No presentations, no PowerPoints, just peer to peer discussions. MasterMind groups typically form each year in late summer/early fall, but if you are interested in participating at any point please get in touch with us.
Grow Team
Lisa
Lisa Atkins – GROW Advocate – is a Partner/Head of Global Immigration at a boutique immigration firm Tafapolsky & Smith LLP (offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles, London and Singapore). She represents clients in both U.S. and global mobility related immigration law matters. Lisa provides strategic advice related to global immigration policies and best practices and facilitates the mobility of executives, managers, specialized knowledge and professional workers across the globe and inbound to the United States. Lisa represents multinational companies and businesses of all sizes and fields including technology, engineering, finance and scientific research in employment-based immigration matters before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Department of State and Labor. She also trains corporate human resource departments regarding immigration laws and regulations to manage foreign national personnel, including providing right to work guidance across the globe.
Prior to joining T&S, Lisa worked at a large international law firm in Washington, DC in the Global Immigration and Employment practice. She also served as the Director of Immigration Policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce where she worked with various members of the business community to advocate before Congress and the administrative agencies for sensible immigration policies.
When not at work, Lisa enjoys spending time with her family outdoors exploring the San Francisco Bay Area and its various hiking trails. She is an avid baker/cook and enjoys experimenting with new recipes, finding hidden local restaurants, and baking for the T&S San Francisco office. –
Ashley
Ashley VanOoteghem is a Global Practice Manager at WR Immigration Petoskey, working in the global mobility field with a focus on business immigration for professionals. She frequently works with companies in the technology and services sectors, including both Fortune 500 companies and innovative start-ups. She enjoys anything outdoors, as well as cooking, reading, and traveling. She is excited to connect with other global mobility professionals, be a part of a diverse and inclusive community, and grow both professionally and personally through paradiGM.
Jennifer
Jennifer Stevens is Managing Partner at Laura Devine Attorneys in New York. She is a UK qualified solicitor with extensive experience advising on a range of UK immigration applications including representatives of an overseas business, Skilled Worker and Intra Company, sponsorship licences and compliance, Global Talent and Investor. Jennifer also advises on family-based applications as well as British nationality, naturalisation and registration. Jennifer advises individuals and small businesses, as well as multinational corporate clients across a range of industry sectors, including media, entertainment and finance.
Lynn
Lynn-Samantha Severe [Lynn] was born and raised in Haiti. She currently works as a Senior Attorney at Erickson Immigration Group where she focuses on non-US corporate immigration, including advising businesses on visa/work permit options and providing right-to-work & immigration compliance guidance. Amongst other things, Lynn enjoys spending time with her family, curling up with a good book, and learning about other cultures. Lynn is excited to be a part of paradiGM because of the genuine way it seeks to promote inclusivity, collaboration, and creativity within its community. She is excited to participate in supporting the growth of future generations of professionals in the global mobility industry.
Marcel
Although his plan A for life was to be a bassist in a rockband, Marcel Reurs was happy to settle for plan B, go to law school and become an attorney. He is a partner with Everaert Advocaten, a law firm established in 1982, exclusively dedicated to immigration and nationality law, and has been practicing Dutch and EU immigration law for over 25 years. Marcel is chair of the paradiGM MasterMind program. Living in Monnickendam, a small town in Holland, with his partner, three kids and a doodle, Marcel remains passionate about music and playing in bands.
Tash
Tash Rae has been working in the immigration field for 13 years. Her experience includes immigration visa processing, technical and risk advice for the New Zealand Government and the management of immigration professionals in both the public and private sectors. Tash initially held various roles with Immigration New Zealand, in and outside of New Zealand. Before returning home to work as a New Zealand immigration lawyer, she spent two years with a global law firm in its Singapore and London offices. Tash currently works for a large law firm, out of its Queenstown, New Zealand office. She specialises in corporate immigration for large New Zealand employers and multi-national companies.
Zara
Zara Najam is an experienced Business Immigration Attorney and an in-house Global Mobility & Immigration expert specializing in fast-paced, high-volume programs. Her immigration knowledge includes global immigration management, business visitor visas, immigration M&As, and new-country expansions. Zara’s in-house expertise focuses on enhancing the employee experience by providing strategic direction for delivery of business immigration services, devising integrated policies with partner teams, and delivering program improvements based on metrics and user insights.
