Become a Mentee

The Capital Heritage Mentorship Program will connect experienced senior managers in the broader culture sector and the heritage sector, with new graduates wishing to embark on a career in heritage, and emerging professionals who wish to move their career to the next level.

The initiative will invite 8 developing professionals to participate in small groups (2 Mentees and 1 lead Mentor) in a strategic program to help transition and plan for the coming years.  As a Mentee, you will receive valuable feedback, guidance and access to networking opportunities, leading to more confidence and an expanded career network.

The focus will be on

• Career development:  creating and setting personal career goals with next steps;
• Networking:  how to effectively create and build on professional connections; and
• Leadership:  developing the required skills and knowledge to become a leader in Ottawa’s heritage sector

The program will kick off with a meet and greet session where you will meet your Mentor and fellow Mentees.  Throughout the 5 months of the program, you will be encouraged to be proactive in your mentoring relationship – sharing experiences and gaining insights into working within the heritage sector.

Groups will be sent a bi-monthly email with a list of opportunities including networking and employment opportunities; events and activities; and articles of interest.  We will reach out regularly to touch base on your progress.

The final wrap-up session will bring people back together to discuss lessons learned and strategies that Mentees should use to work most effectively in the culture and heritage sectors.  A forum engaging future program participants is also planned.

There are two streams within the program: 

• Mentorship 
• Mentorship + Fall Internship

Stream 1:  Mentorship

• You will have the opportunity to work with a Mentor and receive guidance, support and leadership as you develop your career in heritage and/or the broader cultural sector.
• Together, you will create a plan of action and determine how frequently you would like to connect with one another.  In addition, there may be monthly program/larger group meetings and mini workshops that will focus on career development and networking.
• Each Mentee is allocated $100 for eligible program expenses (printing fees, travel to sites, conference or networking event fees, parking at related sites, and materials), which is contingent upon completion of the program.
• Minimum time commitment:  2.5 hours per month

Stream 2:  Mentorship + Fall Internship

• You will have the opportunity to work with a Mentor/Intern host and receive guidance, support and leadership as you develop your career in heritage and/or the broader cultural sector.
• Together, you will create a plan of action and determine how frequently you would like to connect with one another.  In addition, there may be monthly program/larger group meetings and mini workshops that will focus on career development and networking.
• You will have the opportunity to acquire valuable work experience and skills.
• Positions may last up to 2 months, to be determined by the host organization.
• Each intern will receive up to $6930 for their work, which is contingent upon completion of the internship and a satisfactory review from the host organization.
• Minimum time commitment for internship:  17.5 hours per week for the duration of the fall internship, and 2.5 hours per month for program activities.
• More information on the internship options will be provided as projects are confirmed. Please see Mentor information below for internships details.

Please select which stream you are interested in on your application.

Applicants must:

• Be within the first 10 years of their professional career
• Have completed their education or will graduate from a post-secondary institution*
• Be a CHC Member in good standing (you can apply or renew your membership here)
• Be unemployed or underemployed (internship stream only)
• Be willing to commit to the full duration of the work term (internship stream only)

*Alternatively, if you do not have a degree and are not in the process of pursuing one, Capital Heritage Connexion is open to discussing how you have gained the equivalent skills outside of the formal education environment to be successful in this mentorship program. 

Applicants are ineligible if they:

• Are considered a mid-career or an established professional (10+ years of professional career)
• Have another full-time job (over 30 hours a week) during the work assignment (internship stream only)

Note:  Priority will be given to students who have not previously participated in a summer or fall work experience program.

October:  Application & Selection Process

Early November:  Meet and greet with your Mentor group

November – March:  Monthly check-ins with progress reports; Scheduled program meetings and mini workshops

April:  The final wrap-up session will bring everyone back together so Mentees and Mentors can share their successes.  The focus will be on findings – lessons learned and strategies for Mentees to get started in the culture and heritage sectors.

Francesca D’Ambrosio

Francesca D’Ambrosio is a long-time business professional and public servant who is firmly committed to strategic collaborations in a variety of forward-thinking business sectors.

She is an established professional with more than 18 years experience, including eight years in executive (governmental) leadership, a run for city council and five years as a business owner. The focus of Francesca’s extensive Federal Government experience and her innovative work with not for profits has been in assessing viable strategies to alleviate systemic issues facing vulnerable groups and determine how to help organizations create a safe and thriving work environment, free from judgment and blame. As an advocate of diversity, equity and inclusion, Francesca works closely with community leaders and large corporations to move the needle forward, towards a more inclusive society.

Ms. D’Ambrosio is multi-lingual in English, French, Spanish and American Sign Language. She holds a Masters degree in Business Administration, Industrial/Organizational Psychology and is currently pursuing her third career in medicine at Harvard University.

 

Sharifa Riley

Sharifa Riley is a Museum and Culture specialist and the curator of the Erland Lee (Museum) Home. Her work spans over an eight-year period, where she has worked in a variety of positions. Sharifa began her career in developing educational programming for youth, children and families, at Fairfields Heritage House in Ottawa, ON., and as an Education Assistant at the Canadian Opera Company. Regarding curatorial projects, she has curated exhibitions for BAND (Black Artists’ Network In Dialogue) Gallery, the Peterborough Museum & Archives, and York University.

Sharifa’s passion for the museum and culture sector has allowed her to broaden the minds of all those she comes in contact with. She is a determined and creative individual, and is looking forward to many years of helping people discover what their community has to offer.

Sharifa Riley is a graduate from the University of Ottawa (B.A.) and Sir Sandford Fleming College (Post Graduate). She is currently finishing up her Master’s Degree in Art History and Visual Cultures at York University.

Internship

Sharifa will be hosting one Mentee this year for an internship! The internship can be in person or remote but note that Sharifa is located outside of the National Capital Region in Hamilton area. In person projects include digitizing archival resources and learning about collections care and accessibility. Remote projects will relate to curating an online exhibition or creating education resources for teachers in the Hamilton area.

W. Ryan Dodge

As the Chief Digital Officer at Ingenium, Ryan is responsible for the corporation’s public facing digital presence across the spectrum of onsite and online experiences. He leads a team of developers, UX, AV and technology specialists in the production of digital products that are aimed at engaging Canadians from coast-to-coast-to-coast in the pursuit of increasing knowledge around Canadian ingenuity. Ryan has over 15 years of experience in the museum technology sector with stops at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, the Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum in the NCR.

 

Britt Braaten

Britt is the Acting Advisor, Strategic Planning of Exhibitions at the Canadian Museum of History. She holds a Master of Museum Studies and a Juris Doctor from the University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Arts & Science from McMaster University. Her passion for cultural heritage was ignited as a student intern at the Immigration Museum in Melbourne, Australia. Since then, she has put this into practice, developing exhibitions, programs and online offerings with the Multicultural History Society of Ontario (Toronto), the Canada Science and Technology Museum and the Canadian War Museum. Her work focuses on exhibition storytelling, as well as promoting accessibility and inclusion in museums. Britt comes to the Board as a strong believer in the importance of collaboration and mutual support within the heritage sector. She served as CHC|CPC secretary in 2020-21 and President in 2021-22.

Internship

The internship opportunity at the Canadian War Museum will be supervised by Britt Braaten’s colleague Jennifer Ford, Creative Development Specialist. The intern will assist with the interpretive planning and development of an upcoming exhibition. Through visitor consultations and research analysis, they will provide interpretive recommendations and a report to the exhibition team. This internship will be a combination of in-person and remote work.