In December, the Stern Women in Business (SWIB) Alumnae Group, in partnership with the Office of Career Development, hosted a panel discussion about transitioning into working motherhood. The panel was moderated by Jennifer Schwartz (MBA '13), brand leader, Monkey 47 Gin, Pernod Ricard and included Laura Bueno de Greco (MBA ‘12), senior marketing manager, Johnson & Johnson; Jessica Lustgarten Courtemanche (MBA ‘13), VP, data & analysis at Digitas, and Jackie Walters Park (MBA ‘13), chief operating officer, Red Rabbit. Much of the discussion centered on learnings from navigating the journey back into professional roles upon having children. The panelists suggested that as daunting as it may be, it is critical that returning mothers ask employers for what they need in order to flourish in their roles. They shared that employers rarely have the bandwidth to proactively engage an employee who takes a leave of absence but are often willing to provide support ranging from flexible hours to a personal refrigerator. The panelists advised working mothers to engage a support group, especially within the Stern alumni community, to learn how others are navigating the challenges of early motherhood, office politics, and career advancement.

One of the panelists, Laura Bueno de Greco (MBA '12) was recently recognized by Johnson & Johnson as a ‘Working Mother of the Year’. Read her profile.

Watch the panel discussion:


See images from the event: