Blog

Name:   Tori Mahassek

Title:    Project Coordinator

Organization:    Centene

Sector:   Healthcare

Bio:   I joined Centene in November of 2018 after completing my Master’s in Industrial & Organizational Psychology. Since joining, I have worked on the Talent Management team to promote organizational and employee development through mentoring, career development planning, employee engagement, and developmental assessments. I am on the young professionals board (Champions for Children) of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals of Greater St. Louis. In my free time, I enjoy taking weekend trips to visit friends or new places, spoiling my dog, Remy, and speaking fluently in movie quotes.  

LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/torimahassek/ 

1)     Can you briefly help us understand your current role?

As a Project Coordinator, I support and manage various projects among the Organizational Development and Effectiveness Team. I consult with different teams to provide guidance and serve as a subject matter expert in support of mentoring programs, manage our 360 assessment process and company-wide Engagement Survey, and assist in the development and implementation of other organizational or employee initiatives.

2)      What is your favorite project that you worked on or would like to work on?

My favorite project that I have worked on thus far is developing the mentoring strategy at Centene. If done correctly, the benefits of mentoring are invaluable to an organization, and I am proud to be a part of the initiative. I have partnered with teams to create specific mentoring programs, relative to their department and goals, designed supporting materials to help guide the mentoring relationship, and facilitated training to the participating mentees and mentors. Although it is still currently being built out, I am quite impressed with how far we have come and excited for what we will have to offer our employees in the near future!

3)      What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

Having a background in Industrial & Organizational Psychology, I always say I am the advocate for the employee. Often companies are focused on day-to-day operations and profit, and can sometimes neglect their most important assets, their employees. I am proud to work for a company that not only sees the value in developing its employees, but has a team dedicated to creating initiatives and managing projects that support employee development. Our role on the Organization Development and Effectiveness Team is to create opportunities for employees to enhance their skills, increase their knowledge, build networks, and gain insight into who they are as a professional. It is crucial for companies to prioritize employee development because it can lead to improved performance, higher satisfaction levels, lower turnover rates, and attract top talent.

4)      Where do you see yourself professionally in the next 3-5 years?

To be completely honest, I am not sure where I see myself in 3-5 years. I know I would like to continue doing work in organizational development, and I would be very interested in developing and managing projects where I can incorporate research on Positive Psychology into my work. However, I think when you are hyper-focused on your next career move or goal, you can sometimes miss out on other amazing opportunities because you weren’t open to new possibilities. I believe the experiences you have, the successes you accomplish, the challenges you overcome, and the different exposures you encounter in your current role, naturally position you for your next career move when the time is right.

5)    What three words best describe you?

Three words I would use to best describe me would be creative, straightforward, and empathetic.