WERC’s Momentum Mentorship Program takes participants through a project-based mentorship journey designed to cultivate the next generation of global mobility leaders. The program goes beyond traditional one-to-one mentorship by fostering structured, team-based collaboration. Pods made up of mentors, mentees, and advisors work together to interpret and tackle an annual theme—developing ideas, insights, or solutions that contribute meaningfully to the industry.
Through a curated mix of education, mentorship, and competitive collaboration, participants gain hands-on experience, build critical industry relationships, and strengthen leadership skills. By engaging both emerging and established professionals, Momentum reinforces WERC’s commitment to the continued growth and evolution of the global mobility profession.
Anthony Hughes, MBA, MS, CRP, GMS-T, senior strategic account executive at Rocket Mortgage, was named a 2025 Mentee of the Year for his leadership within his pod, his behind-the-scenes contributions to the program, and his consistent commitment to building community. In this Q&A, Hughes reflects on his career path, what mentorship has taught him about leadership, and why the program matters to the future of the profession.
Can you share your background in global talent mobility?
I fell into global mobility much like many of my peers, by chance, when I started at Rocket Mortgage 10 years ago. They hired me on as a relationship manager for a real estate agent initiative that our business development team was tackling at the time. It wasn’t long before I found myself wondering, “Hey, what are those folks doing over there?” So, I started leaning in and learning more. Once an opening became available, the rest was history, and I’ve loved it ever since.
I started out as an account manager aiding our partnerships on the West Coast, and now I am doing sales and management for our West Coast clients. My job is ultimately client development and retention in the West to this day; I absolutely love what I do.
What drew you to get involved with the Momentum Mentorship Program?
I have been involved in the WERC Emerging Leaders Program for the past couple of years, and once the Momentum Mentorship Program launched, I realized that it would be a great way for me to further connect with other global mobility peers and leaders that I have not yet been able to engage with previously. During the inaugural year, I was also tapped to be on the Sponsorship Committee for the program to help raise funds and additional awareness for the Mentorship Program, so I was fully locked in.
You were recognized for keeping the momentum going within your pod and adapting quickly to feedback. How do you approach collaboration and growth when working in a team environment?
I always find it fascinating working as a team and being able to work among dynamic individuals, learning from everyone’s strengths and identifying how we can be the most successful together. With the way the program was designed during Season 1, there really wasn’t a ton of time for things to slow down, and I tend to have a natural way of stepping up and ensuring that everyone is aligned on their roles. It’s a group effort, and everyone should feel that they are contributing and valued as part of that group; it’s important. And feedback has and always will be a gift; being open to it and figuring out how to implement it cohesively is key.
What did you learn about yourself as a leader through this experience?
When I reflect on my group, we were all leaders with, honestly, rock-solid leadership qualities and bold personalities. I did not feel that I necessarily stood out as the identified leader among leaders in my group, but I was the guy ensuring we all stayed organized, roles and tasks were assigned after each meeting, and everyone felt valued.
So, I guess what I learned from the experience is that it affirmed the old notion of “even when you don’t realize that you are leading, you still are.” And having the opportunity of leading in a new environment among dynamic and strong personalities from other companies and walks of life was an amazing experience overall. I truly enjoyed getting to know my fellow mentees from my pod.
In addition to your mentorship team, you also contributed behind the scenes—through the Sponsorship Committee and as a co-leader of the Emerging Leaders group. What motivates you to show up at that level and invest in building the program itself?
We have such an inspiring global mobility community with so many peers that we can all learn from if we take the time [to] get to know one another on a deeper level. Our community has never had a program of this caliber and scale previously, so being able to provide everyone with a place for that collaboration and learning is only going to make us all stronger.
We’ve been pushing the Emerging Leaders further than just being a social group, and now having this program available, everyone is coming together and working together in ways that we never have before, including competitors working together for a common goal to make this program great.
How do you think mentorship programs like Momentum help strengthen both individual careers and the global mobility community as a whole?
There is so much that can be learned from collaborating in a group environment, and one like the Momentum Mentorship Program, both for the mentees, but also for the mentors. Everyone is working together to develop something new, something that likely hasn’t been done before, and you are all taking your past experiences and learnings to add to your project. We are all working in different silos of global mobility, but with the group-based pods, then those walls come down and differential learning happens, which strengthens all our minds.
What does being named Mentee of the Year mean to you, and how do you hope to carry this experience forward—both in your career and in supporting others?
It was truly unexpected but greatly appreciated and an absolute honor. I think that as I continue to reflect on what is being named Mentee of the Year, I want to continue being open to feedback, curious, and willing to support anyone who needs support. I feel that anyone who knows me knows that I am an open book and always willing to be a resource if I can. So, that is something that I will always continue to strive for because sometimes people never know who they can turn to or who they can ask questions to. Being that person for someone is easy.
What are you looking forward to professionally this year?
It’s hard to believe that we are already a month into 2026. This year is going to fly by, but something that I am looking forward to this year is continued growth. I am not really one who “slows down.” I am always looking for new things to learn, new people to meet, new ways of doing things, and new places to explore.
I have always felt that if we aren’t growing then we may end up being left behind. I am not sure what the future has in store for me, but hopefully something fun and exciting where I can continue to inspire and lead my peers. For now, though, I will keep being a positive light and a smiling face to everyone around me and a resource for anyone who needs it. Here’s to an amazing year ahead.