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Sonata Taman
For Sonata Taman, Assistant Property Manager at the Reserve at Eisenhower in Alexandria, Virginia, diversity isn’t just a concept or ideal - it’s the story of her life.
Originally from Egypt, Sonata lived in the Seattle area while attending elementary school – “I was the only foreign girl in my school,” she says – but returned to Egypt and earned a degree in industrial-management engineering. While studying at the university, she joined an international student organization, AIESEC, where she was responsible for marketing and communication for international events, involving students from all over the world. After graduation, she continued her work at two global, multi-national companies.
“When I worked for Proctor & Gamble, our work on the diversity team was kind of different than what we’re doing at Equity. Our main achievement, since in Egypt it’s unusual for women to work in the engineering field at a plant, was to help women rise up to management positions. It taught me a lot,” Sonata says. “In order to get our message across, we made a video and showed what the management committee would look like in 20 years - all women. We used humor to get our point across, and I was happy to do that work.”
Her ease in dealing with people across many cultures is an advantage in her current position with Equity as well. “I’m dealing with prospects and residents in the DC area, which is definitely a multi-national environment. It’s easy for me to connect,” Sonata says. And one cultural point is particularly helpful when leasing Equity’s apartments. “Some cultures insist on bargaining when the price is fixed, and coming from my background, I understand that. In some countries, you have to assume the owner has put a buffer on the price, expecting you to come down – it’s part of the process. It helps to understand where everybody’s coming from.”
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