KATHRYN FALK

Kathryn Falk’s interest in politics led to her career in telecommunications.

After working as a congressional aide, she saw women entering the cable broadband industry and realized she, too, wanted to join.

“The industry is so unique because it’s not a utility. I mean, we think of it as a utility today, [but] it was all built with private capital,” Falk says. “So, it was a very entrepreneurial business. And because of that, and just the way it started up, there were great opportunities for women to really make their mark.”

In her 30-year-plus career, Falk has served as president of the Virginia Cable Telecommunications Association and director of congressional and public relations for the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners. Falk also served on the board for The WICT (Women in Cable and Telecom) Network’s Washington, D.C./Baltimore chapter. It was there that she fostered a mentorship program — connecting women at different points in their careers.

Being in the roles of mentor and mentee, she has benefited from the different generational experiences of women in the workforce and says one of the biggest lessons she’s learned in her career is “the importance of women supporting each other.”

Another career lesson, she adds, is that women should get involved in outside organizations. “So, raise your hand to take on that additional responsibility for being a committee member or getting involved in your chamber of commerce.”