COSWA offers informal mentoring for junior scholars and other interested anthropologists on topics related to women’s roles in anthropology. This is a volunteer service, which we consider potentially valuable and would like to improve. An initial step in improving our ability to provide good mentoring services is to give “mentees” some guidance about the ways we may be able to help.

1. When you seek guidance, you need to ask a specific question, such as “What should I do when I am sexually harassed by my boss?” or “What are some strategies for dealing with the conflicts between professional and family issues?” It is not practical for us to answer general questions like “Tell me what it’s like to be an anthropologist.” We need to respond to something more specific.
2. Recognize that we have no formal qualifications or special recognized authority to give advice. We are simply willing to share our own personal experience with those who request it. Any advice we give comes from our own opinions, based on our experience. Mentees should remember that final decisions about actions rest with them (not us).
3. It may be beneficial to have several email exchanges between mentor and mentee to focus in on exactly what the problem is and strengthen mutual understanding. These kinds of interchanges are somewhat easier in person; so both mentor and mentee will need to be patient as the two develop rapport and understand what the problem is and how one might address it.

We also welcome suggestions for improvements in this service, and hope that you will provide us with useful, constructive feedback. The benefits of having good mentors is well established; but there is also recognition that we are all still learning about how to do it best. Comments and suggestions are most welcome; as are offers to mentor.

If you would like to take advantage of this service or volunteer as a mentor, please contact Keri Brondo at kbrondo@memphis.edu.

Stephanie Brown
sbrown6@csulb.edu
Assistant Professor
Human Development Program
California State University, Long Beach
Expertise: cultural anthropology, anthropology of childhood,
gender family and kinship

Thamora Fishel
tfishel@csulb.edu
Assistant Professor
Department of Anthropology
California State University, Long Beach
Expertise: cultural anthropology, gender, sexuality, Southeast Asia,
Thailand, politics

Jayne Howell
jhowell@csulb.edu
Associate Professor
Anthropology (with MA in Applied Anthropology)
University: California State University Long Beach
Expertise: Sociocultural, urban, education

Barbara LeMaster
lemaster@csulb.edu
Associate professor
Anthropology, and Linguistic Departments
California State University, Long Beach
Expertise: Linguistic and educational anthropology

Laura Miller
lmille2@luc.edu
Associate Professor
Anthropology
Loyola University Chicago
Expertise: linguistic anthropology, Japan studies

Karen Nakamura
nakamura@deaflibrary.org
Assistant Professor of Anthropology
Department of Anthropology
Macalester College
Expertise: Japan, disability, deafness, sign languages, minority
social politics

Leanne T. Nash
leanne.nash@asu.edu
Professor
Anthropology Department
Arizona State University
Expertise: Biological

Karen Quintiliani
kquintil@csulb.edu
Assistant Professor
Department of Anthropology
California State University, Long Beach
Expertise: Applied (cultural) anthropology

Sara Trechter
strechter@csuchico.edu
Associate Professor
Linguistics Program/English Department
California State University, Chico
Expertise: Linguistic anthropology, Native North America, gender and language

Trudy R. Turner
trudy@uwm.edu
Professor
Anthropology
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Expertise: Biological

Sloan Williams
sloanw@uic.edu
Associate Professor
Anthropology Department
University of Illinois at Chicago
Expertise: Biological