Executive Assistant of the Week: Philadelphia

 
Lora Lee Lichtenstein
Executive Assistant to VP & CFO
Wawa

Lora Lee Lichtenstein is the Senior Executive Assistant to Kevin Wiggins, Vice President and CFO at Wawa, Inc., a chain of 840 convenience stores located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, and Washington, D.C. which is known for its fresh food, award winning coffee and surcharge-free ATMs. Wawa is a family and associate owned, privately held company with over 35,000 associates committed to fulfilling lives, every day. Lora Lee is responsible for a broad range of high-level support for the Chief Financial Officer and the Finance department.
 
With a desire to complete her degree and knowledge of Wawa’s investment in education for its associates, Lora Lee joined Wawa in 2005 in the company’s mailroom, only to quickly advance to several positions in Human Resources and Benefits. She assumed her role of Administrative Assistant in 2007 and completed her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Neumann University in 2012.
 
Lora Lee and her husband Karl live in Aston, Pennsylvania along with their two daughters, Isla and Maeve and their very bad, but loveable dog, Huckleberry. In her free time, Lora Lee enjoys baking, reading, camping, and the beach.
 
Lora will be one of the distinguished contributors at the ELS Forum: Philadelphia on May 23, 2019
 
Are there any blogs, books, articles, or online forums you recommend reading?
 
I highly recommend http://bridgeassistants.com/ which is the home page for a wonderful group of assistants here in the tristate area. You can also find our group on Facebook (Bridge – Bridging Assistant with Assistants) and LinkedIn. I find networking with other assistants to be educational, therapeutic, and invaluable. Continuous education and development is what keeps you relevant and is ultimately what makes us indispensable.
 
Is the executive assistant role a long-term profession for you?
 
Yes. I truly feel as though I have found my niche. I love the countless hats that I wear (e.g. gatekeeper, barometer, nurturer, strategic partner, event planner, travel agent, sounding board, etc.) and the unpredictability that comes with the role. I have the flexibility that I need to be a mom first, yet still very much feel like an integral part of an amazing company. I truly enjoy the work that I do, I admire and respect the people that I work with, and I absolutely love the company that I work for – what more can one ask for?
 
What is your favorite depiction of the EA role, accurate or not? (Mad Men, Veep, The Devil Wears Prada, Suits, etc.)
 
In the Netflix series, The Crown, Winston Churchill has an assistant named Venetia Scott whose role, while small, was extremely poignant. At one point, she questions him, this great man, the Prime Minister, and almost poo-poos her role, questioning her significance. His response is nothing short of spectacular. He responds with, “You improve the quality of life for all that you interact with” and completely shuts down Venetia’s self-doubt. To me, there is no better description of our role! I now, and will forevermore, use this same verbiage in my personal goals and self-appraisal.