For me, joining CEOs for Gender Equity was a simple decision and a real no brainer. Creating a more equitable world is a huge passion of mine, and a conversation I continually want to be a part of.

As a career driven woman, I have always been determined to achieve incredible things in my life. Then I had 3 children, and it suddenly didn’t feel as easy or accessible anymore.

I have worked in several “boys clubs” during my career, knowingly being paid substantially less than men who were my equal and being treated differently purely for being a female. Throw in then trying to be a career driven mother and balancing being there with my children and having a career I love-it’s been a constant challenge for me. Equity in the workplace has come a long way and is constantly improving, but still has a long way to go.

Gender equity covers several areas, but my main passion is the equity provided for working parents, and the support that is so desperately needed in that space.

Working parents take up around half of most workplaces and yet, like myself these employees are often struggling to balance being a great parent and still grow and develop in their careers. This has a huge knock-on effect across Leaders and why we see such a discrepancy between the number of men in executive roles compared to women. Women having babies and trying to balance raising their children and working has a huge effect on this.

Gender equity for working parents is a conversation that needs to happen more. Mothers want to return to work but can’t see how they can juggle it all, and men want to spend more time with their families. Shifting the stereotypes and biases that prevent workplaces from going all out to support working parents is something that I want to be part of.

As a parent, I want my children to grow up seeing mum and dad as equal. Equally working, equally looking after our children, and looking after the household chores. Equality is something that is essential for workplaces and for home.

The change needs to start with us. We are influencing the next generations and can have a huge impact on what our children’s futures look like. So, this is not just about me, and supporting all genders to thrive, it’s about what we are also teaching our children and what we are role modelling for them.

Instead of just hoping and wishing for a more equitable world, I want to be part of facilitating that change, so here I am- doing my part and feeling very proud to be part of the solution.