SPOTLIGHT: JANET DUGO
Janet is Vice President of Scholarships & Grants for New York Women in Communications and President of Warren Dugo Media Inc. She is also Project Manager of the Downtown Staten Island Commercial District for the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce.
For over 20 years, Janet worked in the financial services industry on Wall Street, rising to the position of Vice President at RBC Wealth Management, a full-service national brokerage firm. In February 2006, along with her business partners, she founded Staten Island Business Trends, a news-monthly covering the central issues affecting Staten Island’s economic health, quality of life and community leadership. She served as Publisher of the newspaper for close to 10 years.
In 2016, the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce and the NYC Department of Small Business Services hired Warren Dugo Media to conduct a Commercial District Needs Assessment of Bay Street in downtown Staten Island. Janet’s role today as Project Manager at the Chamber evolved from that study.
Janet’s record of civic involvement runs deep. In addition to serving on the NYWICI Board of Directors, she is the immediate past-president of the Board of Directors of Soroptimist International of Staten Island, the local arm of a worldwide volunteer service organization. She is also an active member of the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation’s Executive Women’s Council and a member of the Business Advisory Council for the Jewish Community Center of Staten Island.
Janet received the 2015 “Executive Woman of the Year” award from the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation. In 2013, she was recognized as a “Woman of Influence” in business and economic development by the SIEDC and the New York City Council.
Why she does what she does… “In life, we tend to gravitate — whether consciously or unconsciously — to the things that are most meaningful to us. And I have found, through the years, that I am most fulfilled when using my skill set to empower others. I realized we all have a part to play. When I help another woman in her career, I am potentially helping a family lead a life of financial stability. And that helps our community as a whole. And when I use my professional skills to help local businesses, I am helping strengthen the neighborhoods around them. And those neighborhoods are where we live our lives and raise the next generation. They are the bedrock of our existence. So in my small way, I believe I’m helping create a better world.”
Drawn to NYWICI… “I learned of NYWICI through an invitation to the Matrix Awards luncheon in 2001. When I saw the line-up of awardees, I thought it might be worth the time to attend. The actual event surpassed all my expectations; it was so uplifting. I was intrigued, and decided to become a member. Through the years, it’s been the genuine supportive sisterhood of the members at all career levels that keeps me involved. And I still go to the Matrix Awards each year. I call it my ‘annual booster-shot of inspiration!’”
My favorite social media platform… “It almost sounds ‘old school’ now, but it’s Twitter. I first came across it in 2007. I remember thinking, ‘what possible use could little 140-character bits of information be’. So much for my powers of prognostication! Fast forward, and it’s my go-to place to connect with the world.”
Communications industry’s biggest challenge… “Consumer cynicism. For marketing and media, establishing and maintaining credibility is more crucial than ever.”
At the top of my trend watching list is… “Emerging models for content monetization, particularly in the news industry.”
Off the clock, really… “I love to take long walks in nature and to binge-watch British television shows.”
My nirvana… “Gliding across Budd Lake in a boat. It brings me back to wonderful childhood days and a beautiful sense of peace.”
Did you know… “I have a fantastic collection of vinyl records — jazz, show tunes, and rock and roll.”
Day to relive… “The day my daughter, Marie, won a NYWICI scholarship and was presented at the Matrix Awards luncheon. The feeling of pride and joy I felt seeing her on stage with some of the most powerful women in the communications industry and knowing that her bright future lay ahead was one I’ll never forget.”
Words to live by… “’I walk slowly, but I never walk backward,’ which is a quote from Abraham Lincoln.”
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