Q&A with Kim Lewis and Courtney Bredeson

Theta Chi Chapter at California State University - Sacramento

Today’s interview is with Kim Lewis, alumna of the Theta Chi chapter at California State University - Sacramento, a previous member of Supreme Council who has been advising since 2005 and currently serves on the General Advisory Board. Kim is joined by Courtney Bredeson, also an alumna of the Theta Chi Chapter, who has been advising since the early 2010s.

How was it to go from graduating immediately into advising? What made you want to serve Phi Sigma Sigma?

KL: Theta Chi was chartered in 1997, so it was a very young chapter; I joined early on, in fall 2000, and there wasn't a lot of alumnae involvement and support. I had a CKA and a few advisors, but not really a lot of folks present. I knew I was staying in the area and had the time and capacity to support women, so I started working with SDC and recruitment. Recruitment has always been my favorite part about sorority; that is what I love to do. It keeps me engaged. That's why I started advising right after graduation, to stay engaged.

CB: I moved to Minneapolis right after college, so I advise Theta Chi remotely. By the time I was initiated in fall 2007, we had a strong alumnae base, as well as an advisory board, so it was nice to be able to give back and continue to fill that out. It’s a little different because I'm not in person. My family lives in California, so when I'm home, I try to do things in person when the timing lines up.

Courtney, what was your role in the chapter? How did you work with Kim?

CB: I joined in fall 2007, and joined the e-board right after that, in the following spring. I was bursar for a year, and archon for two years. We were lucky to have a pretty full advisory board, so there was a different advisor I worked with for bursar. When I moved on to archon for those two years, I worked super closely with Kim in her capacity as CKA.

There are people who support an organization, and then there are those who define and embody it. Kimberly Lewis is the latter. Her impact on my collegiate and alumnae experience is immeasurable, and when I reflect on what Phi Sigma Sigma means to me, it is her leadership, compassion and dedication that come to mind first. I first met Kimberly when I joined Phi Sigma Sigma in 2006. She became Theta Chi’s chapter key advisor during my term as archon, which was a pivotal year where we both experienced tremendous growth. Her mentorship during that time shaped me into a stronger, more confident leader, and her belief in me left a lasting impression that extended far beyond my collegiate years. Even after graduation, Kimberly remained a steady and selfless presence in my life. She guided me through the uncertainties of the post-college transition and even supported me in securing my first professional role, where we had the privilege of working together as colleagues. Later, serving alongside her on the Theta Chi advisory board gave me a deeper appreciation for the scope of her dedication. Behind the scenes, Kimberly works tirelessly, often without recognition, to ensure the continued strength and success of both Theta Chi and Phi Sigma Sigma. Her commitment is unwavering. She invests not only her time, but her heart into cultivating a meaningful and enduring sisterhood. Because of Kimberly, hundreds of members have experienced the true essence of Phi Sigma Sigma and what it means to contribute to a vibrant, values-driven membership experience, one that continues to inspire long after graduation. —Kristina (Ricci) Schuett

Are there any successes or challenges you want to talk about?

CB: I think everyone likes to focus on wins, and wins are great — everyone wants to win, right — but in reality, you actually learn a lot more through some things that go wrong or don't go as expected. During my time as archon, we had a lot of e-board turnover. Our vice archon moved mid-academic year, for example. Having Kim there as support to help fill in the gaps and troubleshoot as needed was super helpful, not just in giving me support, but also modeling how could I give that same support to my e-board as we were kind of pinch-hitting mid-year.

KL: In addition to what Courtney highlighted, we were the Sapphire Sister Chapter, I guess you would call it, for Sonoma State. They were just starting at that time, so there was a lot of supporting Courtney and Theta Chi and then traveling to Sonoma. We had to make sure we were there for all the different recruitment events and help them get through their installation. It was a lot, and it was a great experience to share with them. San Francisco had done that for us when we started at Theta Chi, so it was nice for us to be able to do that for somebody else. It took a lot of time and effort, and we spent a lot of time together doing that. It was such a different and unique shared experience.

Kim Lewis-Baranoff is one of the most dedicated sisters in Phi Sigma Sigma, in my personal opinion. She leads by example, works incredibly hard and always juggles work/family/the chapter/friends in a fashion that looks effortless. I have never seen anyone more dedicated to making the chapter better than when she first joined it. Kim has always and continues to show up for the collegians (and alumnae) members of the Theta Chi Chapter and beyond; whether it is through personal and professional mentorship, volunteering to help with recruitment/alum events/anything the chapter needs or being a compassionate listener for someone to lean on. As a woman of many talents, she is always more than willing to offer assistance and sort out how she can best help and make the largest impact. She has never shied away from a hard task, a sister in need or a challenge facing our sisterhood. Kim and I have been in each other's lives for over sixteen years. What started off as a sorority advisor/chapter member relationship has evolved into an everlasting friendship fostered from sisterhood. Kim continues to be in my corner all this time. Over the years she has personally provided me with career development advice and opportunities, mentorship through some of life's curveballs and a partner in wine (because wine is better enjoyed with friends). Kim has the biggest heart and pours into everyone's cups while expecting nothing in return. —Nicole Bee

It’s great that you’re both still advisors and you have an active advisory committee; I think that speaks a lot to what you all have built. Can you speak to that a bit?

CB: I feel like one of Kim's key strengths is she's really good at relationship building. I think that's why she said recruitment is her favorite part. Recruitment was my least favorite part; I hated recruitment. So, I think that shines through Kim’s efforts and what Theta Chi’s relationship with alumnae looks like over time.

We have a lot of people who have either been on the board for a while or have been on the board for a couple of years, or people coming in fresh, but even those who have left the board are not completely out of touch. If we need someone to show up to an event, if we need someone to practice conversations, that network is pretty large. I really think that's due to the effort that Kim puts in up front to start those relationships and then maintain them over time.

KL: We've been blessed to have an active alumnae chapter. It was very small when I first graduated, and I was initially archon of the alumnae chapter within a couple years of graduating. Now, I'm back being the archon of the alumnae chapter, and trying to also support it post-COVID, making sure it progresses as lives change and grow. It is rare that we have alumnae chapters, and the fact that we do is, in part because, at Sac State, we really invested in the relationships, getting people connected to each other and supporting each other, and modeling what it means for our sisterhood.

We're engaging our alumnae where it's appropriate, so they can support the chapter, and vice versa. We try to help out, to do some matchmaking to connect collegians with alum. For example, putting a nursing major in touch with an alumna who’s a nurse, even if they don’t live in that region anymore.

There are a lot of women who are very committed to the sisterhood and Phi Sigma Sigma, and it's a beautiful thing. That's the culture we have created at Sac State because that's something we value.

CB: I think there is an opportunity to think broader about advising. Sometimes we think of it as very black and white. Like, on one end of the spectrum you’re a full time advisor and you’re dedicating hours every week, and on the other end of the spectrum you’re not involved at all. There can and should be something in the middle! It could be as simple as, “Hey, I’m going to graduate in two years, what are some things I should think about? What gaps do I have on my resume that I can work on filling?” I think there are more opportunities for us to support collegians in that capacity. As a collegian, if I could talk to me now, because of the job I have, I would have loved it! I’ve talked to a handful of sisters about jobs or career since graduation but would love to do more.

Kim Lewis is an advisor who is not only a volunteer for the Theta Chi Chapter, but a mentor and confidant. Kim not only teaches you how to be a leader, but teaches you how to be a confident one. She is more than dedicated, knowledgeable, there for all your questions, always lends a hand and is there for you when you need it most. Kim has become a role model to me and someone I look up to for her dedication, willingness to give and love for Phi Sigma Sigma. I am grateful to have met Kim through Phi Sigma Sigma as she has impacted my Phi Sigma Sigma journey by constantly reminding me and pushing me to become the best version of myself inside and outside of Phi Sig. —Sicilia Oseguera

How has your experience, both as a collegian on e-board and now an advisor impacted your professional life? Were there skills you've picked up that you brought to your professional life?

CB: Definitely. From a skill set standpoint, I learned more from e-board than I did from school, hands down. This is probably a little bit industry specific, but for the most part, especially at entry level, they're going to teach you how to do your job — the systems you use, the process. The softer skills are much more important, and harder to teach. How do you work in a team, how do you coach people, how do you give feedback, how do you lead and motivate people that you are in charge of, how do you lead and motivate people you are not in charge of, how do you navigate political issues between people. I'm not soft, I'm not touchy-feely, I'm not going to lead with feelings first. I knew that about myself before e-board. What I learned through e-board is how to balance my authentic leadership style while also showing up in a way that meets people where they are. That balanced approach has served me throughout my career and impacted how I approach working with and leading teams.

KL: I'm a lobbyist and I own my own business, and if I could convince people to join sorority as recruitment chair, I can convince them to vote for my bill or legislation. A lot of the skills I learned being on e-board have really paid dividends in my career more than anything else I learned from college — such as running campaigns to messaging management, moving people on issues and what's it going to take to convince them and reading people. Lobbying is a relationship business and so is sorority, with e-board and recruiting. It is all about relationships and managing those things, and it is something I have a natural skill at. Sorority helped elevate that for me.

CB: Women disproportionately represent college graduates now, so you've got a lot of people who already have their degrees and are meeting GPA standards; e-board is a great way to optimize your skill set, diversify and stand out amongst the candidate pool.

Kim Lewis made my time at CSUS Phi Sigma Sigma unforgettable. Not only did she equip me with the skills necessary to be a leader in the chapter, but she prepared me with lifelong skills. Kim embodies the true meaning of a mentor and her hours of service are inspiring. —Cassandra Phares

As we wrap up, could you talk about how advising keeps you connected to the chapter or anything else you’d like to cover?

KL: I love the officer transition ceremony. There's a line in there where it talks about how in your year of service you've gained so much, and I think that's what people need to remember — the more you give, the more you get, right? When you are volunteering, you're going to get a lot out of it, even though you may think you're putting in a lot of time and effort and energy. There are a lot of ways that people can stay engaged, and I think that supporting collegians is such a fun way to stay connected with what's going on. It keeps me hip, I always say.

Collegians always keep me in the know. They're always so full of energy and ideas, and it's so refreshing to see the next generation coming up — who's going to be in your workforce, who's going to be that next generation of leaders — and seeing what they're doing and what they're passionate about. It's just a fun time if you let it be. I think some people take it so seriously sometimes that they miss the fact that it can be a really fun experience getting to know these women, who they are and what they want and being their cheerleaders to help them achieve their dreams. Because that's your job, advising.

As an advisor, my job is to give you advice. It's not my job to do it for you. Sometimes you are going to have to make your own mistakes, and that's okay, too. I shouldn't always be controlling things as the advisor. As an advisor, your job is to support collegians in their growth and development.