Parents At Work

What does it really look like to build a career in academia while raising children? In this thoughtful and often hilarious episode of Parents at Work, Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin sit down with professors Elizabeth Grimm and Catherine Leimkuhler Grimes to talk about parenting, ambition, research, flexibility, ADHD, planning, self-compassion, and the evolving realities of working motherhood in higher education. From grant funding and tenure to strategic planning and family adventures, this conversation is packed with wisdom, honesty, and practical insights for working parents everywhere.Connect with Lori at Mindful Returnhttps://www.mindfulreturn.com/Connect with Jason at Ready Set Launchhttps://readysetlaunch.net/Links mentioned:https://www.mindfulreturn.com/academia/https://www.udel.edu/content/dam/udelImages/grad-college/graduate-college-pdfs/GraduateStudentParentalLeaveTrailGuide.pdf.https://www.ncfdd.org/

In this powerful episode of Parents at Work, Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin sit down with Dr. Lucy De La Cruz, a breast surgeon whose care played a pivotal role in Lori’s cancer journey. They explore the intersection of medicine, motherhood, resilience, and early detection, while Dr. De La Cruz shares her remarkable story of perseverance, failure, and purpose. The conversation offers both practical guidance and deeply human insight into navigating work, parenting, and life’s hardest moments.Connect with Lori at Mindful ReturnConnect with Jason at Ready Set LaunchConnect with Dr. Lucy De La Cruz on LinkedIn

Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin welcome Lisa Tan and Martin Rawls-Meehan, partners in both business and parenting, to explore what it really takes to work and raise a family together. From building a company to raising bilingual kids, they share candid insights on trust, flexibility, and redefining balance as working parents.Connect with Lori at Mindful Returnhttps://www.mindfulreturn.com/Connect with Jason at Ready Set Launchhttps://readysetlaunch.net/

In this Olympics-inspired episode of Parents at Work, Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin explore what working parents can learn from elite athletes about teamwork, coaching, mental health, and going after dreams. From building a “babysitting bench” to hiring coaches and supporting each other in marriage and career, they unpack why success in parenthood and work is never a solo sport. The takeaway is clear: build your team, care for your mental health, and don’t stop chasing your own dreams.Connect with Lori at Mindful Returnhttps://www.mindfulreturn.com/Connect with Jason at Ready Set Launchhttps://readysetlaunch.net/

Lori Mihalich-Levin and Jason Levin share how their family navigated an 18-month period marked by serious mental health challenges, cancer treatment, and deep uncertainty.Through a candid “top five” list from each host, they explore what helped them survive and recover: mindset, partnership, asking for help, systems and support, physical and emotional care, and vulnerability.This episode is an honest, compassionate conversation about resilience, marriage, parenting, leadership, and why saying “we’re not okay” can be the most powerful step forward.Connect with Lori at Mindful Returnhttps://www.mindfulreturn.com/Connect with Jason at Ready Set Launchhttps://readysetlaunch.net/

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.

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.

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 LinkedInCadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLPStephanie Felder on LinkedInGroom Law GroupIf 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/wpgnBooks mentioned:Work Parent Thrive by Dr. Yael SchonbrunHow to Talk So Kids Will Listen, and Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine MazlishThe Harry Potter series by J.K. RowlingImpact Winter by Travis BeachamMentioned in this episode:Provide an Employee Benefit for Moms Returning After Maternity LeaveJoin over 75 companies who currently provide an employee benefit course to new Moms. Mindful Return is a 4 week course that will help your employee retention at this critical time in your employee's life. Mindful Return Course Ad

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 EstateEva Davis on LinkedInJennifer Eaby on LinkedInIf 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/wpgnRecommended books:Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl Relationships to Infinity by Jason Levin

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 GroupAccentureJonathan Milde on LinkedInDan Baldor on LinkedInIf you’d like to participate in the conversation at the Mindful Return Working Parents Group Network Learning Collaborative, go to www.mindfulreturn.com/wpgnBooks mentioned:Mindset by Dr. Carol DweckThe Power of Now by Eckhart TolleMentioned in this episode:Get the new book: Relationships to Infinity, the Art and Science of Keeping In Touch from Ready, Set, LaunchHead 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

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 CorporationJuan Otero on LinkedInBooks mentioned:A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles DickensThe Godfather, by Mario PuzoDog Man, A Tale of Two Kitties, by Dav PilkeyPete the Cat, by Kimberly Dean, James Dean, and Eric LitwinMentioned in this episode:Get the new book: Relationships to Infinity, the Art and Science of Keeping In Touch from Ready, Set, LaunchHead 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

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 PlatformKamillah Knight on LinkedInJaya Saxena on LinkedInIf you are the leader of a working parent or caregiver employee resource group at your organization, go to www.mindfulreturn.com/wpgn to sign up for the Working Parent Group Network (WPGN). Books mentioned:Between the World and Me by Ta-nehisi CoatsRelationships to Infinity by Jason LevinHow to Raise and Antiracist by Ibram X. KendyMentioned in this episode:Provide an Employee Benefit for Moms Returning After Maternity LeaveJoin over 75 companies who currently provide an employee benefit course to new Moms. Mindful Return is a 4 week course that will help your employee retention at this critical time in your employee's life. Mindful Return Course Ad

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 LeaveJoin over 75 companies who currently provide an employee benefit course to new Moms. Mindful Return is a 4 week course that will help your employee retention at this critical time in your employee's life. Mindful Return Course Ad