diff --git a/.github/workflows/adhoc_availability_prep.yml b/.github/workflows/adhoc_availability_prep.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ae6660c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/adhoc_availability_prep.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+name: Update Mentor Availabilities for Monthly Ad-Hoc Prep
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      month:
+        description: "Month number (e.g. 10 for October)"
+        required: true
+      file_id:
+        description: "Google Drive file ID of the Excel sheet with the availabilities"
+        required: true
+
+jobs:
+  update-mentors:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v5
+
+      - name: Set up Python
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        with:
+          python-version: '3.12'
+   
+      - name: Cache pip
+        uses: actions/cache@v4
+        with:
+            path: ~/.cache/pip
+            key: ${{ runner.os }}-pip-${{ hashFiles('tools/requirements.txt') }}
+            restore-keys: |
+                ${{ runner.os }}-pip-
+
+      - name: Install dependencies
+        run: |
+            python -m pip install --upgrade pip
+            pip install -r tools/requirements.txt
+
+      - name: Install and Configure rclone with Google Cloud service account
+        run: |
+          curl https://rclone.org/install.sh | sudo bash
+          echo '${{ secrets.GOOGLECLOUD_SERVICE_KEY_RETRIEVE_ADHOC_FILE_JSON }}' > service_account.json
+          rclone config create gdrive drive scope=drive service_account_file=service_account.json
+
+      - name: Download spreadsheet from Google Drive
+        run: |
+          rclone backend copyid gdrive: ${{ github.event.inputs.file_id }} tools/adhoc.xlsx
+
+      - name: Run script
+        run: |
+          cd tools
+          python automation_prepare_adhoc_availability.py adhoc.xlsx ${{ github.event.inputs.month }}
+
+      - name: Cleanup files
+        if: always()
+        run: rm -f service_account.json tools/adhoc.xlsx
+
+      - name: Create or Update Pull Request
+        uses: peter-evans/create-pull-request@v7
+        with:
+          token: ${{ secrets.GHA_ACTIONS_ALLOW_TOKEN }}
+          commit-message: "updated mentor hours, availabilities, and sort for monthly adhoc prep"
+          branch: "automation/adhoc-monthly-prep"
+          team-reviewers: |
+            Women-Coding-Community/leaders
+          title: "[WCC Bot] Monthly Ad-hoc Prep - Month ${{ github.event.inputs.month }}"
+          body: |
+            This PR was created automatically by a GitHub Action that handles mentor data updates for the monthly ad-hoc preparation.
+            Only `_data/mentors.yml` should be updated.
+
+            Please review the changes `_data/mentors.yml` and ensure that the changes are as expected before merging (Review the availability sheet used).
+          labels: |
+            automation
+            adhoc-prep
diff --git a/.github/workflows/import_meetup_events.yml b/.github/workflows/import_meetup_events.yml
index 17a96eef..7582037e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/import_meetup_events.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/import_meetup_events.yml
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Create or Update Pull Request
         uses: peter-evans/create-pull-request@v7
         with:
-          token: ${{ secrets.MEETUP_IMPORT_ACTIONS_TOKEN }}
+          token: ${{ secrets.GHA_ACTIONS_ALLOW_TOKEN }}
           commit-message: "Automated import of Meetup events"
           branch: "automation/import-meetup-events"
           team-reviewers: "Women-Coding-Community/leaders"
diff --git a/_data/mentors.yml b/_data/mentors.yml
index 2d290643..c0552d7f 100644
--- a/_data/mentors.yml
+++ b/_data/mentors.yml
@@ -2824,7 +2824,7 @@
     - Grow beyond senior level
     extra: Focus areas for aspiring data scientists; transitioning into data science, building a roadmap, preparing for technical interviews, optimizing resume/LinkedIn, creating and showcasing portfolio projects, and communicating insights effectively.
   network:
-    - linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilayda-yilmaz/
+  - linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilayda-yilmaz/
 
 - name: Damola Taiwo
   disabled: false
@@ -2891,7 +2891,7 @@
     - Grow from mid-level to senior-level
     - Grow from beginner to mid-level
     - Switch career to IT
-    extra:
+    extra: |
       Data engineering best practices; Data architecture design and implementation; Transitioning from on-premises to cloud solutions (with focus on Databricks);
       Growing from junior to mid-level; Growing from mid-level to senior-level; Career development and strategic planning in data roles;
       Technology architecture & strategy; Career growth  & soft skills; Navigating the job market and building a professional brand; Effective communication in technical teams
diff --git a/tools/README.md b/tools/README.md
index 0b6603c5..c3d83541 100644
--- a/tools/README.md
+++ b/tools/README.md
@@ -5,7 +5,11 @@ There are two automation scripts:
 
 2) `download_image.py`: downloads image from a specified URL and saves in `assets/images/mentors`
 
-3) `automation_create_mentor_spreadsheets.py`: creates spreadhseets for each longterm mentor with filenames like `WCC - Long Term - MentorName.xlsx`. All the files are saved in a folder named `Long Term Mentors`. It uses the data from `Mentorship Programme long-term Registration Form for Mentees (Responses).xlsx` sheetname `Revised Mentees`as input.
+3) `meetup_import.py`: imports new upcoming events from the WCC MeetUp page using the iCal feed: https://www.meetup.com/women-coding-community/events/ical/
+
+4) `automation_create_mentor_spreadsheets.py`: creates spreadhseets for each longterm mentor with filenames like `WCC - Long Term - MentorName.xlsx`. All the files are saved in a folder named `Long Term Mentors`. It uses the data from `Mentorship Programme long-term Registration Form for Mentees (Responses).xlsx` sheetname `Revised Mentees`as input.
+
+5) `automation_prepare_adhoc_availability.py`: updates mentors data with specified availability hours in `samples/adhoc-prep.xlsx` in preparation for monthly ad-hoc mentorship.
 
 ### Dependencies
 
@@ -75,4 +79,18 @@ sh run_meetup_import.sh
 📁 Long Term Mentors  
   │── WCC - Long Term - Nonna Shakhova.xlsx  
   │── WCC - Long Term - Rajani Rao.xlsx  
-  │── WCC - Long Term - Gabriel Oliveira.xlsx   └── (more mentor files...)  
\ No newline at end of file
+  │── WCC - Long Term - Gabriel Oliveira.xlsx   └── (more mentor files...)  
+
+#### E) `automation_prepare_adhoc_availability.py`
+
+```shell
+sh run_adhoc_prep_automation.sh
+```
+**Note:** 
+- If running locally, ensure to update `adhoc-prep.xslx` with the new data to be updated for the mentors. 
+- If using GitHub Actions, the GHA workflow for this script uses a Google Cloud service account setup to retrieve the file from Google Drive. The service key has been configured for womencodingcommunity Google Drive account and the file to be used/updated has been shared with the service account email.
+Hence, to run the GHA workflow, you only need to provide:
+  - the month value (e.g 9 for September) and,
+  - the file ID for the excel sheet to use
+
+For more information on the GC service account configurations, you can read the [README](blog_automation/README.md) in the blog automation folder.
diff --git a/tools/automation_prepare_adhoc_availability.py b/tools/automation_prepare_adhoc_availability.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b565db3b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/automation_prepare_adhoc_availability.py
@@ -0,0 +1,144 @@
+"""
+    Create a script that will update availability and hours for mentors in preparation for adhoc registration for a specified month
+"""
+# !/usr/bin/env python
+
+import logging
+import sys
+import pandas as pd
+from ruamel.yaml import YAML
+
+yaml = YAML()
+yaml.width = 4096
+
+TYPE_LONG_TERM = "long-term"
+TYPE_AD_HOC = "ad-hoc"
+TYPE_BOTH = "both"
+
+MONTHS_MAP = {
+    4: 'April',
+    5: 'May',
+    6: 'June',
+    7: 'July',
+    8: 'August',
+    9: 'September',
+    10: 'October',
+    11: 'November'
+}
+
+
+def get_available_mentor_sort(mentor, current_availability):
+    """
+        Returns sort value for available mentors ONLY if:
+        - mentor is new (current availability still contains full list of months), sort to highest: 500
+        - mentor has >3 available hours, sort to highest: 500
+        - 3 or less hours, sort: 200
+
+        Note: sort logic for unavailable mentors is split on purpose (see update_mentor_availability function)
+
+        Guide: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GwlleBNScHCQ3K8rgvYIB3upIr1BylgWjGR2jxwYWtI/edit?tab=t.0
+    """
+
+    if len(current_availability) > 1 or mentor.get('hours') > 3:
+        return 500
+    
+    return 200
+
+
+def get_unavailable_mentor_sort(mentor):
+    """
+        Returns sort value for unavailable mentor if:
+        - mentor is ad-hoc only or both but no available hours for the month, sort: 100
+        - mentor is long-term only, sort: 10
+        - mentor is deactivated, sort: 1
+    """
+    if mentor.get("disabled", True):
+        return 1
+    
+    if mentor.get("type") == TYPE_LONG_TERM:
+        return 10
+    
+    return 100
+
+
+def get_availability_update_dict(available_mentors):
+    """
+       Returns a dictionary mapping mentor to their available hours (from spreadsheet file)
+       - If hours column in spreadsheet is empty/non-numeric, the value will be None (indicating existing hours should be kept)
+    """
+    availability_update_dict = {}
+
+    for _, row in available_mentors.iterrows():
+        mentor_name = row['Mentor Name'].strip()
+        updated_hours = row['Availability (Hours)']
+
+        if pd.isna(updated_hours) or str(updated_hours).strip() == "":
+            availability_update_dict[mentor_name] = None
+        else:
+            availability_update_dict[mentor_name] = updated_hours
+
+    return availability_update_dict
+
+
+def update_mentor_availability(month, xlsx_file_path, yml_file_path):
+    """
+        Updates mentor availability and hours in the mentors.yml file based on the provided xlsx file for a given month.
+        - Mentors not listed in the xlsx file are set to unavailable for the month.
+        - Mentors listed in the xlsx file have their availability set to the specified month and hours updated if provided.
+        - All mentors are re-sorted according to the guide: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GwlleBNScHCQ3K8rgvYIB3upIr1BylgWjGR2jxwYWtI/edit?tab=t.0
+    """
+
+    df_available_mentors = pd.read_excel(xlsx_file_path)
+    availability_updates = get_availability_update_dict(df_available_mentors)
+    
+    with open(yml_file_path, 'r') as input_yml:
+        mentors = yaml.load(input_yml) or []
+
+    for mentor in mentors:
+        yml_name = mentor['name'].strip()
+
+        # if mentor is not included in availability file: update sort, set availability to none, and move to next mentor
+        if yml_name not in availability_updates:
+            mentor['sort'] = get_unavailable_mentor_sort(mentor)
+            mentor['availability'] = []
+            continue 
+
+        # otherwise: mentor is available, update sort and reset availability to the current month only
+        current_availability = mentor.get('availability', [])
+        mentor['sort'] = get_available_mentor_sort(mentor, current_availability)
+        mentor['availability'] = [month]
+
+        # Only update hours if updated hours is not None
+        updated_hours = availability_updates.get(yml_name)
+        if updated_hours is not None:
+            logging.info(f"Updating hours for {yml_name} to: {updated_hours}")
+            mentor['hours'] = updated_hours
+
+    with open(yml_file_path, 'w') as f:
+        yaml.default_flow_style = True
+        yaml.dump(mentors, f)
+
+    print(f"Mentor availabilities updated for month {MONTHS_MAP[month]}.")
+
+
+def run_automation():
+    logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO, format='%(asctime)s - %(levelname)s - %(message)s')
+
+    mentors_yml_file_path = "../_data/mentors.yml"
+
+    if len(sys.argv) == 3:
+        xlsx_file_path = sys.argv[1]
+        month = int(sys.argv[2])
+
+        logging.info("Using values: xlsx: %s, month: %s", xlsx_file_path, month)
+    else:
+        xlsx_file_path = "samples/adhoc-prep.xlsx"
+        month = 11
+
+        logging.info("Default values: xlsx: %s, month: %s", xlsx_file_path, month)
+
+    update_mentor_availability(month, xlsx_file_path, mentors_yml_file_path)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    run_automation()
diff --git a/tools/run_adhoc_prep_automation.sh b/tools/run_adhoc_prep_automation.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b1f7003b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/run_adhoc_prep_automation.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#Create the virtual environment On macOS/Linux
+python3 -m venv myenv
+
+#Activate the virtual environment:
+source myenv/bin/activate
+
+# Install packages
+pip install -r requirements.txt
+
+# Enter the parameters: FILE_PATH_XLSX MONTH
+# Example: samples/adhoc-prep.xlsx 9
+# month: the adhoc month in number e.g 4 -> April, 11 -> November
+python3 automation_prepare_adhoc_availability.py samples/adhoc-prep.xlsx 10
diff --git a/tools/samples/adhoc-prep.xlsx b/tools/samples/adhoc-prep.xlsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..15567fe9
Binary files /dev/null and b/tools/samples/adhoc-prep.xlsx differ