Glidewell Executive Vice President Stephenie Goddard has been selected as the 2020 Mentor award recipient for The Lucy Hobbs Project^®. Now in its eighth year, The Lucy Hobbs Project by Benco Dental honors women whose dental leadership evokes that of the trailblazing Dr. Lucy Hobbs, who in 1866 became the first American woman to earn a dental degree.

Goddard’s contributions as a mentor are a defining quality of her nearly 30-year career. At Glidewell, she has catalyzed numerous talent development programs to help employees discover their untapped potential. And her dental leadership has extended well beyond the lab. In 2019, Goddard spearheaded the Guiding Leaders program, an elite training initiative that she designed to help female dentists advance their careers.

“Mentorship is at the heart of Guiding Leaders. All of the 14 incredible dentists in our inaugural 2019–20 class agreed to be mentors at the end of the yearlong program because they know the value of leading by example,” Goddard said. “Each person comes from a different background, but we share a common belief in the power of giving back.”

While the program is currently paused due to the pandemic, its benefits endure for the earliest members. Goddard recalls how the Guiding Leaders network activated when COVID-19 forced dental practices across the U.S. to suspend services earlier this year.

“During the worst of the shutdown, everyone came together to share advice and support through weekly virtual happy hours. Those were weekly reminders that no one needed to go through the challenges of the pandemic alone,” Goddard said. “They showed the sisterhood that I had hoped the Guiding Leaders program would enable for female dentists.”

That emphasis on camaraderie also is apparent on the Glidewell executive team, which Goddard first joined as vice president of human resources. She credits President and CEO Jim Glidewell, CDT, for being a dental mentor who has profoundly influenced her career, especially as he demonstrates the type of leadership that she seeks to emulate.

Chief Operating Officer Greg Minzenmayer said that Goddard’s 2020 award from Benco’s Lucy Hobbs Project underscored her reputation as a mentor and leader in the dental industry.

“Part of Stephenie’s innate talent as a leader is her ability to bring the best out of others,” Minzenmayer said. “She knows how to articulate the questions that need to be raised and identify the strengths in the room. She builds the collective will to get things done.”