Goodwill Board of Directors member, Paulina Sihakom, was the recipient of the Mentorship Award at March 5th’s YWCA Northwestern Illinois Leadership Luncheon at Giovanni’s in Rockford, Illinois.
With over 21 years of banking experience, Paulina Sihakom touches the personal and professional lives of a myriad of community members. Many of her staff view Paulina as a life coach and have advanced from junior to senior roles. Despite the challenges that she faced from her childhood in Laos, the education that she received in the United States inspired her. She began her volunteerism with the YMCA Black Achievers Program which helped teens set career goals and pursue higher education, and now extends to involvement in a mentoring program for Laotian high school students, connecting them with professionals and engaging them in community projects and volunteerism. She also serves on the Boards of Directors for Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois and Lao American Association of Northern Illinois.