Episodes
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Join Lori and Jason for this special episode as they welcome the Mayor of the District of Columbia, Muriel Bowser. A public servant for many years prior to becoming a mother, Mayor Bowser offers valuable insights into balancing life as a high-profile working mom. She shares how she incorporates her daughter into her official duties, how motherhood has enhanced her negotiation skills, and more.
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Lori and Jason are back with an engaging episode, featuring conversations with parents who are not only attorneys but serve as general counsel for major organizations. This week, they welcome LaTanya Langley (Chief People Officer, Chief Legal Officer, and Corporate Secretary at Edgewell Personal Care), alongside Betsy Philpott (Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the Washington Nationals). Tune in to hear how they blend their parenting roles with their demanding careers, ways to enhance support systems for working parents, and insights from their personal journeys, offering advice they wish they had known as they navigated parenthood and professional growth.
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Episodes manquant?
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This week, Lori and Jason return with the second installment of their discussion with parents in finance. They are joined by guests Amie Patel (Partner at Elevar Equity) and Millie Schild (Managing Director, Corporate Banking at Truist Corporate and Investment Bank). In this episode, the guests delve into their experiences with varied maternity leave policies, express appreciation for backup childcare, and bond over shared feelings of mom-guilt related to their career journeys.
For more information on Aura, the digital security app mentioned in this episode, click here.
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Parents At Work is back for a new season as Lori and Jason kick off a two-part conversation with parents in finance. In this episode, guests Rahul Buxani (Managing Director of FinTech and Climate Finance at KBW, a Stifel Company) and Shahed Amanullah (Managing Director at Frost Capital) highlight the evolving landscape of work-life balance within the sector, the benefits of exposing their children to the working world, as well as the skills they've gained from parenthood that have been beneficial to their careers.
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Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin are excited to bring you the second in their two-part series of interviews with moms and dads in professional development!
Today, Lori and Jason are happy to welcome two wonderful moms in professional development, Aisha Greene and Stephanie Felder, to share their stories.
Aisha is the Director of Attorney Development and Training at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP. She oversees firm professional development programming, including the formal assignment systems, partner and associate mentoring programs, upward and downward attorney performance evaluations, diversity programs, pro bono and corporate social responsibility initiatives, and all formal training and continuing legal education programs. Aisha lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband and two wonderful daughters, ages 10 and 13.
Stephanie has more than fifteen years of experience in attorney professional development at two Am Law 100 firms. In her current role at Groom Law Group, she is responsible for creating a comprehensive training and development curriculum for all attorneys at Groom and developing and overseeing the execution of strategies related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Stephanie lives in Richmond, Virginia, with her husband Zach, her 8-year-old daughter, and her 5-year-old son.
Stay tuned to hear what Aisha and Stephanie say about their experiences as moms working in the field of professional development.
Show highlights:
Aisha and Stephanie share their personal working parent journeys. (4:02) (5:55)How Stephanie’s legal professional development training and skills prepared her for being a mom. (8:15)Aisha describes what it’s like to be a parent in professional development today. (9:26) Aisha discusses the contrast between being a parent in professional development and being a parent as a legal associate. (10:23)The workplace supports that were the most helpful and impactful for Stephanie when she became a working parent. (12:27)Aisha talks about the magic of having informal workplace support. (16:09)Stephanie gets into what she learned from her challenging first job as an infant room teacher at a daycare center. (21:10)Skills Aisha gained from being a parent that have been helpful in her job. (26:20)Changes in the field of professional development that are impacting parents. (28:54) (31:14)Aisha discusses the importance of having working parent-caregiver groups across all industries. (35:56)How Aisha and Stephanie’s approach to time management changed when they became parents. (38:22) (40:10)Links and resources:
Aisha Greene on LinkedIn
Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP
Stephanie Felder on LinkedIn
Groom Law Group
If you’re a leader of a working parent or caregiver employee resource group or affinity group (or would like to start one at your place of employment), join the Working Parent Group Network (WPGN) learning collaborative, at to www.mindfulreturn.com/wpgn
Books mentioned:
Work Parent Thrive by Dr. Yael Schonbrun
How to Talk So Kids Will Listen, and Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish
The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
Impact Winter by Travis Beacham
Mentioned in this episode:
Provide an...
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Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin are so excited to introduce a new set of interviews with moms and dads in professional development.
Lori and Jason are thrilled to welcome Joshua Troy and Neil Dennis to today’s podcast! Neil and Josh are both amazing dads in professional development.
Josh Troy is the Director of Talent Management at Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP, where he engages with attorneys and staff to ensure their professional and personal success. Josh is a proud parent of two daughters, one almost six years old and the other four, who were excited to learn their dad was being interviewed!
Neil Dennis is the Director of Professional Development at Blaney McMurtry LLP, a mid-sized full-service law firm in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is responsible for the recruitment, professional development, and training of legal professionals at the firm. Before joining the firm, Neil led career development at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law and held similar positions in Washington DC, including as the Assistant Dean of Career Services at the Howard University School of Law and a Director of Career Services at Georgetown Law Center. He lives in Markham, a suburb near Toronto. He is married to Kia, who has a much cooler job than him as an author of thriller mystery novels. They have two kids, Bryson, age 13, and Miles, age 10 (almost 11).
Stay tuned to hear what Neil and Josh have to share about their lives as dads working in the world of professional development!
Show highlights:
The challenges Josh faced when his oldest daughter was born. (5:15)How Neil got into the field of professional development, and what it means to him. (8:33)How Neil draws inspiration from his kids and being a dad in his career. (11:05)Josh describes his path into professional development and explains what it’s like to be a parent in that field. (13:02)The workplace support Josh found especially helpful when he became a working parent. (18:09) Josh discusses his experience of being in Covid lock-down with his young children. (19:49)Josh shares some tips about backup care from his experience. (21:37)Having conversations about figuring out the best way to space out your leave after having a child. (27:50)What Neil learned from his very first job. (30:49)The skills Josh and Neil gained from being parents that are helpful to them in their professional development roles. (34:56) (37:53)A workplace change that affected working parents. (41:44) Changes in the field of professional development that could affect working parents. (43:58)Neil and Josh each share their advice for working parents. (47:15) (48:53)Links and resources:
Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP
Joshua Troy on LinkedIn
Blaney McMurtry LLP
Neil Dennis on LinkedIn
Mindful Return blog post: What Is Backup Childcare and How Does It Work? An Interview with 3 Working Mamas
If you are the leader of a working parent or caregiver employee resource group (ERG) or affinity group at your organization, please join us in the Working Parent Group Network (WPGN) learning ,ollaborative. Go to www.mindfulreturn.com/wpgn to sign...
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Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin are back with the second part of their two-part series of episodes with moms and dads working in real estate!
Today, Lori and Jason are excited to introduce Eva Davis and Jennifer Eaby, who are both amazing moms working in real estate.
Jen Eaby is a realtor in the north suburbs of Atlanta. She has been in the real estate industry for nine years. She loves house shopping with clients, staging her listings for sale, and making friends with her clients. She and her husband, Joel, have been married for 19 years and are raising two daughters. Elizabeth is a senior in high school, and Gabriella is a freshman.
Eva Davis is an Executive Vice President at Compass and a real estate agent in the Washington, DC Metro area. Eva brings significant business experience to her real estate career from her time in the mortgage industry, positioning her for great success in the greater Washington DC market. Her high-touch service, top negotiating skills, ongoing hustle, and sense of humour have helped her build a deep referral business. Eva currently lives in downtown Bethesda, with her University of Michigan-loving husband and her two little kids, with whom she enjoys exploring the food scene in the DC area and taking advantage of local concerts, parks, theatre exhibits, and playgrounds.
Stay tuned to hear what Eva and Jen have to share about their lives as working moms in the world of real estate!
Show highlights:
Jen and Eva share their working parent stories. (3:50) (5:15)Eva describes her current experience as a parent in the real estate industry. (7:06)Eva talks about managing work-life boundaries in the real estate world. (9:05)Jen shares something that caught her by surprise as her children got older. (10:29)Jen describes the kind of support she had as an entrepreneur when she became a working parent. (13:45)Eva talks about what she learned from her first job. (25:10)Jen discusses the skills she gained as a parent that are helpful in her real estate role. (27:53)Changes Eva sees in real estate right now that will affect working parents. (32:49)Links and resources:
Compass Real Estate
Eva Davis on LinkedIn
Jennifer Eaby on LinkedIn
If you’d lead a working parent group at your organization and would like to join the Working Parent Group Network (WPGN), go to www.mindfulreturn.com/wpgn
Recommended books:
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
Relationships to Infinity by Jason Levin
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Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin are excited to begin a new segment talking to moms and dads working in real estate!
Today, Lori and Jason are delighted to introduce two wonderful dads in real estate, Paul Benshoof and Corey Lee!
Corey Lee is the Principal of Residential Growth Properties LLC, a real estate investment brokerage in Washington DC. He has been actively involved in the real estate industry for nearly 25 years, and his company focuses on helping property owners unlock the value of their properties through zoning, entitlement, and redevelopment. He works closely with his wife, Bhavna, who runs her own successful real estate general contracting development and owners representation firm, and they live in the Forest Hills neighborhood of DC with their two youngest children, Sara and Ian, who are in middle and elementary school. While Corey and Bhavna met in grad school at UNC Chapel Hill, they still find a way to remain proud of their oldest daughter, Ida, who recently graduated from Duke, as a member of the Class of 2023. Corey earned his Political Science and Systems Engineering degree at the United States Military Academy at West Point and completed his JD and MBA in Real Estate Concentration at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Paul Benshoof is a Real Estate Agent at Keller Williams Metropolitan in Northern New Jersey and has been with Keller Williams for eight years. Paul is a proud Scarlet Knight and studied economics at Rutgers University. He lives in Mount Olive, New Jersey, with his wife, Lindsay, and their three sons, aged 12, 10, and 3.
Tune in to hear what Paul and Corey have to share about their lives as working dads in the real estate world!
Show highlights:
Corey discusses his introduction to working parenthood. (5:18) Paul shares what he enjoys most about being a parent working in the real estate industry. (9:58)Corey shares his experience of being a parent in real estate. (11:12)How Paul managed to remain consistent with his work when his children came into his life. (17:43)The experiences and supports that were helpful for Corey when he became a working parent. (20:09)Paul talks about the job he did while in high school and his first job after college and shares what he learned from doing them. (24:56)Corey shares what he learned when his dad turned down an economically viable business opportunity to spend more time with his family. (30:32) The skills Paul and Corey gained from being parents that are helpful in their current roles in real estate. (33:44) (35:25)Corey explains how he would have benefited from having had a business coach. (36:02)Corey’s tips for people in a business partnership with a partner or spouse. (38:50)Changes in the real estate industry that could affect working parents. (40:33)Links and resources:
Residential Growth Properties LLC
Corey Lee on LinkedIn
Keller Williams Metropolitan Northern New Jersey
Paul Benshoof on LinkedIn
If you’d like to participate in the conversation at the Mindful Return Working Parents Group Network Learning Collaborative, go to www.mindfulreturn.com/wpgn
Recommended books:
The Power of Ambition by Jim Rohn
The Awakened Family by Shefali Tsabary
Relationships to Infinity by Jason Levin
The...
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Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin are back with the second episode in the series of interviews with parents in the consulting world!
Today, Lori and Jason are excited to talk with two awesome consulting dads, Jonathan Milde, and Daniel Baldor!
Jonathan Milde is a Managing Director and Partner at Boston Consulting Group, where he is a core member of the technology and digital advantage transactions and integrations and industrial goods practice areas. He also has significant experience with health care, consumer goods, and retail clients. Jonathan lives in Maryland and has been married to Bess for 15 years. They have two kids, Beah, age 11, and August, age 8.
Dan Baldor has been with Accenture for nearly 18 years. He is the Office Managing Director for Accenture in Miami, as well as the Life Sciences Client Group Lead and Strategy and Consulting Products Lead for Accenture’s self-market unit. He has been married to his wife, Michelle, for 24 years. He is a dad to Carolina, who is 21, a senior at Parsons School of Design in Paris, France, and Stephanie who is 19 and studying psychology at Florida State University.
Tune in to hear what Jon and Dan have to share about their lives as working dads in the consulting world!
Show highlights:
Jon talks about his transition to working parenthood. (3:34)Dan shares his working parent story. (5:15)What it’s like for Dan to be a parent in management consulting these days. (7:00)How the change in travel pace post-pandemic will affect new parents. (8:19)The workplace supports Jon found particularly helpful when he became a working parent. (11:29)Dan discusses the fantastic benefits Accenture offers for working parents. (13:40)As a parent, ask the organization you work for whether or not they have backup child support if you’re unsure.Dan and Jon share what they learned from their first jobs. (17:41) (19:34)How living with his young children helped Dan prepare for client interactions. (23:30)Dan offers advice for working parents in management consulting. (26:00)What Jon does to mitigate workplace stress. (28:24)Links and resources:
Boston Consulting Group
Accenture
Jonathan Milde on LinkedIn
Dan Baldor on LinkedIn
If you’d like to participate in the conversation at the Mindful Return Working Parents Group Network Learning Collaborative, go to www.mindfulreturn.com/wpgn
Books mentioned:
Mindset by Dr. Carol Dweck
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
Mentioned in this episode:
Get the new book: Relationships to Infinity, the Art and Science of Keeping In Touch from Ready, Set, Launch
Head over to www.readysetlaunch.net to grab your copy of the book, Relationships to Infinity, the Art and Science of Keeping In Touch.
Ready Set Launch Book
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Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin are excited to be back after several months of hiatus! They kick things off again by focusing on moms and dads in the consulting world.
In this episode of Parents at Work, Lori and Jason talk to two fantastic consulting moms, Elizabeth Lapetina and Brooke Weddle.
Liz Lapetina is a Managing Director with Deloitte Consulting, focused on healthcare operations and business transformation. She has experience working with PBMs and health plans on new business model launches, business transformations, consumer experience and strategy, and performance improvement initiatives. She is also involved in Deloitte’s well-being initiatives, leading the adoption of well-being strategies at one of the firm’s largest accounts. Liz lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with her husband, James, her two daughters, aged seven and five, and her dog. She enjoys reading, riding her Peloton bike, and serving as the Cookie Manager for her daughters’ girl scout troops in her spare time.
Brooke Weddle is a partner at McKinsey & Company. As a leader in the firm’s people and organizational performance practice, Brooke helps organizations across the world achieve sustained performance through transformation. Globally, she leads the Change Leaders Forum, an executive capability-building series on transformational change and McKinsey’s organizational work in advanced industries, aerospace and defense, automotive, and electronics. In addition, she leads the firm’s culture and change management work in North America. Brooke lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, Miguel, and her two children, who are eight and ten.
Brooke is also an appreciator of network theory. She wrote a wonderful article on social capital: Building Back Better Relationships at Work.
Stay tuned to hear what Liz and Brooke have to say about their lives as parents working in the consulting world!
Show highlights:
Liz shares her working parent story. (5:28)Liz took five months off for maternity leave for both of her children. That made a huge difference! (7:07)The importance of having mentors and sponsors. (7:31)How Liz and her husband approach their careers and family decisions intentionally since becoming parents. (9:49)Brooke’s working parent story started in Seoul, South Korea. (10:45)Brooke explains why she returned to work shortly after having her second child. (12:51)Brooke explains how she and her husband approach their work and parental responsibilities. (13:25)Liz and Brooke explain what it’s like to be a parent in management consulting and share their top working parent travel-related tips. (15:27) (18:53)The workplace supports that were helpful for Brooke and Liz when they became working parents. (23:51) (28:18)Why it’s essential to speak up, say what you need and ask for support from your workplace when necessary. (31:44)How parenthood helped Liz gain more empathy for others and become smarter with her time. (38:59)How having young kids helped Brooke calm down and become a better listener. (41:15)Mentioned in this episode:
Provide an Employee Benefit for Moms Returning After Maternity Leave
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In this episode of Parents at Work, Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin talk to another amazing dad who is a professional in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)!
Juan Otero serves as Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Comcast Corporation, where he leads DE&I initiatives across Comcast NBC Universal, focusing specifically on governance, public policy, and strategic employee engagement. His responsibilities include the oversight of DE&I analytics; organizational alignment on the company’s public policy positions with DE&I implications; broad activation of employee resource groups and related volunteerism platforms; and development of targeted DE&I workforce education and training. He also supports the integration of DE&I into Comcast NBC Universal’s community impact initiatives.
Juan is married to his wonderful wife, Julissa, and they have an active son, Julian, who is five years old. Juan holds a JD from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and an MPA from American University.
Juan talks about his experience as a parent working in diversity, equity, and inclusion. He discusses his confusion and fear after becoming a parent, the fantastic support he received in the workplace, and how his priorities changed after he became a dad.
Stay tuned to hear about Juan’s life as a dad working in the world of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Show highlights:
Juan tells the story of how he met his wife and landed up where he is today in the world of working parents. (2:53)Juan discusses what it is like for him to be a parent working in diversity, equity, and inclusion. (6:13)Becoming a dad helped Juan evolve in his role at Comcast and gave him a different viewpoint regarding various racial issues. (8:03)Juan had a wonderfully supportive boss who understood his confusion after becoming a parent and explained everything Comcast had available, in terms of parental support. (11:14)Juan explains how he had to re-prioritize his life after his son was born. (12:27)The strategies Juan uses as a leader to support his people. (15:15)Even though Juan got all he needed in terms of parental support in the workplace, he would still have appreciated having someone to talk to about his wellness. (18:08)Juan talks about his first paid job and explains how it made an imprint on him. (20:34)What has parenthood taught Juan in terms of career-related skills? (22:58)Juan discusses his part in shaping the conversation around working parenthood. (26:57)How heart-focused breathing can help working parents avoid freaking out. (32:42)Links and resources:
Comcast Corporation
Juan Otero on LinkedIn
Books mentioned:
A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens
The Godfather, by Mario Puzo
Dog Man, A Tale of Two Kitties, by Dav Pilkey
Pete the Cat, by Kimberly Dean, James Dean, and Eric Litwin
Mentioned in this episode:
Get the new book: Relationships to Infinity, the Art and Science of Keeping In Touch from Ready, Set, Launch
Head over to www.readysetlaunch.net to grab your copy of the book, Relationships to Infinity, the Art
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Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin are back with the second of their series of episodes featuring moms and dads who are diversity, equity, and inclusion professionals.
In this episode of Parents at Work, Lori and Jason are excited to talk to the fabulous dad, Ken Imo!
Ken Imo is the Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion for Adobe. He is an accomplished executive, author, lawyer, and U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps veteran who promotes organizational change through diversity, equity and inclusion, and other strategic human capital initiatives.
Ken is a proud husband to his wife, Jennifer, and is the father of three girls, Olivia, who is fifteen, twelve-year-old twins, Cecelia and Juliette, and two dogs, Julio Jones, and the puppy they got during Covid, Sir Lewis Hamilton, also known as Louie. Ken was a four-year scholar-athlete at Southern Methodist University and received his law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law.
Ken talks about his evolution as a working dad and describes what it’s like to be a working parent in the DEI space. He also shares his recommendations for workplace improvements for parents and discusses the similarities between the issues faced by working parents and those that exist in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Stay tuned to hear Ken’s inspiring working dad story!
Show highlights:
Ken and his wife are setting an example for their daughters in how they navigate their personal and professional lives. (3:22)Why Ken likes to look at his work as an extension of the Civil Rights Movement. (4:09)Ken would like his children to understand why his work is so important to him. (4:38)The challenges of being a working parent in the DEI space. (6:12)What Ken does for self-care and to reset and restore himself. (11:05)Ken appreciated getting parental leave when his daughters were born. (16:11)Some companies could do a better job of advertising the benefits they offer for working parents and encouraging people to use them. (22:28)Most Americans tend to underutilize their paid time off. (22:54)Ken talks about his first paid job, his motivation for doing it, and the lessons he learned. (27:51)Ken’s career trajectory started in service, and much of what he does today is about intentionally helping others. (32:02)Ken discusses his role in helping organizations to stay vigilant and creative while promoting a more inclusive environment, addressing workplace challenges, and coming up with solutions. (35:07)“Anything that allows us to effectively do our jobs, and effectively do our most important job, that is parenting, we should take full advantage
Mentioned in this episode:
Get the new book: Relationships to Infinity, the Art and Science of Keeping In Touch from Ready, Set, Launch
Head over to www.readysetlaunch.net to grab your copy of the book, Relationships to Infinity, the Art and Science of Keeping In Touch.
Ready Set Launch Book
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Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin are back with their tradition of interviewing moms and dads in specific industries, sectors, or roles. In this series, they will be interviewing moms and dads who are diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) professionals.
Today Lori and Jason are excited to interview two amazing moms, Kamillah Knight and Jaya Saxena!
Kamillah Knight is a change superhero! She strives to change how people interact with their environment, including their physical environment and those around them. Currently, Kamillah is a Senior Global Director of Diversity and Inclusion for Danaher’s Water Quality Platform. Before that, she worked as the head of diversity and inclusion at Ferrero and at Unilever in diversity and inclusion, sales, and supply chain. Kamillah is also deeply involved in volunteer work with her local community and her alma mater, Cornell University. Her most recent degree from Cornell is an MBA. Kamillah has a ten-year-old daughter.
Jaya Saxena is the mom of two delightful and spirited girls, who are five and nine years old. Jaya is a Diversity and Inclusion Strategist and former practicing attorney with fifteen years of advocacy and professional development experience. Her experience includes working in Legal Services, Law School Administration, and at an Am Law 10 Law firm. She currently works at a global economic consultancy, leading firm-wide DEI efforts. Jaya is an active member of her community, and she serves on multiple non-profit boards.
In this episode of Parents at Work, Kamillah and Jaya talk about the joys and challenges of being working parents in the DEI space. They discuss the importance of honesty, vulnerability, and flexibility in the workplace, and talk about networking, support structures, and inclusivity.
Stay tuned today to hear Kamillah and Jaya’s inspiring working mom stories!
Show highlights:
When Kamillah entered the workforce, she struggled to understand how she could be successful in her career and the best mom she could be. (3:49)Kamillah talks about the things she built into her schedule when she entered the workforce to ensure that she spent enough time with her daughter. (4:56)When Jaya had her first daughter, she was older than most first-time moms. (7:47)Jaya’s journey is constantly evolving, and she keeps on learning as new challenges present themselves. (8:40)Jaya talks about the gifts and hardships she has experienced as a working parent in the DEI space. (10:07)Working in the DEI space puts Kamillah at the forefront of understanding different ways of communicating things to her daughter. (12:39)Kamillah always tries to be honest with her daughter when talking to her about issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice. (14:55)Jaya has learned to be okay with not knowing all the answers when her daughters ask her difficult questions. (16:40)Flexible working was a game-changer and Kamillah’s number one workplace support when she became a working parent. (18:24)Jaya would have liked to have had more support around nursing and breastfeeding after her children were born. (24:38)Parenthood has taught Kamillah about empathy, balance, and time management. (31:04)Jaya has learned many skills as a parent, including resilience and competence when navigating through challenging situations. (38:35)Vulnerability is vital when shaping conversations around working parenthood. (40:01)Common biases need to get acknowledged in the workplace. (41:55)Links and resources:
The Danaher Water Platform
Kamillah...
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Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin continue with their two-part series on an issue that working parents in all careers, roles, and industries struggle with: how household labor gets divided.
In the second part of this series, Lori and Jason are excited to have an amazing dad, Sergio Rosario, joining them to carry on the conversation about the important, emotionally-charged, and controversial topic of who does what in the home!
Sergio was born and raised in Puerto Rico. Nine years ago, his life and work brought him to Virginia. He met his beautiful wife, also from Puerto Rico, and a US Army officer, seven years ago. They live in Fayetteville, North Carolina, but they will soon be moving back to Virginia. Sergio is a social worker, musician, educator, fatherhood advocate, the founder of Soy Super Papa, and the course coach and lead for Mindful Return’s Spanish Language Working Dad Course. Sergio and his wife have a five-year-old daughter named Stella.
In this episode of Parents at Work, Sergio dives into what makes household labor a critical topic and why it is so full of emotion. He offers some excellent advice to help couples start a conversation about household labor and avoid allowing emotion to interfere with our discussions about chores. He also talks about the benefits of good communication and explains how he progressed towards taking responsibility in his relationship.
Stay tuned to today’s conversation to hear what Sergio has to say about finding common ground around a healthy division of household labor!
Show highlights:
When he met his wife, Sergio knew that he would have to make some lifestyle changes! (5:08)Sergio explains what motivated him to start helping parents communicate better. (9:03)Why does Sergio think household labor is such a critical and emotionally-charged topic? (11:55)Sergio and his wife approach their household labor as a common goal with no gender roles assigned. (12:37)Sergio offers some advice to help people avoid becoming emotional around household tasks. (14:07)Sergio describes the systems that he and his wife use in their home. (15:35)How Sergio and his wife progressed in their relationship around issues related to household labor. (21:42)How Sergio and his family have benefited from having good communication. (24:28)Lori randomly draws a birthday celebration card from Eve Rodsky’s Fair Play deck for Sergio. They talk about birthday celebrations to see what comes up around the division of labor on that topic. (27:10)Sergio explains how partners can start a conversation about household labor. (32:37)How to address breakdowns in the division of labor. (38:11)The importance of having conversations about gender roles. (41:04)Links and resources:
Mindful Return’s Spanish Language Working Dad Course
Soy Super Papa
Mentioned in this episode:
Get the new book: Relationships to Infinity, the Art and Science of Keeping In Touch from Ready, Set, Launch
Head over to www.readysetlaunch.net to grab your copy of the book, Relationships to Infinity, the Art and Science of Keeping In Touch.
Ready Set Launch Book
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In this episode, Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin took a detour from their usual pattern of interviewing moms and dads in different industries and sectors to discuss an issue that all working parents struggle with - how household labor gets divided. They have created a two-part series of special guests to dive into this important, juicy, and emotionally-charged topic!
Today, Lori and Jason are delighted to welcome Eve Rodsky to the podcast. Eve is a mom and a working parent celebrity. She is the author of the New York Times best-selling book Fair Play: A Game-Changing Solution for When You Have Too Much to Do (and More Life to Live). She is also the author of the brand-new book, Find Your Unicorn Space: Reclaim Your Creative Life in a Too-Busy World.
Eve is a lawyer, and she has done extensive work in family mediation, strategy, and organizational management. She is married to Seth, and they have three children. Zach is thirteen, Ben is ten, and Anna is five.
In this episode of Parents at Work, Eve unpacks the relationship evolution that takes place in a marriage after the children come along. She shares the Fair Play origin story, explains the power of having systems in place, and plays a game with the Fair Play cards to help couples understand how baggage and assumptions make things emotionally charged.
Tune into today’s conversation to learn about the value of systems and find out how couples can share household chores without triggering each other.
Show highlights:
Eve talks about her first job as a bar mitzvah dancer. (4:16)How Eve started helping parents communicate better. (7:24)Eve explains why things become so emotionally charged in the home after the children start to arrive. (12:38)Eve plays a game with her Fair Play cards and explains what they represent. (14:10)Playing with the Fair Play cards helps people understand the baggage that tends to get caught up in the division of labor in the home. (23:46)Fair Play is an ownership mindset and a no excuse zone. Eve explains how it started to work in her home. (24:07)It is vital to understand the context of why people do things. (26:45)Why are systems vital in the home? (30:00)How to unlock the secret formula for boundaries, distance, and communication and start the conversation. (36:49)What allowed Eve to feel that she had started to make progress with issues around the division of labor in her home? (39:47)How to reframe or replace toxic messages and create a new way forward. (43:40)Eve talks about the Fair Play documentary. (48:44)Mentioned in this episode:
Provide an Employee Benefit for Moms Returning After Maternity Leave
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Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin continue with their tradition of interviewing moms and dads in different industries and sectors. In this episode of Parents at Work, Lori and Jason focus on the narrow yet important niche of dads in executive search and interview the dynamic dads, Julian Ha and Patrick Gray!
Julian has been an Executive Search Consultant for more than fifteen years. He is a former corporate attorney, venture capitalist, and investment banker. He is a partner with Heidrick & Struggles, based in Washington DC, and a member of the firm’s CEO and Board practice. He leads the firm’s global Government Affairs and Trade Association work and co-leads their Professionals of Color Employee Resource Group.
Julian has been married to his wife, Annette, for almost twenty years. They have two teenage boys, a ten-year-old daughter, and a rescue dog called Blake.
Patrick is a former US Army Intelligence Officer. He has been an Executive Search Consultant for almost twenty years. He established the DC area office in the Aerospace and Defence practice at Raines International, and he leads their Industrial practice. Raines is an executive search and leadership advisory firm with nine offices.
Patrick has been married to his wife, Megan, for 24 years, and they have four children. Aiden is 21, Colin is 18, Rylan is 15, and Tristan is 13.
Today, Julian and Patrick share candidly about their lives as working parents. They talk about what it is like to be dads in executive search and dive into workplace flexibility, support, normalizing paternity leave, and shaping the conversation around working parenthood.
Stay tuned today to hear Julian and Patrick’s uplifting working dad stories!
Show highlights:
Patrick’s working parent story started in graduate school. (3:31)Julian and his wife, Annette, wanted their kids to have an American suburban experience. (6:26)Julian likes to be an equal partner. He is very involved in raising his kids. (8:57)Working in executive search, Julian has found more flexibility to do pick-ups and drop-offs and be more involved in his kids’ activities. (9:59)Evolving technology in the executive search business has allowed Patrick more flexibility as a working dad. (10:56)Julian is fortunate to be part of a firm that is conscious of being collaborative, and in which parents are encouraged to support one another. (13:33)Patrick talks about the financial benefits available for families and the changing conversation around fathers taking parental leave. (16:04)Julian describes the pro-active support provided by his firm to allow fathers to take parental leave. (20:40)Parenthood has helped Patrick become more patient and empathetic over the years. (22:20)Being a parent has taught Julian time management skills and adaptability. (23:55)Patrick and Julian talk about their roles as dads in executive search to shape the conversation around working parenthood. (27:24)What can candidates do to work better with someone in executive search? (32:52)Patrick advises working parents to become resilient and learn to bounce back quickly! (39:04)Julian feels that flexibility is vital for working parents! (44:20)Links and resources:
Heidrick & Struggles
The Aerospace, Defense, and Government Services at Raines International
The Association of Executive Search Consultants
Blinkist
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Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin are happy to be back after a winter hiatus! In this episode of Parents at Work, they pick up on their tradition of interviewing moms and dads in various industries and sectors.
Today, Lori and Jason talk to two inspiring moms, Christina Cary and Debbie Tang, both professionals in executive search.
Christina is a partner at Heidrick & Struggles. Her search work focuses on functional roles in human resources, including CHRO, CPO, divisional and regional heads of HR, and centers of excellence leaders in talent management, talent acquisition, learning and development, HR operations, total rewards, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Christina is a member of the Georgetown University board of governors. She is a former president of Hoyas Unlimited, Georgetown’s annual fundraising arm for athletics that supports excellence across all the university’s 29 intercollegiate sports.
Christina’s most important job is being a mom to her son Benjamin and daughter Abigail. Benjamin, known as Ben, Bennie, or Bubba, is a funny, curious, and loving little boy who will turn five in June. Abigail, also known as Abby, is a rambunctious, smiley, fearless little girl who will be two in April. Christina is married to Patrick (Pat), and the Carey family resides in Bethesda, Maryland.
Debbie Tang is a partner at Bridge Partners, a black-owned executive search firm focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Debbie leads global executive searches in both the private and public sectors, from Fortune 100 companies to universities, non-profits, and government agencies. She recruits diverse senior executives across all functions, including CEO, CFO, General Counsels, Chief Legal Officers, Board, and regulatory leaders, in a wide variety of industries.
Debbie is actively involved in the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association of the District of Columbia. She is also on the board of the Washington Project for the Arts and the Norwood School. She received a BA degree from McGill University and a JD from Washington and Lee School of Law, where she served on the Editorial Board of The Journal of Civil Rights and Social Justice.
Debbie has a nine-year-old son, Ben, and a six-year-old daughter called C.C.
In today’s conversation, Christina and Debbie talk openly and honestly about being parents in executive search. They share their struggles, talk about workplace support systems, and get into finding the right work-life balance. They also discuss the value of developing relationships with colleagues who are also parents and the support systems they would like to have in the workplace.
Stay tuned today to hear Debbie and Christina’s encouraging accounts of their lives as working moms.
Show highlights:
When Debbie started working crazy hours as an associate in big law before she became a mom, she used to wonder how the female partners with kids did it. (4:13)Christina has experienced a lot of parent flexibility in the executive search world. (7:55)Christina found the unpredictable world of executive search an excellent training ground for becoming a parent. (10:52)Now that Debbie has kids, she finally understands why high-powered executives sometimes make million-dollar career decisions based on their children. (13:08)Debbie explains why she found it easier to be a parent in executive search during the pandemic, when travel demands were reduced. (13:35)There are days when Christine feels that she is not doing what she needs to do in any area of her life - as a mom or at work. (14:25)Being mentored by a colleague who is a father of five has helped Christina immensely. (15:53)Heidrick & Struggles has recently implemented a formalized employee assistance program for anyone experiencing mental health issues. (17:00)At... -
In this episode of Parents at Work, Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin continue with their tradition of interviewing moms and dads in various professional roles.
Today, Lori and Jason talk to two amazing CEO dads, Bob Spagnoletti and Charles Bonello. Bob serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the District of Columbia Bar, and Charlie is the Co-founder and CEO of Vivvi, a provider of childcare and early education for children of all ages.
The District of Columbia Bar is the largest integrated bar in the United States, with over 110,000 members practicing in fifty states and more than eighty countries. Bob also serves as the Executive Vice President of the DC Bar Pro Bono Center, an independent 501(c)(3) affiliate of the DC Bar. The Pro Bono Center recruits, trains, and mobilizes volunteer attorneys to take pro bono cases, serving individuals living in poverty who are at risk of losing their homes, livelihoods, and families. Bob and his husband, Bernard, have been together for twenty years. They have two boys, Hunter and Anthony, and one grandson.
Vivvi has programs across the country, including on-campus, in-home, in-office, and virtual tutoring. Vivvi partners with employers of all different sizes to make child care more accessible and affordable to provide parents with peace of mind and allow employers the most powerful tool for recruiting retention and productivity. Before co-founding Vivvi, Charlie co-founded Grand Central Tech and was a venture partner at RTP Ventures. He is a graduate of Tufts University and currently lives in New York with his wife and their three children.
In today’s conversation, Bob and Charlie share their respective journeys as working fathers who also happen to be CEOs. Bob talks about his and his husband’s experience of fostering and then adopting children as a same-sex couple. Charlie describes what it was like to go from an academic exercise in childcare to needing childcare in real life. They also discuss what it has been like, day-to-day, being both parents and CEOs, how their parenting experiences have enhanced their careers, and how their careers have helped them become better parents. Stay tuned to hear Bob and Charlie’s inspiring stories!
Show highlights:
Bob talks about how his older son, Hunter, came to him and Bernard, as a foster child, in the mid-90s. (3:52)Bob and Bernard adopted Anthony many years after Hunter came into their lives. (4:58)Bob worked the whole time, and Bernard, a special-ed teacher, took time off work when they had Anthony. (5:45)Charlie got to see first-hand the impact that child care had on working families and their employers. That inspired him to go out and make things happen! (8:40)Although it took a lot of juggling, serving families in need of childcare during the desperate time of COVID motivated Charlie and his wife, a nurse, to keep on going out and driving their programs. (10:05)Being both a parent and a CEO can sometimes feel all-consuming. Charlie explains how he manages to cope with both roles successfully. (12:34)Being a parent and a CEO has sensitized Bob to the parental concerns and issues that members of his staff are facing. (15:01)It was helpful for Bob to have a diverse executive team, great work colleagues, flexibility, and the power to make operating decisions when he became a parent. (17:34)Offering free childcare to all his employees has proven to be the most impactful and effective recruiting, retention, and productivity tool ever for Charlie. (20:47)The DC Bar now has a policy in place that allows moms, dads, and adoptive parents to take time off after the birth of their children. (26:40)Back-up care is an essential resource for working parents. (30:21)Bob feels the need to jump in and fix things that are broken. As a parent, he has worked hard to figure out... -
Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin are back after taking a break to take an 8,153-mile car trip across the country! In this episode of Parents at Work, Lori and Jason interview Christian Nunes and Radhika Patil, two inspiring CEO moms.
Christian Nunes, MBA, MS, LCSW, is the National President of the National Organization for Women (NOW). She has been the National President since August 2020. Before that, she was appointed Vice President by the board in May 2019. Christian is the second African American president in the organization’s history, the youngest person of color, and the youngest president of the organization in more than 40 years. Christian leads the organization through an intersectional lens and brings together a diverse affiliation of grassroots activists to work against structural sexism and racism. In addition, Christian is the founder of a behavioral health and consulting practice. Her mental health expertise assists her in understanding the constituents’ experience. It also helps her understand where policy and legislation are disconnected from the real experience of the people. Christian lives with her 2-year-old son, CJ, near Washington, D.C. Christian and CJ love taking short day trips to parks, outdoor festivals, zoos, and farms in the DMV area in their spare time.
Radhika Patil is the co-founder and CEO of Cradlewise and mom to a 7-year old and a 4-year-old. Cradlewise is a baby tech company based in Silicon Valley. Their first product is a smart crib for babies with an integrated contactless baby monitor that automatically starts rocking along with music to soothe the baby back to sleep, just like a parent, at the first signs of wakeup. Since building the crib for her babies, Radhika has been on a sleep fitness mission to help other parents. Radhika’s husband is the other co-founder of Cradlewise. In her spare time, Radhika loves to hike, garden, and read books with her kids.
In today’s conversation, Christian and Radhika give open and candid accounts of their experiences as working parents who also happen to be CEOs of organizations. They talk about the workplace supports they enjoyed after becoming parents and those they would like to have had. They also discuss the career-related skills their parenthood experience helped them develop, recount parenthood-related micro-aggressions they have experienced, share their best advice for navigating life as a working parent, and much, much more! Stay tuned to hear the motivating and encouraging conversation with these two amazing working moms!
Show highlights:
Having her child later in life has made Christian’s journey interesting, fun, and challenging. (4:33)There is more acceptance now than ever before for taking time off for kids. (7:10)It is sometimes hard for Radhika to separate her work from her personal life. (10:05)It can be challenging to find a healthy work-life balance while taking ownership of your life in the process. (14:02)Sometimes, you need to take some time to do things for yourself. (14:55)Christian’s infant son went with her when she had to travel for work. (16:24)Since becoming the president of her organization, Christian has added extra support for working parents. (17:19)Having daycare on site where she worked would have been a game-changer for Radhika after her baby was born. (23:31)Having a toddler has helped Christian understand people’s mood changes a lot better. (28:15)Coping with micro-aggressions and shaping the conversation around working parents. (32:01)Figuring out your goals as a CEO and as a parent. (36:44)Having a schedule is vital for working parents. (42:48)Links and resources:
Carer.Com
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In this episode of Parents at Work, Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin interview Mark Versen and Dale Wright. Mark is the Chief Development Officer (CDO) of the Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska, Inc. In 2020, he set a record for total annual fundraising by hitting $7 Million including the largest gift in Lutheran Family Services history of the 128 years of $3 Million while surpassing 22% growth in total number of donors. Mark is a seasoned professional with experience in private and public higher education institutions and executive leadership in the health and human services non-profit sector. He’s a firm believer that philanthropy changes lives. Mark and his wife Jesse have two children and they reside in Louisville, Nebraska.
Dale is the Associate Dean and Chief Advancement Officer for the Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He’s responsible for the strategy and operations on fundraising and constituent engagement, and he’s the campaigns director for the college’s $550 Million goal in the With Illinois $2.25 Billion comprehensive campaign. As of today, the college is at 109% of its goal. Over the last 20+ years, Dale has held a variety of alumni and fundraising engagement goals in higher education. He’s an active CASE volunteer and also holds membership in organizations such as the African American Development Officers Network and The Association of Fundraising Professionals. He’s also involved in other non-profit work as well including serving on the executive committee of the board of directors for the American Legion, Boys State of Missouri. Dale loves his family and knows he wouldn't be where he is today without the support of his wife and his four daughters.
It’s going to be a really interesting episode as these two dads talk about the most exciting things in fundraising, how they look at things from a completely different angle in order to change advancement, the power of integrating ones family into their work, and the working parenthood challenges they’ve successfully navigated all through their careers. Tune in and get inspired.
Show Highlights
Dramatic ups and downs Mark went through when he unexpectedly fell into his working parent journey (03:36)The value of having an incredible community of 120+ helpers (07:01)How Dale and his wife were able to navigate being first time parents and working on their thriving careers (08:48)Learning to turn off the fundraising mode whenever it’s time to go be a parent (15:41)Mark’s experience with being a parent who works as a fundraising professional (19:00)Parental workplace support systems that they have benefitted from all through their careers (25:13)Moving away from the previous way of doing things in fundraising to focus more on relationship building (29:59)Finding a way to shut things off in a constantly connected world (33:49)Why we should be mindful of the habits that we pick up (35:33)Links and Resources
Good to Great By Jim CollinsAll Labor Has Dignity By Martin Luther King Jr.What's a Freemie? A genius invention for working parentsJason's WebsiteJason on LinkedinLori's... - Montre plus
