Every day, working moms balance the needs of their families at home and their teams at work with compassion and grace, while also finding the time to honor their authentic selves. This is no easy feat. Each year, She Runs It honors mothers who skillfully navigate the complex responsibilities of business, leadership, advocacy and kids. Clearly, there is a lot to learn from this inspiring group of women. Read on and help celebrate them by attending the in-person awards ceremony on March 1 at 11:30 a.m. ET
Bernice Chao
Head of Integrated Creative, Zambezi
As one of the few female Asian American creative leaders in the U.S., Chao is helping shape the AAPI community as the co-founder of Asians in Advertising.
How motherhood helped her succeed at work: Motherhood has helped increase my time management skills. As a person who doesn't have much spare time, I maximize the time that I do have available and prioritize tasks.
You’re not alone: While being a working mother is incredibly challenging, remember you're not alone. Find other working mothers in or outside your workplace to lean on for advice and share your challenges.
Best work advice from her kids: "Mommy, no phone." My kids remind me to focus on the present.
Courtney Ballantini
VP, Marketing Communications & Design, Tyson Foods
Since joining Tyson, Ballantini has redefined its communication models, inspired and educated marketing teams, improved media efficiencies, and created a more digitally minded organization.
How work helped her succeed as a parent: The idea of failing forward at work has largely been accepted for quite some time, and I’m now trying to bring that idea home, too. Parenting is much harder than working, and it’s a game changer when you can give yourself grace for your mistakes with kids and family.
Top recommendation to other parents: Giant Mind—it’s a super easy and effective meditation app. It’s been a life saver for me this year, especially on the most chaotic days.
Balancing act: Committing to both a family and a career is both humbling and exhausting, but also enlightening and fulfilling. I’ll always worry if I’m getting the balance right, but I’m confident it makes me better at both.
Lizette Williams
Director, Global Head of Vertical Solutions Marketing, Meta
A respected thought leader, Williams is a sought-out speaker, lecturer and advisor on marketing and culture.
How motherhood helped her succeed at work: Motherhood has made me a better leader, supporting the evolution of my leadership style to one that is truly an empathetic “coach” role. I’ve been able to manage the turnaround of highly distressed teams and really drive success with leadership and development.
You can do this! I want to provide a word of encouragement to anyone who is climbing the corporate ladder as a single mom. It’s hard, but it’s not impossible. Even on my most challenging days, I remind myself that I am filled with gratitude to have both the joy of motherhood and the means to give my children this experience.
Being productive as a mom and a manager: I like to set clear short- and long-term goals as a parent and as a manager, and then work to ensure those are met while balancing the needs across both. Short-term could mean trade-offs between a business trip and my presence at a field trip; but in the long-term it evens out. I strive to be a strong manager and a present parent but that requires a lot of pre-planning and prep, as well as outsourcing activities that I can hire others to do. I treat time as a precious resource and do everything I can to protect time with my kids and time working.
Bernice Chao
Head of Integrated Creative, Zambezi
As one of the few female Asian American creative leaders in the U.S., Chao is helping shape the AAPI community as the co-founder of Asians in Advertising.
How motherhood helped her succeed at work: Motherhood has helped increase my time management skills. As a person who doesn't have much spare time, I maximize the time that I do have available and prioritize tasks.
You’re not alone: While being a working mother is incredibly challenging, remember you're not alone. Find other working mothers in or outside your workplace to lean on for advice and share your challenges.
Best work advice from her kids: "Mommy, no phone." My kids remind me to focus on the present.
Courtney Ballantini
VP, Marketing Communications & Design, Tyson Foods
Since joining Tyson, Ballantini has redefined its communication models, inspired and educated marketing teams, improved media efficiencies, and created a more digitally minded organization.
How work helped her succeed as a parent: The idea of failing forward at work has largely been accepted for quite some time, and I’m now trying to bring that idea home, too. Parenting is much harder than working, and it’s a game changer when you can give yourself grace for your mistakes with kids and family.
Top recommendation to other parents: Giant Mind—it’s a super easy and effective meditation app. It’s been a life saver for me this year, especially on the most chaotic days.
Balancing act: Committing to both a family and a career is both humbling and exhausting, but also enlightening and fulfilling. I’ll always worry if I’m getting the balance right, but I’m confident it makes me better at both.
Lizette Williams
Director, Global Head of Vertical Solutions Marketing, Meta
A respected thought leader, Williams is a sought-out speaker, lecturer and advisor on marketing and culture.
How motherhood helped her succeed at work: Motherhood has made me a better leader, supporting the evolution of my leadership style to one that is truly an empathetic “coach” role. I’ve been able to manage the turnaround of highly distressed teams and really drive success with leadership and development.
You can do this! I want to provide a word of encouragement to anyone who is climbing the corporate ladder as a single mom. It’s hard, but it’s not impossible. Even on my most challenging days, I remind myself that I am filled with gratitude to have both the joy of motherhood and the means to give my children this experience.
Being productive as a mom and a manager: I like to set clear short- and long-term goals as a parent and as a manager, and then work to ensure those are met while balancing the needs across both. Short-term could mean trade-offs between a business trip and my presence at a field trip; but in the long-term it evens out. I strive to be a strong manager and a present parent but that requires a lot of pre-planning and prep, as well as outsourcing activities that I can hire others to do. I treat time as a precious resource and do everything I can to protect time with my kids and time working.
Brandis DeZon
Head of Digital Partnerships, Initiative
During her 15-year career, DeZon has worked on an expansive roster of clients, including Intuit and Nintendo.
How work helped her succeed as a parent: Ruthless prioritization, clear communication and a bias for action are all work principles that I have found to be very helpful in parenthood.
Work-life harmony: I often tell my team that the whole idea of “work-life balance” gives off the connotation that both things are equal. Depending on the phase of life or even the day of week, that equilibrium is dynamic and will shift in priority. I prefer the idea of “work-life harmony,” as I think it better sets up expectations and success.
Support network: Regarding the support within my team, I have found that a very transparent approach with both my managers and direct reports is critical. Honest dialogue around coverage needs and assistance when I have a sick kiddo or doctor appointments has been helpful, and in turn has created an environment where my team feels comfortable to do the same when they need extra support and coverage.
Nikki Lamba
Global Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, DDB Worldwide
Lamba is responsible for designing and implementing the global DEI strategy, ensuring that DDB’s core values are a key driver of agency culture.
Being productive as a mom and a manager: You have to get comfortable with delegating, outsourcing and asking for help. As you take on more responsibility at work, build a community of trusted people who can help you as needed, and then learn to pay it forward and help others, too.
Best work advice from her kids: Speak up for what you think is right, always have confidence in yourself and stop looking at the computer screen so much.
Parenting win: My younger daughter transitioned into kindergarten which was a wonderful milestone. It helps immensely to have both my children in the same school (one pickup and one drop-off!). I’ve also watched both my daughters take more risks in the past year. Whether it’s trying new activities or learning how to stand up for themselves, I’m proud of them for taking a chance and believing in themselves, and each other.
Jennifer Donohue
SVP, Disney Advertising Local, The Walt Disney Company
Donohue is responsible for all revenues across Disney’s linear and addressable ad sales teams, focusing on multimedia opportunities for marketers.
How motherhood helped her succeed at work: Motherhood came to me quickly, four months before my due date. After giving birth to micro-preemies, our children were moved to the NICU. We lost our daughter, Emma Madison, after one week and my husband, Christopher, and I had to figure out how we would navigate Aidan’s care and a long road ahead. This taught me a lot about being organized, present and having empathy for my husband, the NICU staff and my colleagues and clients.
Parenting win: Aidan went through the college application process last year. He is passionate about acting and music and was determined to give it his all to earn a spot in a Bachelor of Fine Arts program. In a space where there is so much talent, Aidan was humble and demonstrated courage, determination, resiliency and empathy for his peers.
Life lessons: Motherhood has taught me to accept the unexpected moments and value the many lessons along the way. Aidan has navigated many challenges since birth and he continues to amaze us each and every day. No matter what life may throw at him, he finds a way to maintain his smile and sing and dance throughout it all.
Brandis DeZon
Head of Digital Partnerships, Initiative
During her 15-year career, DeZon has worked on an expansive roster of clients, including Intuit and Nintendo.
How work helped her succeed as a parent: Ruthless prioritization, clear communication and a bias for action are all work principles that I have found to be very helpful in parenthood.
Work-life harmony: I often tell my team that the whole idea of “work-life balance” gives off the connotation that both things are equal. Depending on the phase of life or even the day of week, that equilibrium is dynamic and will shift in priority. I prefer the idea of “work-life harmony,” as I think it better sets up expectations and success.
Support network: Regarding the support within my team, I have found that a very transparent approach with both my managers and direct reports is critical. Honest dialogue around coverage needs and assistance when I have a sick kiddo or doctor appointments has been helpful, and in turn has created an environment where my team feels comfortable to do the same when they need extra support and coverage.
Nikki Lamba
Global Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, DDB Worldwide
Lamba is responsible for designing and implementing the global DEI strategy, ensuring that DDB’s core values are a key driver of agency culture.
Being productive as a mom and a manager: You have to get comfortable with delegating, outsourcing and asking for help. As you take on more responsibility at work, build a community of trusted people who can help you as needed, and then learn to pay it forward and help others, too.
Best work advice from her kids: Speak up for what you think is right, always have confidence in yourself and stop looking at the computer screen so much.
Parenting win: My younger daughter transitioned into kindergarten which was a wonderful milestone. It helps immensely to have both my children in the same school (one pickup and one drop-off!). I’ve also watched both my daughters take more risks in the past year. Whether it’s trying new activities or learning how to stand up for themselves, I’m proud of them for taking a chance and believing in themselves, and each other.
Jennifer Donohue
SVP, Disney Advertising Local, The Walt Disney Company
Donohue is responsible for all revenues across Disney’s linear and addressable ad sales teams, focusing on multimedia opportunities for marketers.
How motherhood helped her succeed at work: Motherhood came to me quickly, four months before my due date. After giving birth to micro-preemies, our children were moved to the NICU. We lost our daughter, Emma Madison, after one week and my husband, Christopher, and I had to figure out how we would navigate Aidan’s care and a long road ahead. This taught me a lot about being organized, present and having empathy for my husband, the NICU staff and my colleagues and clients.
Parenting win: Aidan went through the college application process last year. He is passionate about acting and music and was determined to give it his all to earn a spot in a Bachelor of Fine Arts program. In a space where there is so much talent, Aidan was humble and demonstrated courage, determination, resiliency and empathy for his peers.
Life lessons: Motherhood has taught me to accept the unexpected moments and value the many lessons along the way. Aidan has navigated many challenges since birth and he continues to amaze us each and every day. No matter what life may throw at him, he finds a way to maintain his smile and sing and dance throughout it all.
Katie Martin
SVP, Managing Director, Big Village
Martin leads Big Village’s award-winning integrated agency team of 50-plus creative and media experts.
How motherhood helped her succeed at work: I had no idea how my incredibly difficult challenge of having and raising a child with a rare disease would help shape who I am as a person for the better, and as a result how I succeed at work. My experience has given me a deeper perspective that helps me see things with absolute clarity—and an instinctive ability to prioritize.
How work helped her succeed as a parent: Advertising and a rare illness may seem worlds apart. But the confidence I’ve gained after years of running client teams has proven invaluable in becoming an advocate for my son. It can be intimidating to challenge medical experts and pitch my own ideas for his care. But it’s not so dissimilar to a CMO with their brand’s reputation on the line.
Support network: We’re a British family living in LA, with our wider family living thousands of miles away. We’ve built a great support network around us through our medical team, child therapy team and local friends. I have found that sharing our situation and being open means people are always willing to help; all you need to do is ask. I have gotten very comfortable with asking for help both outside of work and at work as well. My husband is a true hero and my biggest support; he quit his job to take care of Blue and the three of us are our own little micro network.
Holly Wasson
Chief Community & Marketing Officer,
We Are Rosie
Wasson develops successful strategic, multi-platform marketing and communication campaigns for a wide breadth of consumer and b-to-b brands.
How motherhood helped her succeed at work: Motherhood gives you perspective. Work incidents that seemed like life or death before kids simply became bumps in the road. I also learned to be more productive in a shorter period. I wanted to stay extremely focused during my work hours so that I could leave the office to spend quality time with my family. Basically, I learned to work smarter, not harder.
Support network: My network of mom friends in the neighborhood has always been absolutely amazing. We’ve co-parented our kids, kept an eye on them as they roamed the neighborhood on bikes, shared study skill information and hugged each other as we sent our babies off to college.
How work helped her succeed as a parent: As a manager, I’ve always worked to empower my teammates to embrace their areas of expertise and passion, to have the confidence to make mistakes, to problem solve on their own before asking for help, and to establish and communicate their points of view. The goal is to teach them to spread their wings and grow their careers—even if that means leaving your team. Raising kids through their teen years and getting them off to college is very similar. You have to have the guts to allow them to make mistakes and learn from them while encouraging them to keep trying. And while it’s bittersweet when they leave the nest to head off on their own, you are so proud of them.
Andrea Zaretsky
CMO, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management
In 2022, Zaretsky was named a Morgan Stanley MAKER, joining a distinguished group recognized as advocates, groundbreakers and innovators for women’s advancement.
How work helped her succeed as a parent: The workplace has served as a wonderful community for me as a working parent. Learning from others in the workplace has been critical to my growth as a parent and as a leader. Joining relevant employee networks has been especially helpful. Now, I try to pay it forward when I can by sharing tips and strategies with newer parents on my team.
Best work advice from her kids: I sometimes get the chance to share marketing campaigns we’re building with my kids. They always advise me to be bold and take more risks with our creative strategy, from the media platforms we use, to song choice, imagery and copy. My kids want me to be disruptive!
Tech helps: I am grateful for today’s technology and the incredible tools that have made it easier for mothers to work outside of the home and still stay involved and engaged. From being able to video-chat with my child while on a business trip as they practice for a presentation, to apps that help us with scheduling and planning, to being able to join a meeting at the office virtually while commuting back from a parent-teacher conference at my child’s school, we are very fortunate.
Katie Martin
SVP, Managing Director, Big Village
Martin leads Big Village’s award-winning integrated agency team of 50-plus creative and media experts.
How motherhood helped her succeed at work: I had no idea how my incredibly difficult challenge of having and raising a child with a rare disease would help shape who I am as a person for the better, and as a result how I succeed at work. My experience has given me a deeper perspective that helps me see things with absolute clarity—and an instinctive ability to prioritize.
How work helped her succeed as a parent: Advertising and a rare illness may seem worlds apart. But the confidence I’ve gained after years of running client teams has proven invaluable in becoming an advocate for my son. It can be intimidating to challenge medical experts and pitch my own ideas for his care. But it’s not so dissimilar to a CMO with their brand’s reputation on the line.
Support network: We’re a British family living in LA, with our wider family living thousands of miles away. We’ve built a great support network around us through our medical team, child therapy team and local friends. I have found that sharing our situation and being open means people are always willing to help; all you need to do is ask. I have gotten very comfortable with asking for help both outside of work and at work as well. My husband is a true hero and my biggest support; he quit his job to take care of Blue and the three of us are our own little micro network.
Holly Wasson
Chief Community & Marketing Officer,
We Are Rosie
Wasson develops successful strategic, multi-platform marketing and communication campaigns for a wide breadth of consumer and b-to-b brands.
How motherhood helped her succeed at work: Motherhood gives you perspective. Work incidents that seemed like life or death before kids simply became bumps in the road. I also learned to be more productive in a shorter period. I wanted to stay extremely focused during my work hours so that I could leave the office to spend quality time with my family. Basically, I learned to work smarter, not harder.
Support network: My network of mom friends in the neighborhood has always been absolutely amazing. We’ve co-parented our kids, kept an eye on them as they roamed the neighborhood on bikes, shared study skill information and hugged each other as we sent our babies off to college.
How work helped her succeed as a parent: As a manager, I’ve always worked to empower my teammates to embrace their areas of expertise and passion, to have the confidence to make mistakes, to problem solve on their own before asking for help, and to establish and communicate their points of view. The goal is to teach them to spread their wings and grow their careers—even if that means leaving your team. Raising kids through their teen years and getting them off to college is very similar. You have to have the guts to allow them to make mistakes and learn from them while encouraging them to keep trying. And while it’s bittersweet when they leave the nest to head off on their own, you are so proud of them.
Andrea Zaretsky
CMO, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management
In 2022, Zaretsky was named a Morgan Stanley MAKER, joining a distinguished group recognized as advocates, groundbreakers and innovators for women’s advancement.
How work helped her succeed as a parent: The workplace has served as a wonderful community for me as a working parent. Learning from others in the workplace has been critical to my growth as a parent and as a leader. Joining relevant employee networks has been especially helpful. Now, I try to pay it forward when I can by sharing tips and strategies with newer parents on my team.
Best work advice from her kids: I sometimes get the chance to share marketing campaigns we’re building with my kids. They always advise me to be bold and take more risks with our creative strategy, from the media platforms we use, to song choice, imagery and copy. My kids want me to be disruptive!
Tech helps: I am grateful for today’s technology and the incredible tools that have made it easier for mothers to work outside of the home and still stay involved and engaged. From being able to video-chat with my child while on a business trip as they practice for a presentation, to apps that help us with scheduling and planning, to being able to join a meeting at the office virtually while commuting back from a parent-teacher conference at my child’s school, we are very fortunate.
Kemit McCullough
Director of Project Management, MullenLowe LA
McCullough manages work on Acura, the agency’s largest account, and helped launch Momternships, a program designed to support moms returning to work.
Being productive as a mom and a manager: Being a productive parent and manager means constantly thinking about my people and taking a genuine interest in their needs, feelings and opinions. As a parent and a manager, I want to set them up for success and give them the tools they need to get there.
Best work advice from her kids: “Just take a walk, Mom.” Since I’ve been working from home the past few years, the kids see me in work mode and when they recognize my stress level is high, they remind me to walk away. It’s my words coming back to me through the mouths of my babies.
How work helped her succeed as a parent: Managing agency teams through a project lifecycle isn’t unlike managing three young kids. Years of sharpening my skills of time management, schedule coordination, mentorship and communication prepared me for the multitasking of motherhood.
Danielle Lee
President, Warner Music Artist & Fan Experiences, WMX
As head of the label and artist services division, Lee leads an in-house creative agency for the Warner Recorded Music roster, as well as for third-party artists.
How work helped her succeed as a parent: I believe that living a life that is enriched through work, family, friends and community helps me be a great mom. I am an example for my children on how to live a full life, achieve professionally, raise a family, run a household and give back to the community in which we live. Beyond that, my kids see the hard work, the long hours, how I show up and overcome challenges. I intentionally share with my kids so that they understand that everyone has doubts, fears and hard days.
Top recommendation to other parents: Life360 is my “go to” app to keep tabs on my teens’ comings and goings.
Support network: I have built a number of amazing networks throughout my career, but the one that had the biggest impact on me as a parent and a business leader is the Montclizzies. Yes, we named ourselves because why not? We all met when our kids went to pre-school together. We bonded because we were facing similar challenges navigating our careers and raising our families. We have supported each other for 15 years through career moves, layoffs, divorces, relocations and the pursuit of our wildest dreams. I have relied on this group of bad-ass women for things big and small, from navigating childcare decisions to advice on a business opportunity. They have been a safe space for me as I’ve grown as a mother and an executive.
Erin Saulnier
EVP, Ad Sales Marketing, FOX
Starting her career as a media planner in the early 90s, Saulnier now drives demand from the advertising marketplace for the portfolio of FOX Advertising Sales platforms and properties.
How work helped her succeed as a parent: It’s important to show my son what being a working mom means to our family. He literally is growing up and seeing what it means to work in our industry firsthand, which never would have happened if we weren’t working from home the past couple of years.
Family first: A mentor told me that your child always comes first. She advised to not miss the game, the practice or the school function. We all juggle so much and prioritizing key moments with your child is non-negotiable. It was important to hear this advice from someone so senior in her career, and I share this sentiment with my team, regardless of whether they have kids or not.
Top recommendation for other parents: A key mentor (and role model) of mine told me about an app called Cozi, which I absolutely love. It syncs with our family Google Calendar, keeps shared to-do lists and sends daily reminders, in addition to a having a great birthday tracker function that has helped me keep my resolution of sending more birthday cards to people.
Kemit McCullough
Director of Project Management,
MullenLowe LA
McCullough manages work on Acura, the agency’s largest account, and helped launch Momternships, a program designed to support moms returning to work.
Being productive as a mom and a manager: Being a productive parent and manager means constantly thinking about my people and taking a genuine interest in their needs, feelings and opinions. As a parent and a manager, I want to set them up for success and give them the tools they need to get there.
Best work advice from her kids: “Just take a walk, Mom.” Since I’ve been working from home the past few years, the kids see me in work mode and when they recognize my stress level is high, they remind me to walk away. It’s my words coming back to me through the mouths of my babies.
How work helped her succeed as a parent: Managing agency teams through a project lifecycle isn’t unlike managing three young kids. Years of sharpening my skills of time management, schedule coordination, mentorship and communication prepared me for the multitasking of motherhood.
Danielle Lee
President, Warner Music Artist & Fan Experiences, WMX
As head of the label and artist services division, Lee leads an in-house creative agency for the Warner Recorded Music roster, as well as for third-party artists.
How work helped her succeed as a parent: I believe that living a life that is enriched through work, family, friends and community helps me be a great mom. I am an example for my children on how to live a full life, achieve professionally, raise a family, run a household and give back to the community in which we live. Beyond that, my kids see the hard work, the long hours, how I show up and overcome challenges. I intentionally share with my kids so that they understand that everyone has doubts, fears and hard days.
Top recommendation to other parents: Life360 is my “go to” app to keep tabs on my teens’ comings and goings.
Support network: I have built a number of amazing networks throughout my career, but the one that had the biggest impact on me as a parent and a business leader is the Montclizzies. Yes, we named ourselves because why not? We all met when our kids went to pre-school together. We bonded because we were facing similar challenges navigating our careers and raising our families. We have supported each other for 15 years through career moves, layoffs, divorces, relocations and the pursuit of our wildest dreams. I have relied on this group of bad-ass women for things big and small, from navigating childcare decisions to advice on a business opportunity. They have been a safe space for me as I’ve grown as a mother and an executive.
Erin Saulnier
EVP, Ad Sales Marketing, FOX
Starting her career as a media planner in the early 90s, Saulnier now drives demand from the advertising marketplace for the portfolio of FOX Advertising Sales platforms and properties.
How work helped her succeed as a parent: It’s important to show my son what being a working mom means to our family. He literally is growing up and seeing what it means to work in our industry firsthand, which never would have happened if we weren’t working from home the past couple of years.
Family first: A mentor told me that your child always comes first. She advised to not miss the game, the practice or the school function. We all juggle so much and prioritizing key moments with your child is non-negotiable. It was important to hear this advice from someone so senior in her career, and I share this sentiment with my team, regardless of whether they have kids or not.
Top recommendation for other parents: A key mentor (and role model) of mine told me about an app called Cozi, which I absolutely love. It syncs with our family Google Calendar, keeps shared to-do lists and sends daily reminders, in addition to a having a great birthday tracker function that has helped me keep my resolution of sending more birthday cards to people.
Amy Lanzi
Chief Operating Officer, Publicis Commerce
Lanzi’s deep understanding of customer-centric shopper experiences has led to multiple honors for client work, including two Bronze Effie Awards.
How work helped her succeed as a parent: When you are at work, everything matters—what you say, what you do not say and how you show up every day. This is a training ground for becoming a parent. You have the understanding that you are modeling for your children how they should behave and react to each other, as well as outside situations, every single day.
Top recommendation for other parents Find a once-a-day moment that is tech free—breakfast, dinner, a walk to school—any time where you simply “talk about it.”
No secret formula: Being a working mother today is juggling all the things that matter to you. There is no perfect formula or secret to success, as that definition is different for everyone. My biggest piece of advice is to ensure that you are always assessing and balancing all aspects of you so that each aspect can grow vs. decline. I am always thinking about where I am not giving enough time—my job, my kids, my husband and myself—as the one that is the last on the list is probably suffering the most. You can only succeed as a working mother when you are at your personal best, well-rounded self. That way you can be present at home, at work and in-between.
Jennie Magiera
Global Head of Education Impact, Google
A lifelong educator, Magiera founded Our Voice Alliance to elevate marginalized voices and perspectives to improve equity and empathy in education.
Being productive as a mom and a manager: My role, for my team and my children, is to do all I can to help them be the best versions of themselves. So, I need to stay attuned to the needs of my children Lucy and Nora, as well as those of each member of my team. If they all individually feel seen, heard and supported by me, then I’ve had a productive day.
Support network: I have several circles of moms that I lean on—both from my generation and the one above me. We’re constantly swapping questions about everything from toilet transitions to school advocacy to balancing kid activities with afternoon work schedules. Additionally, a large majority of my immediate team (70%) is working mothers—so I am grateful to be able to discuss shared smiles and struggles with these colleagues.
Take up space: My hope is that being a working mother today is seen as a positive, especially in the workplace. If we want the workplace to evolve to support working mothers, then we must be bold enough to let that part of us take up space, be seen and celebrated. I’ve worked hard to normalize my fertility journey, motherhood and even my battle with postpartum depression, sharing when appropriate and necessary. My hope is that being a working mother today—and into the future—is something that we can be fully, openly and joyfully.
Heather Dowd-Priel
VP, Ad Sales and Partnerships,
AMC Networks
Responsible for ad sales strategies and partnerships, Dowd-Priel also created a “Coffee and Catch Up” series for the sales assistants and senior executives within the company.
How work helped her succeed as a parent: My career is something I have worked extremely hard to build and I’m proud of what I accomplished. Work has allowed me to succeed as a parent by giving my girls a front row seat to what it means to have passion in a career and to be a great mother. You can be both.
Top recommendation to other parents: I always recommend taking time, no matter how busy you are, and doing something you love. It could be a book club, running, meditation, a gym class, anything that feeds your soul.
Support network: My No. 1 support person is my husband, Eric. We both have careers, and our family is our priority, always. There are no defined roles as to who does what. We pitch in wherever we need to. It has given my daughters an amazing perspective on partnership and non-traditional roles.
Amy Lanzi
Chief Operating Officer, Publicis Commerce
Lanzi’s deep understanding of customer-centric shopper experiences has led to multiple honors for client work, including two Bronze Effie Awards.
How work helped her succeed as a parent: When you are at work, everything matters—what you say, what you do not say and how you show up every day. This is a training ground for becoming a parent. You have the understanding that you are modeling for your children how they should behave and react to each other, as well as outside situations, every single day.
Top recommendation for other parents Find a once-a-day moment that is tech free—breakfast, dinner, a walk to school—any time where you simply “talk about it.”
No secret formula: Being a working mother today is juggling all the things that matter to you. There is no perfect formula or secret to success, as that definition is different for everyone. My biggest piece of advice is to ensure that you are always assessing and balancing all aspects of you so that each aspect can grow vs. decline. I am always thinking about where I am not giving enough time—my job, my kids, my husband and myself—as the one that is the last on the list is probably suffering the most. You can only succeed as a working mother when you are at your personal best, well-rounded self. That way you can be present at home, at work and in-between.
Jennie Magiera
Global Head of Education Impact, Google
A lifelong educator, Magiera founded Our Voice Alliance to elevate marginalized voices and perspectives to improve equity and empathy in education.
Being productive as a mom and a manager: My role, for my team and my children, is to do all I can to help them be the best versions of themselves. So, I need to stay attuned to the needs of my children Lucy and Nora, as well as those of each member of my team. If they all individually feel seen, heard and supported by me, then I’ve had a productive day.
Support network: I have several circles of moms that I lean on—both from my generation and the one above me. We’re constantly swapping questions about everything from toilet transitions to school advocacy to balancing kid activities with afternoon work schedules. Additionally, a large majority of my immediate team (70%) is working mothers—so I am grateful to be able to discuss shared smiles and struggles with these colleagues.
Take up space: My hope is that being a working mother today is seen as a positive, especially in the workplace. If we want the workplace to evolve to support working mothers, then we must be bold enough to let that part of us take up space, be seen and celebrated. I’ve worked hard to normalize my fertility journey, motherhood and even my battle with postpartum depression, sharing when appropriate and necessary. My hope is that being a working mother today—and into the future—is something that we can be fully, openly and joyfully.
Heather Dowd-Priel
VP, Ad Sales and Partnerships,
AMC Networks
Responsible for ad sales strategies and partnerships, Dowd-Priel also created a “Coffee and Catch Up” series for the sales assistants and senior executives within the company.
How work helped her succeed as a parent: My career is something I have worked extremely hard to build and I’m proud of what I accomplished. Work has allowed me to succeed as a parent by giving my girls a front row seat to what it means to have passion in a career and to be a great mother. You can be both.
Top recommendation to other parents: I always recommend taking time, no matter how busy you are, and doing something you love. It could be a book club, running, meditation, a gym class, anything that feeds your soul.
Support network: My No. 1 support person is my husband, Eric. We both have careers, and our family is our priority, always. There are no defined roles as to who does what. We pitch in wherever we need to. It has given my daughters an amazing perspective on partnership and non-traditional roles.
Elizabeth Gilchrist
EVP, Account Director, Grey New York
In her 15-plus years with the company, Gilchrist has helped Grey win numerous pitches, 37 Cannes Lions and 10 Effies.
Being productive as a mom and a manager: Productivity doesn’t mean compromising on what work gets done, but how it gets done. It comes down to prioritization, delegation and, most of all, motivation. I am more focused and efficient, but I also enable and empower my team to have more autonomy and take on bigger challenges. I provide a safe space to learn, grow, succeed, and sometimes fail … but fail fast and move forward.
Best work advice from her kids: Don’t get furious, get curious. My children have revitalized my commitment to active listening and being present, while also instilling in me the value of empathy and patience. To seek to understand the what and the why behind their actions in these moments. Only then can I truly meet them where they are and address their needs.
Support network: At work, I’ve always been surrounded by a team of amazing people. But when I became a mom, I needed to find and grow a support team from scratch. I found a network of moms with autistic sons that I was so lucky to meet and become a part of. When Ethan was diagnosed, we felt lost. We didn’t know what to do, who to turn to, how to support him. I could not have coped during this emotionally draining time without them. With their compassion, assistance, encouragement and guidance, we identified the right doctors, programs, therapies and tools to set him up for success. And he is thriving. We call this “parenting by community.” And I intend to extend their impact to help other new parents feel known, supported and empowered to help their neurodivergent children succeed.
Tiana Conley
VP, Global Chocolate, Mars
Conley oversees strategy for iconic brands such as 3 Musketeers, Dove, Galaxy, Snickers and Twix.
How motherhood helped her succeed at work: Being a mom forces you to get laser-focused on what is critical vs. nice to have and to be clear on your why, which has been a helpful approach to both career navigation and work itself.
Parenting win: My son loves sharks, and last year he wrote a letter to President Biden to express his disappointment over the practice of shark finning. Not only did the President write him back, sharing steps that the administration was taking, but a few months later a law was passed to ban shark fin importation and exportation in the U.S. This experience reminded me of the profound responsibility I have as a leader to help mentor and encourage others to find their voices.
Gaining perspective: There are some days when I feel like a colossal failure as a working mom. When meetings did not go well at work, and nothing went as scheduled at home. I will ask the kids before bed what they thought of the day, and instead of telling me I was a terrible mom, they will say it was the best day ever because while I was on my late call, they got to have pizza and play on their iPads on a school night. On days like that, I try to remind myself that my kids love me unconditionally, and I can never fail at being their mom.
Michelle Harmon-Madsen
CMO, SponsorUnited
For more than 25 years, Harmon-Madsen has led marketing and business transformation at industry-leading companies, focused on launching and building customer-centric businesses and new revenue streams.
How motherhood helped her succeed at work: Being a working mom has taught me resilience. Just when I thought we figured out an approach that worked for our family, something would change. But with each transition came unexpected independence and growth for my daughter, my husband and myself.
Top recommendation for other parents: Create your own family ritual or tradition. In our house, it was dinner together. The key was planning our menu the day before (or that morning); everyone had to suggest three dinner ideas each week. While they were often repetitive, it made us all feel invested in the process.
Parenting win: My daughter called home from college to tell me she’d decided to change her major from computer science to business and had met with the business school guidance counselor to process details. She wasn’t asking for my advice and guidance–instead, to share the news and her excitement about her new direction. While part of me was saddened not to be involved in the process, that feeling was eclipsed by my pride in her for standing up for herself and making her own decisions. As a manager and leader, it sometimes seems easiest to provide specific direction, but ultimately better to encourage my team and others to come forward with issues they’re facing, along with their thoughts on how to address and solve those challenges.
Elizabeth Gilchrist
EVP, Account Director, Grey New York
In her 15-plus years with the company, Gilchrist has helped Grey win numerous pitches, 37 Cannes Lions and 10 Effies.
Being productive as a mom and a manager: Productivity doesn’t mean compromising on what work gets done, but how it gets done. It comes down to prioritization, delegation and, most of all, motivation. I am more focused and efficient, but I also enable and empower my team to have more autonomy and take on bigger challenges. I provide a safe space to learn, grow, succeed, and sometimes fail … but fail fast and move forward.
Best work advice from her kids: Don’t get furious, get curious. My children have revitalized my commitment to active listening and being present, while also instilling in me the value of empathy and patience. To seek to understand the what and the why behind their actions in these moments. Only then can I truly meet them where they are and address their needs.
Support network: At work, I’ve always been surrounded by a team of amazing people. But when I became a mom, I needed to find and grow a support team from scratch. I found a network of moms with autistic sons that I was so lucky to meet and become a part of. When Ethan was diagnosed, we felt lost. We didn’t know what to do, who to turn to, how to support him. I could not have coped during this emotionally draining time without them. With their compassion, assistance, encouragement and guidance, we identified the right doctors, programs, therapies and tools to set him up for success. And he is thriving. We call this “parenting by community.” And I intend to extend their impact to help other new parents feel known, supported and empowered to help their neurodivergent children succeed.
Tiana Conley
VP, Global Chocolate, Mars
Conley oversees strategy for iconic brands such as 3 Musketeers, Dove, Galaxy, Snickers and Twix.
How motherhood helped her succeed at work: Being a mom forces you to get laser-focused on what is critical vs. nice to have and to be clear on your why, which has been a helpful approach to both career navigation and work itself.
Parenting win: My son loves sharks, and last year he wrote a letter to President Biden to express his disappointment over the practice of shark finning. Not only did the President write him back, sharing steps that the administration was taking, but a few months later a law was passed to ban shark fin importation and exportation in the U.S. This experience reminded me of the profound responsibility I have as a leader to help mentor and encourage others to find their voices.
Gaining perspective: There are some days when I feel like a colossal failure as a working mom. When meetings did not go well at work, and nothing went as scheduled at home. I will ask the kids before bed what they thought of the day, and instead of telling me I was a terrible mom, they will say it was the best day ever because while I was on my late call, they got to have pizza and play on their iPads on a school night. On days like that, I try to remind myself that my kids love me unconditionally, and I can never fail at being their mom.
Michelle Harmon-Madsen
CMO, SponsorUnited
For more than 25 years, Harmon-Madsen has led marketing and business transformation at industry-leading companies, focused on launching and building customer-centric businesses and new revenue streams.
How motherhood helped her succeed at work: Being a working mom has taught me resilience. Just when I thought we figured out an approach that worked for our family, something would change. But with each transition came unexpected independence and growth for my daughter, my husband and myself.
Top recommendation for other parents: Create your own family ritual or tradition. In our house, it was dinner together. The key was planning our menu the day before (or that morning); everyone had to suggest three dinner ideas each week. While they were often repetitive, it made us all feel invested in the process.
Parenting win: My daughter called home from college to tell me she’d decided to change her major from computer science to business and had met with the business school guidance counselor to process details. She wasn’t asking for my advice and guidance–instead, to share the news and her excitement about her new direction. While part of me was saddened not to be involved in the process, that feeling was eclipsed by my pride in her for standing up for herself and making her own decisions. As a manager and leader, it sometimes seems easiest to provide specific direction, but ultimately better to encourage my team and others to come forward with issues they’re facing, along with their thoughts on how to address and solve those challenges.
Andrea Ebert
EVP, Global Managing Partner and LA Lead, UM
A marketing veteran, Ebert is active across UM’s HeliUM mentorship program and IPG’s Women’s Leadership Network mentoring program.
How motherhood helped her succeed at work: I always try to celebrate the small wins and use mistakes as a learning opportunity. This applies at work too, as I try to encourage my team to take a risk or try something new, picking them up if things don’t go as planned and showing them how to improve next time.
How work helped her succeed as a parent: Negotiation skills. While the stakes may be a little lower when negotiating bedtime instead of a client deal, it’s critical to find the gives and let kids feel that they’ve won something, while still holding my ground on what matters most to me.
Parenting win: One of the biggest parenting wins over the last year was seeing my kids start to take on more responsibility at home. We’ve worked hard to help them develop more independence and seeing it come to fruition, especially in the busy mornings while we’re getting everyone ready for the day while juggling early calls, has made a huge difference.
Monique Pintarelli
President, North America, Teads
Pintarelli’s leadership led to the fastest revenue growth for the U.S. market in recent Teads history.
How motherhood helped her succeed at work: Motherhood has taught me the importance of taking an individualized approach to employee connection, communication and development. I’ve learned to identify strengths and celebrate differences. I’ve learned how to hold steady through challenging moments while both leading and supporting my teams.
Rewarding challenges: I love the multifaceted world of being a working mom. Every day is a new challenge and a new opportunity to feel overwhelming joy, love and accomplishment.
How work helped her succeed as a parent: I think there is so much from the work world that can help with parenting. I always try to lead by example. I want to show them what commitment and hard work looks like and what is possible if you give your all. We talk a lot about business and politics and try to instill curiosity and the importance of lifelong learning. I also love that my boys will grow up knowing there is no limit to what a woman is capable of.
Andrea Ebert
EVP, Global Managing Partner and LA Lead, UM
A marketing veteran, Ebert is active across UM’s HeliUM mentorship program and IPG’s Women’s Leadership Network mentoring program.
How motherhood helped her succeed at work: I always try to celebrate the small wins and use mistakes as a learning opportunity. This applies at work too, as I try to encourage my team to take a risk or try something new, picking them up if things don’t go as planned and showing them how to improve next time.
How work helped her succeed as a parent: Negotiation skills. While the stakes may be a little lower when negotiating bedtime instead of a client deal, it’s critical to find the gives and let kids feel that they’ve won something, while still holding my ground on what matters most to me.
Parenting win: One of the biggest parenting wins over the last year was seeing my kids start to take on more responsibility at home. We’ve worked hard to help them develop more independence and seeing it come to fruition, especially in the busy mornings while we’re getting everyone ready for the day while juggling early calls, has made a huge difference.
Monique Pintarelli
President, North America, Teads
Pintarelli’s leadership led to the fastest revenue growth for the U.S. market in recent Teads history.
How motherhood helped her succeed at work: Motherhood has taught me the importance of taking an individualized approach to employee connection, communication and development. I’ve learned to identify strengths and celebrate differences. I’ve learned how to hold steady through challenging moments while both leading and supporting my teams.
Rewarding challenges: I love the multifaceted world of being a working mom. Every day is a new challenge and a new opportunity to feel overwhelming joy, love and accomplishment.
How work helped her succeed as a parent: I think there is so much from the work world that can help with parenting. I always try to lead by example. I want to show them what commitment and hard work looks like and what is possible if you give your all. We talk a lot about business and politics and try to instill curiosity and the importance of lifelong learning. I also love that my boys will grow up knowing there is no limit to what a woman is capable of.
Louisa Wong
CEO, Americas Region, Wavemaker
Wong is an agile leader who has led Wavemaker to earn numerous industry awards.
How motherhood helped her succeed at work: Motherhood has given me an evolved perspective to the meaning of empathy and kindness. There are different languages and ways we express “love,” and my daughter reminds me of that every day. I use that education from her to help me learn from people with that lens.
Being productive as a mom and a manager: It’s about getting my exercise in, baby fed, husband kissed, meeting with our clients, taking time to check in and catch up with my colleagues, and meeting up with friends. To be productive is a mindset, no one benchmark is the same.
You got this: Be kind to yourself, you’re doing great momma! And always “pay” yourself first.
Dounia Senawi
U.S. Chief Commercial Officer,
Deloitte Digital
Senawi drives new thinking, integration, innovation and the application of new technologies to meet customers’ ever-changing needs.
Being productive as a mom and a manager: When my son is at school, I’m focused on being 100% present and engaged at work, and then when I am with my son (barring an emergency or crazy deadline), I am engaged the entire time.
Support network: As a single mom, I’ve been so lucky to have an incredible support system of family and colleagues. At work, it means I can be unapologetic about the days I can’t travel or when I want to pop out in the afternoon to pick up my son from school, have a quick afternoon snack and talk about his day. I want the parents on my team to witness firsthand that it is possible to balance a leadership role while being a parent.
How work helped her succeed as a parent: Work has carved out unique opportunities for my son John and me, especially because I try to integrate the two as much as possible. As John has gotten older, I’ve been able to show him what I do and take him to work events. These experiences have given us different things to talk about and has provided him another perspective of what success looks like, helped him learn self-sufficiency, given him confidence and taught him to lean on others and ask for help.
Louisa Wong
CEO, Americas Region, Wavemaker
Wong is an agile leader who has led Wavemaker to earn numerous industry awards.
How motherhood helped her succeed at work: Motherhood has given me an evolved perspective to the meaning of empathy and kindness. There are different languages and ways we express “love,” and my daughter reminds me of that every day. I use that education from her to help me learn from people with that lens.
Being productive as a mom and a manager: It’s about getting my exercise in, baby fed, husband kissed, meeting with our clients, taking time to check in and catch up with my colleagues, and meeting up with friends. To be productive is a mindset, no one benchmark is the same.
You got this: Be kind to yourself, you’re doing great momma! And always “pay” yourself first.
Dounia Senawi
U.S. Chief Commercial Officer,
Deloitte Digital
Senawi drives new thinking, integration, innovation and the application of new technologies to meet customers’ ever-changing needs.
Being productive as a mom and a manager: When my son is at school, I’m focused on being 100% present and engaged at work, and then when I am with my son (barring an emergency or crazy deadline), I am engaged the entire time.
Support network: As a single mom, I’ve been so lucky to have an incredible support system of family and colleagues. At work, it means I can be unapologetic about the days I can’t travel or when I want to pop out in the afternoon to pick up my son from school, have a quick afternoon snack and talk about his day. I want the parents on my team to witness firsthand that it is possible to balance a leadership role while being a parent.
How work helped her succeed as a parent: Work has carved out unique opportunities for my son John and me, especially because I try to integrate the two as much as possible. As John has gotten older, I’ve been able to show him what I do and take him to work events. These experiences have given us different things to talk about and has provided him another perspective of what success looks like, helped him learn self-sufficiency, given him confidence and taught him to lean on others and ask for help.
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