Before I was a mother, I was a daughter. The daughter of an
extremely motivated and successful eye surgeon. She was my first exposure to
feminism and the drive for equality between men and women. She was one of the
first women to graduate from the University of Notre Dame, finished at the top
of her class in medical school, and even went back to school on the weekends
when I was in high school to get her MBA. She was constantly proving to me, and
to others, that women are just as capable as men of being intelligent and
successful in their careers.
I felt proud of her when I was growing up, but I
also craved more from her as a mother. I can remember her telling the story of
her maternity leave to friends when I was younger…she went back to work after
two weeks (which is unfathomable to me now that I have two little girls of my
own). She missed school drop-off and pick-up and was not as involved in the
day-to-day as many of my friends’ mothers. The opportunity cost of being a
successful and fulfilled woman was less time focused on, arguably, her most
important role.
As I’ve grown into an adult, I’ve had the opportunity to
develop a wonderful career working with extremely smart people at some of the
most forward-thinking companies in the world. I’ve also been blessed with two
little girls who look to me for the same guidance and reliability I longed for
when I was younger. There is an illusion of choice that exists in the corporate
world and I joined The Second Shift to help make that choice a reality. Women
should not have to sacrifice their careers entirely in order to be more present
as mothers. Similarly, they should not have to sacrifice motherhood to “get
ahead” in the workforce. I am dedicated to helping women find fulfillment and
success in both facets of their lives by working to shift traditional company
mindsets. When there’s a will, there’s a way.