Member Spotlight – June 2021
Jackie Bernstein
CWC Board Member & Co-Chair, Membership Committee
Education/Alma Mater: Business Degree, Harcum College, Bryn Mawr, PA
Morning News Sources: The Hartford Courant
Hometown/Current town: Farmington
How long have you worked in your current position? Currently retired, after many years as a Sales Account Representative within National Accounts at Canon, USA.
What do you value most about CWC? Being a member since 1998, I’ve met many wonderful women that I would not have met had it not been for CWC and many of my best friends were or currently are members of CWC.
Best piece of advice you’ve ever gotten? Be like a sponge and adsorb (observe/learn) as much as you can as early as you can in life.
Piece of advice for people entering your field / looking to excel in your field? If you believe in your product, whatever it is, you can sell anything!
Proud moment or accomplishment you’d like to share? Being named as a Board Member of Connecticut Humanities Council and Board Member of Connecticut Citizen’s Ethics Advisory Board by then Governor Jodi Rell (who I met through CWC).
First Job in high school: Part-time assistant to the Secretary to the President of G. Fox.
Dream Job (besides current): Professional Golfer
Bucket List Item: Drive from the East Coast to the West Coast in a well- equipped RV with friends
Hobbies (and any new ones started during pandemic): Golfing and Gardening
Favorite Restaurant (and items you recommend): Arethusa al tavolo, Bantam, CT. Sea Bass
Favorite Podcast: Chris Hayes (MSNBC)
Favorite Sports Team: Boston Red Sox
Vacation Spot: Nantucket
Favorite Movie: Dances With Wolves
Janis Turner
VP, Web & Marketing Operations, Personal Insurance Direct Markets, Travelers
Education/Alma Mater: UMass at Amherst (undergraduate); Duke University’s Fuqua School (MBA)
Morning News Sources: Current events – New York Times; NPR; Industry news – various insurance & financial services digital media sources
Hometown/Current town: Hometown – Westfield, Massachusetts; Current – Avon, CT
How long have you worked in your current position? 2 years in Aug. 2021
Did you have a job that might surprise people? I had a summer job working at book bindery for minimum wage standing on a concrete flow for 9-hour days. It taught me the value of hard work and education.
What do you value most about CWC? Networking with talented, interesting women who are leaders in their fields and have a track record of giving back to their communities.
Best piece of advice you’ve ever gotten? Just do your best. I see this as the secret to many things in life.
Piece of advice for people entering your field / looking to excel in your field? Be a life-long learner. Understand your customers’ needs and expectations at an emotional level and align these with how marketing and technology are constantly evolving.
Proud moment or accomplishment you’d like to share? Writing and delivering the eulogy in celebration of my mother’s life. It was a gift amidst the sadness to be able to honor her and connect with others in this way.
First Job in high school: Banquet waitressing. It taught me how to hustle and balance the stress of the “back of the house” (kitchen) with the need to provide great service at the “front of the house” (with guests).
Dream Job (besides current): Leading an organization focused on advancing women’s leadership abilities and impact.
Bucket List Item: Having my own art show in a gallery someday.
Hobbies (and any new ones started during pandemic): I’m an artist who doubled down heading into the pandemic on learning the skills of realism across various mediums (i.e., pencil, charcoal, pastel, oil painting). My teacher (Heather Sawtelle, Artistic Edge Studio) is fantastic and has become a terrific friend.
I’m a voracious reader across many genres (e.g., autobiographies, fiction, military history, spiritual growth, etc.).
I also love to cook with my family and to practice mindfulness.
Favorite Restaurant (and items you recommend): Present Company in Tariffville. It’s run by an incredibly talented chef out of an unassuming location. The carrot appetizer is a surprising treat, and you can’t go wrong with the seafood and beef dishes.
Favorite Book: “Sovereign Self” by Acharya Shunya was a capstone read for me. It’s about reclaiming the joy and wholeness within each of us.
Celebrity You Resemble: I’ve gotten Angelica Huston to Sandra Bullock.
Favorite Vacation Spot: The towns that dot the southern coast of Maine, especially Ogunquit.
Favorite Movie: Marvel’s “Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse.” I never get tired of watching it with my family! It’s a great coming of age story that’s about activating on the super-hero in all of us.
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To read the March Member Spotlight, click here.