Karin Trivière: A staunch advocate of inclusive communities
We all come, eventually, to a sudden realization that as humans, we achieve greater results when we are not alone. Throughout all our life, we come into contact with classmates, friends, colleagues. We make connections that extend far beyond our immediate ties.
These are our communities. Karin realised this a while ago. Now, looking back, she recognises the importance of being part of a community and the impact that it has had on her self-development, especially when she has faced her most challenging situations.
Karin first joined the PWN Nice Côte d’Azur network in 2005. Since then she has lived in different cities and countries, faced various challenges, celebrated accomplishments, and acknowledged her vulnerability. In all these phases the presence of PWN has remained constant.
“I wanted to meet like-minded women." Karin reflects, "And I cherish the exchanges, learning, and support that the PWN networks brought me.”
But it hasn’t always been like that.
When she got her first job after graduating, she was not aware of the existence of networking, mentoring, or role models. And she did not know the power these means can unleash, particularly in the context of career and personal development.
She was bright and ambitious, but she was also alone. While she was able to quickly learn how to navigate and succeed in the masculine environment of venture capital, reflection has made her conscious of the support systems she lacked at that time, and how they could have helped better steer her career.
Despite going it alone, the key that allowed Karin to hit the ground running, in every position she pursued, was her passion for organisations that are committed to powerful missions with great intentions.
Remembering the times when she worked for a group of Regional Investment Funds, co-financed with the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development (EBRD), brings a smile to Karin's face. Their goal was to invest in mid-sized companies in Post-Soviet Countries, a reality completely unknown to her. However, the weight of the responsibility and the uncertainties of a world she had never dealt with seemed nothing compared to the pride of working for a cause that aimed to make this part of the world a better place.
Her dedication to projects with a strong purpose is reflected in her choices, even before knowing PWN. In hindsight, you could say it was only a matter of time before she joined the PWN family and became an active volunteer.
Life is full of decisions that can result in big impact. Making the choice to support her husband’s career and switch from a corporate job to an entrepreneurial track was one such moment.
In the early 2000s, Karin's empathy and commitment enabled her husband to follow his dream of starting his own company and she saw this as an opportunity to develop her entrepreneurial skills to boost him.
During these stressful but exciting times, she was introduced to PWN Nice by a friend. There, she met an open, welcoming group that supported her transition and taught her how to build a network.
Meeting other fulfilled professional women who were also mothers, was a true blessing, especially in the toughest times when Karin struggled to realise her desire to found a family.
She embarked on a journey of emotional growth and physical transformation, as she was nurturing the roots of her motherhood. Shifting the focus from her career aspirations and embracing her altruistic nature was essential to undertake the complicated medical journey needed to bring a new life into her arms.
And she conquered it all: not only she emerged more tenacious; she became deeply conscious of her possibilities and fathomed her new role as a mother and as a role model.
Contributing to meaningful goals has always been natural for Karin. Since 2005 she has volunteered in several PWN City Networks including Nice and Lyon, and most recently PWN Zug&Zurich. Most of her volunteer work has been in the Membership function.
This role has always been close to her heart as she aims to improve the members’ experience and to promote inclusion.
She believes in the need for a member to feel that she belongs with her local City Network. With its own identity and cultural traits, each community is a part of the global movement to accelerate gender-balanced leadership.
She knows the importance of ensuring that women have role models and get mentored by senior leaders in an organisation. Karin believes that one way to achieve this is to promote inclusion in team culture. It would be a big loss if more women missed this chance, so she commits herself, as the mother of a 21-year-old daughter, to help move the next generation towards a more balanced society.
You can follow Karin on LinkedIn.
Date: April 2021
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