Age: 39
Director of Communications, Fincantieri Marine Group
Bethany Skorik joined Fincantieri Marine Group in 2010 as an entry-level hire. There was no communications department, so she built one.
“I started at a desk the was randomly placed against a wall in the C-suite foyer, [then moved] to managing a team producing more than 50 events and releasing 500 communications across the Fincantieri Marine Group network annually,” the Marinette native says.
Along the way she’s briefed the Joint Chiefs of Staff, directed events for both the President and Vice President of the United States and traveled across the globe.
Now she’s focused on translating Fincantieri’s evolution from traditional shipbuilding into unmanned and AI-driven technologies into a compelling public narrative.
Outside the office, she runs Ascent, a leadership and communications business, and is a certified etiquette and finishing school instructor who will happily show you which fork to use at a dinner party.
Biggest break: Landing my role at Fincantieri. It came through a mentor who saw potential in me and connected me to an opportunity that hadn’t even been formally posted yet. What started as a single role turned into a career where I’ve been able to grow, build and shape functions that didn’t previously exist.
I wish I’d known: No one will advocate for your career, your compensation or your reputation as strongly as you can. Learning how to confidently represent your own value is just as important as doing the work itself.
Best advice received: Take ownership of your career early. Opportunities don’t always present themselves clearly — you have to be willing to advocate for yourself, ask for more and step into rooms before you feel completely ready.
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