Meet Rayse Praková Monteiro, a dynamic communications professional originally from Brazil who has called the Czech Republic home for the past 13 years. Balancing life as a wife and mother of two, Rayse thrives in her role managing communications at the Ostrava Expat Centre and coordinating language courses for the local expat community.
Keen to refine her leadership skills and navigate the unique challenges of being a foreign professional, Rayse embarked on a mentorship journey through Femme Palette. In this spotlight interview, she opens up about overcoming impostor syndrome, discovering newfound confidence, and learning to leverage her strengths—proving that with the right guidance and determination, the path to professional growth can be both inspiring and empowering. Read on to learn how Rayse’s mentoring experience helped shape her approach to work and prepared her for the next steps in her career.
My name is Rayse Praková Monteiro, and I’m originally fromBrazil. I’ve been living in the Czech Republic for about 13 years, where I balance life as a wife and mom of two wonderful kids. Professionally, I manage communication at the Ostrava Expat Centre and coordinate language courses for our expat community.
I joined the Expat Centre five years ago as an event manager and later transitioned into my current role as communication manager.While the position wasn’t entirely new to me, I wanted to develop my skills and perform at my best. Our team is quite small, and no one is full-time, which means we don’t have a traditional team structure or a direct leader to guide me. In 2024, I attended an incredible Femme Palette conference in Prague which was about Women Leadership, and that’s when I realized how valuable having a mentor could be.
At first, I had many ideas but not all my goals were clearly defined. I knew I wanted to work with someone who had experience leading diverse teams and who also understood the challenges of being a foreign professional. Katia was amazing from the start—she helped me reflect on my needs and shape my goals in our very first session.
I wouldn’t say I’ve achieved all my goals 100% yet, but I’m definitely in the process. One major breakthrough was working on my impostor syndrome and improving my overall approach at work. There were practical improvements, like streamlining work processes, but also deeper, more impactful changes. The advice I received helped shift the way I see myself as a professional and how I perceive my role. It’s an ongoing journey, but I feel more confident and empowered.
My confidence has grown a lot! As a foreigner who isn’t fluent in Czech, I know that not all doors open easily. But Katia helped me recognize my strengths and identify areas where I could grow to become the professional I aspire to be. Thanks to her guidance, I’ve developed a structured approach to my work, and I frequently revisit my notes from our sessions to stay on track and keep improving.
There were many! Katia was actually the second mentor FemmePalette connected me with, but from our first conversation, I knew she was the right fit. One particularly meaningful moment was when I faced a difficult period in my career. Instead of just offering encouragement, Katia helped me create an action plan that gave me clarity and direction. That level of support made all the difference.
I was surprised by the quality of the Femme Palette platform and all the extra resources available. I didn’t expect to get so much valuable material beyond the mentoring sessions, but it turned out to be an amazing added benefit!
Right now, my main goal is to continue growing in my role by developing stronger leadership and strategic skills. I want to take on more responsibility, contribute to bigger projects, and make a greater impact within the expat community. The mentoring program gave me the confidence and clarity to move forward. Katia’s guidance helped me recognize my abilities, improve my decision-making. I now feel more prepared to embrace new opportunities and challenges.
We have mentors all over the world to help you explore your options, set development goals, build your network and identify resources you need to level up your skills. You can apply to get 1:1 mentoring from an industry expert with us.
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